Southern Hemisphere atmospheric circulation response to global warming

P. J. Kushner, I. M. Held, T. L. Delworth

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378 Scopus citations

Abstract

The response of the Southern Hemisphere (SH), extratropical, atmospheric general circulation to transient, anthropogenic, greenhouse warming is investigated in a coupled climate model. The extratropical circulation response consists of a SH summer half-year poleward shift of the westerly jet and a year-round positive wind anomaly in the stratosphere and the tropical upper troposphere. Along with the poleward shift of the jet, there is a poleward shift of several related fields, including the belt of eddy momentum-flux convergence and the mean meridional overturning in the atmosphere and in the ocean. The tropospheric wind response projects strongly onto the model's "Southern Annular Mode" (also known as the "Antarctic oscillation"), which is the leading pattern of variability of the extratropical zonal winds.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)2238-2249
Number of pages12
JournalJournal of Climate
Volume14
Issue number10
DOIs
StatePublished - May 15 2001
Externally publishedYes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Atmospheric Science

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