Thermodynamic controls of the Western Tibetan Vortex on Tibetan air temperature.

ABSTRACT: The "Western Tibetan Vortex" (WTV)-also termed the Karakoram Vortex-dominates the middle-to-lower troposphere and the near-surface air temperature variability above the western Tibetan Plateau (TP). Here, we explore the thermodynamic mechanisms through which the WTV modulates air temperature over the western TP by diagnosing the three major terms of the thermodynamic energy equation-adiabatic heating, horizontal temperature advection, and diabatic heating-that maintain the atmospheric thermal balance. We composite these major terms to examine the differences between anti-cyclonic and cyclonic WTV events. Our theoretical approach demonstrates that adiabatic sinking-compression (rising-expansion) provides the overwhelming control on both the middle-to-lower tropospheric and lower stratospher

SUBMITTER: Li XF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6936652 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature