Basin Modes in a Tropical–Extratropical Basin

Abstract

The full spectrum of basin modes in a tropical?extratropical basin is studied comprehensively in a linear shallow-water system. Two sets of least-damped basin modes are identified. At the low-frequency end is the planetary wave basin mode, whose period is determined by the cross-basin time of the planetary wave on the poleward boundary of the basin, consistent with recent theories. At the higher-frequency end is the Kelvin wave basin mode, whose period is determined by the around-basin traveling time of the Kelvin wave. Sensitivity experiments are also performed on the eigenvalue problem to study the dynamics of these basin modes. It is found that the period of the planetary wave basin mode is determined by an effective basin boundary that is always at a latitude no higher than the geometric basin boundary. The effective poleward boundary is located at the most poleward latitude where the planetary wave can cross the entire basin. It is also found that the Kelvin wave basin modes are vulnerable to boundary perturbations. If the coastal Kelvin wave propagation is suppressed along the basin boundary, the Kelvin wave basin mode would degenerate to the equatorial basin mode that has been obtained theoretically from the long-wave approximation.