Response time of an atmospheric general circulation model to changes in ocean surface temperature: Implications for interactive large-scale atmosphere and ocean models

Warren M. Washington; Robert M. Chervin

doi:10.3402/tellusa.v32i2.10487

Response time of an atmospheric general circulation model to changes in ocean surface temperature: Implications for interactive large-scale atmosphere and ocean models

Tellus

Volume 32 (1980): Issue 2

By: Warren M. Washington and Robert M. Chervin

Open Access

|Jan 1980

Abstract

To ensure efficient coupling strategies in asynchronous coupling experiments with atmospheric and oceanic general circulation models (GCMs), knowledge of the atmospheric model’s response time to altered ocean surface temperature (OST) forcing is a necessary prerequisite. A general estimate of atmospheric response time of 30 days is obtained by analysis of the time evolution between different quasi-equilibrium states in response to altered OSTs in several atmospheric GCM experiments. It is recognized, however, that this estimate may be too conservative (longer than necessary) for lower atmospheric layers in the tropics. For a completely optimized asynchronous coupling strategy, an estimate of oceanic response time to altered atmospheric forcing is also necessary.

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Articles in this issue

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3402/tellusa.v32i2.10487 | Journal eISSN: 3035-9554

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Language: English

Page range: 119 - 123

Submitted on: Sep 3, 1979

Accepted on: Nov 19, 1979

Published on: Jan 1, 1980

Published by: Stockholm University Press

In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

© 1980 Warren M. Washington, Robert M. Chervin, published by Stockholm University Press
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Volume 32 (1980): Issue 2