On the Display of the Atmospheric Circulation with Streamfunctions

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Abstract
The zonally averaged conservation equations for water, linear zonal momentum, and potential heat (gz+cpT) are written in a form analogous to the mass continuity equation. This is possible when atmospheric storage terms are negligible which is generally the case during the solstice seasons. It follows that the fluxes of these properties can be represented by Stokes streamfunctions. Patterns of streamfunctions in the vertical-meridional plane for mass, water (all 3 phases combined), momentum, and heat have been prepared from the “Atmospheric Circulation Statistics” of Oort and Rasmusson (1971). They are shown for the seasons December–January–February and June–July–August, and for the area between 10S-75N. The following details are of interest: The mixed character of the various fluxes is qualitatively described. Fluxes of different properties cross each other or go in opposite directions. Further, fluxes of the same property on different scales may go in opposite directions, particularly in the vertical. The total horizontal flux divergences are compared with some independent flux estimates at the earth's surface. Although there are still significant imbalances, the general agreement is fair.

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