| CLIVAR
AFRICA Panel meeting Abidjan 7-9 May 1998
|
What are the oceanic characteristics which result in adjustments in overlying atmosphere over Africa
What are the time and spatial structures
and dynamics of:
- boundary currents
- equatorial wave propogation
- heat storage, thermocline
- ocean-atmosphere fluxes
- dipole behaviour
- SST fields
- subtropical gyre dynamics
- southern ocean
- warm pools in Atlantic and Indian Oceans
- overall current structures
equatorial, counter, gyres, boundary/upwelling
- runoff / salinity controls / rainfall
In respect of the atmosphere, what are the time and space structures and dynamics of :
- jets and atmospheric fluxes
- cellular patterns around Africa and
surrounding monsoons
- tropical zonal flows and waves (Walker,
MJO)
- extra-tropical flows and linkages (NAO,
frontal systems, etc)
- interaction with heat lows in semi-arid
regions
- wave propogation into and from the
continent
- forcing of tropical convection
- tropical cyclone genesis and flow adjustments
- moisture advection including vertical
structure
- seasonality and the annual cycle
With regard to ocean-atmosphere interactions, what coupling processes drive African climate variability?
- continental versus oceanic heat exchanges
- marine wind stress
- oceanic ITCZ and tropical cyclones
- character of joint hemispheric-scale
atmosphere - ocean patterns
- ENSO impact on circulation and role
played by Indian and Atlantic tropical events
- subtropical gyre - high latitude interaction
- cross equatorial propogation