Tropical Atmospheric Circulations: Dynamic Stability and Transitions

Abstract

In this article, we present a mathematical theory of the Walker circulation of the large-scale atmosphere over the tropics. This study leads to a new metastable state oscillation theory for the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO), a typical inter-annual climate low frequency oscillation. The mathematical analysis is based on 1) the dynamic transition theory, 2) the geometric theory of incompressible flows, and 3) the scaling law for proper effect of the turbulent friction terms, developed recently by the authors