In the Madden-Julian Oscillation, shear forces caused by air layers slipping and sliding near the equator play a critical role in forming enormous thunderstorms and monsoons.
Tropical convection
Posted inResearch Spotlights
The Forgotten Water Vapor at High Altitudes
Scientists find that estimations of high-altitude atmospheric water, critical for the greenhouse effect, are not as accurate as previously thought.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Convection Cycles, Atmosphere, and Ocean Work Symbiotically
Scientists review studies of the tropical Madden-Julian Oscillation to better frame its role in air-sea interactions.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
New Insights into the Complicated World of Tropical Convection
New study identifies key variables that move solar heat from the ocean to the troposphere in the tropics.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Circulation Models Cannot Simulate Organized Tropical Convection
Challenges in predicting and simulating the Madden-Julian Oscillation indicate a lack of understanding of the atmospheric circulation pattern's fundamental physics.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Cool Downdrafts in Large Thunderstorms Captured by Satellite
Orbiting scatterometers can reveal patterns of cool air in mesoscale convective systems.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Conquering Uncertainties in Tropical Climate Forecasts
The key to better predictions of atmospheric temperature trends in the tropics may lie in more accurate measurements of sea surface temperatures.