Relation Between Atmospheric Energy Transport and Hadley Cell Strength in Aqua-Planet Simulations

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1223 Ocean/Earth/Atmosphere/Hydrosphere/Cryosphere Interactions (0762, 1218, 3319, 4550), 1620 Climate Dynamics (0429, 3309), 3319 General Circulation (1223), 3337 Global Climate Models (1626, 4928), 3374 Tropical Meteorology

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A weakening and a poleward shift of the Hadley circulation was diagnosed in the coupled model simulations, in global warming conditions. Changes of the static stability, or in the extra-tropical eddy activity were invoked to explain these changes. In this paper, we use simple aqua-planet simulations, using prescribed SST, to further investigate these mechanisms. In particular, we study the relationships between the mean meridional circulation strength and the poleward energy transport. The consequences of (1) a uniform mean SST increase and (2) an increased meridional SST gradient are studied. The poleward energy transport is found to be unchanged in the different aqua-planet simulations. Stronger meridional SST gradient increases the equatorward heat and water vapor transport, compared to the poleward geopotential transport. As a consequence, in simulations with strong meridional SST gradient, the total energy transport is less efficient and the mean meridional circulation needs to strengthen. On the other hand, a uniform SST increase strengthens the poleward geopotential transport: as the poleward energy transport is more efficient, the Hadley circulation needs to weaken. To measure the efficiency of the atmospheric energy transport, we define a parameter called the "Efficient Specific Energy". The Efficient Specific Energy of the atmospheric energy transport is suggested to be a good indicator for the study on the intensity of the Hadley cell in simulations of future climate, depending on the atmospheric poleward energy transport.

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