A Diagnostic Study of the Forcing of the Ferrel Cell by Eddies, with Latent Heat Effects Included

Abstract

A diagnostic study of the forcing of the Ferret cell by eddy fluxes in the Northern Hemisphere is carried out. The quasi-geostrophic omega equation, and Oort and Rasmusson's data set are used. The effects of condensation associated with the large-scale motions are introduced to the omega equation by using the quasi-geostrophic moisture conservation equation. Thus the dry static stability is replaced by a moist static stability, and the forcing of the Ferret cell by eddy latent heat fluxes as well as sensible heat and momentum fluxes is included, Both effects tend to enhance the forcing of the Ferret cell. The numerical analysis indicates that the effects are small in January, but in July the maximum vertical velocities are enhanced by ?30%.