Investigation of Coherent Tropopause Disturbances Using a High Resolution Global Model

Coherent Tropopause Disturbances (CTD's) have been observed to play a central role in both extratropical cyclogenesis and the dynamics of jet streaks. Recent observational studies have quantified the existence of CTD's by locating potential temperature minima on a constant potential vorticity surface that is representative of the dynamic tropopause. This study applies a similar approach, but to a data set from a high-resolution global model (the Community Climate Model, Version 3). Application of an objective identification and tracking algorithm, along with several statistical calculations involving potential temperature on the 2.0 PVU surface, with statistics of outgoing longwave radiation, indicate that the CCM3 is a tool that may yield valuable insight into the dynamical interactions that determine the origin, growth and lifecycles of CTD's.