The Elements of the Thermodynamic Structure of the Tropical Atmosphere

Understanding of the tropical atmosphere is elaborated around two elementary ideas, one being that density homogenized on isobars, which referred to as weak temperature gradient (WTG), other vertical structure follows a moist-adiabatic lapse rate. This study uses simulations from global storm-resolving models investigate accuracy these ideas. Our results show horizontally appears be homogeneous, but only in mid- and lower troposphere (between 400 hPa 800 hPa). To achieve homogeneous temperature, horizontal absolute adjusts balance moisture difference. Thus, water vapor plays an important role distribution. Density patterns vary by about 0.3 K scale individual ocean basins, differ 1 among basins. We use equivalent potential explore we compare assuming pseudo-adiabat reversible-adiabat (isentropic) with effect condensate loading. suggest saturated convective regions tends adopt thermal isentropic below zero-degree isotherm pseudo-adiabatic above. However, mean substantially colder, set bulk convection affected entrainment troposphere.