The puzzling hemispheric asymmetry of Enceladus ice shell may be explained by symmetry breaking induced by a positive feedback (provided by ice-rheology feedback) + scale selection (caused by the ice flow). (Kang & Flierl 2020)
We investigated how the general circulation (Hadley cell, super-rotation) would look like in a shortwave-absorbing atmosphere. read more…
Atmospheric circulation on a warmer high obliquity planet could be drastically different from that on a cold one. As the meridional circulation turns from thermally indirect to thermally direct at high insolation, upper air zonal wind accelerates westward and cloud fraction drops. read more…
Stratospheric water vapor concentration on low and high obliquity planets could be very different! As the equatorial cold trap becomes less efficient, stratosphere becomes much wetter under high obliquity, allowing water vapor to escape whilst being detected. read more…
Why are high obliquity aquaplanets always warmer than low obliquity equivalents? read more…
The bottom-amplified baroclinic eddies and thermally-indirect Hadley cell in a world with a reversed meridional temperature gradient, as expected under high obliquity. read more…
Shown below is the zonal wind at 250mb when MJO-like forcing is applied to “B” window (left) and “C” window (right). MJO-like forcings at different longitudinal locations drive the SSWs to different fates by interaction with the mid-latitude stationary wave pattern. read more…
Without a strong background zonal asymmetry, the Madden-Julian Oscillation could suppress Sudden Stratospheric Warmings. read more…
Sudden Stratospheric Warming frequency could double and polar vortex could get significantly weaker and warmer due to a stronger Madden-Julian Oscillation expected in a warmer climate. read more…
Wanying Kang 