The Effect of the Interference of Traveling and Stationary Waves on Time Variations of the Large-Scale Circulation

Abstract

It is hypothesized that the interference of stationary and traveling waves of the same longitudinal can cause some of the observed time variations in the large-scale circulation. To explore this hypothesis the eight-winter average structure of a regularly occurring, westward propagating disturbance which we earlier called the ?16-day wave? is further documented. Energy quantities are calculated as this 16-day wave moves in and out of phase with the stationary or time-mean wave. The resulting time variations are similar to some already reported in the literature. Eddy heat momentum transport associated with energy conversions have phase relationships between pressure levels that can be approximately predicted by a simple linear superposition of the observed stationary waves and traveling external Rossby waves. In further support of the hypothesis, cross-spectral results determined from independent data show a reasonable agreement with these predictions.