Articles | Volume 18, issue 23
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-17099-2018
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-17099-2018
Research article
 | 
04 Dec 2018
Research article |  | 04 Dec 2018

Quantifying the variability of the annular modes: reanalysis uncertainty vs. sampling uncertainty

Edwin P. Gerber and Patrick Martineau

Data sets

S-RIP: Zonal-mean dynamical variables of global atmospheric reanalyses on pressure levels Patrick Martineau https://doi.org/10.5285/b241a7f536a244749662360bd7839312

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Short summary
The annular modes characterize the variability of the extratropical circulation. We show that they are extremely consistent across all reanalyses during the satellite era (1979 onward). Consequently, uncertainty in the annual cycle of variability of the tropospheric jet streams and their coupling with the stratospheric polar vortices is dominated by sampling uncertainty. Pre-satellite reanalysis of the Northern Hemisphere appears to be of high quality and can help reduce this uncertainty.
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