Geosciences Dept. Seminar: Relation of the atmospheric energy budget to tropical precipitation

Abstract: 

Rain in the tropics tends to concentrate in narrow Intertropical Convergence Zones (ITCZs) with strong convergence of moist static energy (MSE) below and strong divergence of dry static energy aloft. Recent studies provide energetic constraints for the position of the ITCZ by assuming that the vertically integrated meridional MSE flux vanishes near it. Using recently developed theories, we examine the relation of seasonal and regional tropical precipitation biases in current climate models to biases in the atmospheric energy budget, and identify potential sources of these biases. 

Seminar Organizer: Prof. Eyal Haifetz