On the theory of the general circulation of the atmosphere

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Abstract
Applying the conservation of energy principle to the incoming solar radiation and to the long-wave radiation, a heating mechanism of the atmosphere is introduced. A simplified emission spectrum of the atmosphere with one transparent region is used. The surface of the earth and a cloud layer are considered as black bodies. A simplified model of the atmosphere containing the coupling between dynamical and thermodynamical processes is presented. The equations that give the temperature, the excess of radiation and the mean zonal wind for each day of the year are derived. The temperature is given by a second order differential equation that can readily be solved. The zonal wind and the excess of radiation are explicit functions of the temperature. If in the computations we postulate that the addition of energy by processes other than radiation is a constant, the solution agrees remarkably well with the observed values, except in the months of May, June and July. It is shown that using only meridional turbulent diffusion transport of heat by large eddies, the required transport is accomplished. The theoretical solution requires a transport with the following exchange coefficients: 5 × 1010 cm2 per sec in February and in March, 4.5 × 1010 in October, 4 × 1010 in January, 3.5 × 1010 in November, 3 × 1010 in September and in December, 2 × 1010 in April, 0.25 × 1010 in August, and zero in May, June and July. There are two maxima of the value of the exchange coefficient: one in February and the other in October. The order of magnitude of the values of the exchange coefficient of our solution is in complete agreement with the value corresponding to the migratory cyclones and anticyclones of the middle latitudes, treated as turbulent eddies, which is equal to 5 × 1010. The theoretical solution correctly gives the position and strength of the jet stream, except in May, June and July. Therefore we can conclude that, except in these months, the mean daily circulation is mainly a result of the transfer of energy by radiation processes and the turbulent meridional transport of heat by the migratory cyclones and anticyclones. DOI: 10.1111/j.2153-3490.1962.tb00123.x

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