SOME OBSERVATIONS OF THE PERSISTENCE OF THE SURFACE PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION

Abstract

Observations of the persistence of the surface pressure distribution are compared for two regions of the northern hemisphere. One region covers most of North America ; the other region is comparable in size and is centered on the Greenwich meridian. The linear correlation coefficient is used as a quantitative measure of persistence. The European pressure distribution is found to have considerably greater persistence up to periods of three days. Comparison of the monthly means of the persistence observations and crude measures of the vertical wind shear indicate that the atmosphere behaves in a manner which is consistent with the conclusions of theoretical studies on the growth of atmospheric disturbances.