Other
Scientific paper
Dec 2010
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010agufm.p11a1328m&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2010, abstract #P11A-1328
Other
[0343] Atmospheric Composition And Structure / Planetary Atmospheres, [3319] Atmospheric Processes / General Circulation, [5405] Planetary Sciences: Solid Surface Planets / Atmospheres, [6281] Planetary Sciences: Solar System Objects / Titan
Scientific paper
The dynamical mechanism giving rise to superrotation is identified by passing from an Earth-like atmosphere to one resembling Titan [Mitchell & Vallis 2010, JGR-Planets, in press]. Planetary-scale waves drive Titan's atmosphere toward superrotation, while the overturning ciculation, or Hadley cell, drives it towards a constant-angular-momentum state. The influence of the Hadley circulation on superrotation is explored in a set of idealized numerical experiments where a single parameter governs the strength of the seasonal cycle. One end-member, with very weak seasons, resembles the Earth's tropics where the large thermal inertia of tropical oceans integrate out the seasonal cycle. The other end-member resembles Titan, where relatively weak surface thermal inertia and direct absorption of sunlight in the atmosphere cause the updraft of the Hadley cell to oscillate from one pole to the other with seasons. This oscillation lowers the average angular momentum that is supplied to the free atmosphere and directly affects the planetary waves driving superrotation. The implications for Titan's superrotation will be discussed.
Mitchell Jeffrey J.
Vallis Geoffrey
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