RT Journal Article
T1 North atlantic circulation regimes and heat transport by synoptic eddies
A1 Ruggieri, Paolo
A1 Álvarez Castro, María del Carmen
A1 Athanasiadis, Panagiotis
A1 Bellucci, Alessio
A1 Materia, Stefano
A1 Gualdi, Silvio
K1 Energy transport
K1 Storm tracks
K1 weather regimes
AB Meridional transport of heat by transient atmospheric eddies is a key component of the energy budget of the middle- and high-latitude regions. The heat flux at relevant frequencies is also part of a dynamical interaction between eddies and mean flow. In this study we investigate how the poleward heat flux by high-frequency atmospheric transient eddies is modulated by North Atlantic weather regimes in reanalysis data. Circulation regimes are estimated via a clustering method, a jet-latitude index, and a blocking index. Heat transport is defined as advection of moist static energy. The focus of the analysis is on synoptic frequencies but results for slightly longer time scales are reported. Results show that the synoptic eddy heat flux is substantially modulated by midlatitude weather regimes on a regional scale in midlatitude and polar regions. In a zonal-mean sense, the phases of the North Atlantic Oscillation do not significantly change the high-latitude synoptic heat flux, whereas Scandinavian blocking and the Atlantic ridge are associated with an intensification. A close relationship between high-latitude (midlatitude) heat flux and Atlantic jet speed (latitude) is found. The relationship between extreme events of synoptic heat flux and circulation regimes is also assessed and reveals contrasting behaviors in the polar regions. The perspective that emerges complements the traditional view of the interaction between synoptic eddies and the extratropical flow and reveals relationships with the high-latitude climate.
PB AMS journals
YR 2020
FD 2020-05-01
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10433/22917
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10433/22917
LA en
NO Journal of Climate, Vol. 33, Núm. 11, pp. 4769-4785
NO MEDSCOPE project (ERA4CS-JPI, Grant 690462)
NO Departamento Sistemas Físicos, Químicos y Naturales
DS RIO
RD May 8, 2026