Articles | Volume 2, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-2-311-2021
https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-2-311-2021
Research article
 | Highlight paper
 | 
12 Apr 2021
Research article | Highlight paper |  | 12 Apr 2021

African easterly waves in an idealized general circulation model: instability and wave packet diagnostics

Joshua White and Anantha Aiyyer

Related authors

Acceleration of tropical cyclones as a proxy for extratropical interactions: synoptic-scale patterns and long-term trends
Anantha Aiyyer and Terrell Wade
Weather Clim. Dynam., 2, 1051–1072, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-2-1051-2021,https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-2-1051-2021, 2021
Short summary

Related subject area

Dynamical processes in the tropics, incl. tropical–extratropical interactions
Can low-resolution CMIP6 ScenarioMIP models provide insight into future European post-tropical-cyclone risk?
Elliott Michael Sainsbury, Reinhard K. H. Schiemann, Kevin I. Hodges, Alexander J. Baker, Len C. Shaffrey, Kieran T. Bhatia, and Stella Bourdin
Weather Clim. Dynam., 3, 1359–1379, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-3-1359-2022,https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-3-1359-2022, 2022
Short summary
Non-linear intensification of monsoon low-pressure systems by the BSISO
Kieran M. R. Hunt and Andrew G. Turner
Weather Clim. Dynam., 3, 1341–1358, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-3-1341-2022,https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-3-1341-2022, 2022
Short summary
Investigation of dynamical scenarios leading to particularly high impact of Aeolus on NWP forecasts
Anne Martin, Martin Weissmann, and Alexander Cress
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2022-1150,https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2022-1150, 2022
Short summary
Dynamics of gap winds in the Great Rift Valley, Ethiopia: emphasis on strong winds at Lake Abaya
Cornelius Immanuel Weiß, Alexander Gohm, Mathias Walter Rotach, and Thomas Torora Minda
Weather Clim. Dynam., 3, 1003–1019, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-3-1003-2022,https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-3-1003-2022, 2022
Short summary
Metrics of the Hadley circulation strength and associated circulation trends
Matic Pikovnik, Žiga Zaplotnik, Lina Boljka, and Nedjeljka Žagar
Weather Clim. Dynam., 3, 625–644, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-3-625-2022,https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-3-625-2022, 2022
Short summary

Cited articles

Aiyyer, A., Mekonnen, A., and Schreck III, C. J.: Projection of Tropical Cyclones on Wavenumber-Frequency-Filtered Equatorial Waves, J. Climate, 25, 3653–3658, https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-11-00451.1, 2012. a
Alaka, G. J. and Maloney, E. D.: The Influence of the MJO on Upstream Precursors to African Easterly Waves, J. Climate, 25, 3219–3236, https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-11-00232.1, 2012. a, b, c
Alaka, G. J. and Maloney, E. D.: The Intraseasonal Variability of African Easterly Wave Energetics, J. Climate, 27, 6559–6580, https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-14-00146.1, 2014. a, b, c
Berry, G. J. and Thorncroft, C. D.: African Easterly Wave Dynamics in a Mesoscale Numerical Model: The Upscale Role of Convection, J. Atmos. Sci., 69, 1267–1283, 2012a. a
Berry, G. J. and Thorncroft, C. D.: African Easterly Wave Dynamics in a Mesoscale Numerical Model: The Upscale Role of Convection, J. Atmos. Sci., 69, 1267–1283, https://doi.org/10.1175/JAS-D-11-099.1, 2012b. a
Download
Short summary
Using a simple general circulation model, we examine the structure of waves in the mid-tropospheric jet over North Africa. We show that waves occur in near-stationary groups or wave packets. As they are not swept out of the jet, this may provide the opportunity for the packets to amplify via feedback from other energy sources like rain-producing cloud complexes and mineral dust that are known to operate here. Our results address the criticism that the easterly jet is too short to sustain waves.