Global Distribution of the Wave Age ParameterShow others and affiliations
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Abstract [en]
In this paper a detailed global climatology of the wave age parameter, based on the ECMWF (European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts) ERA-40 reanalysis is presented. The global annual and seasonal mean climatological patterns of the wave age confirm, in line with previous studies, the global dominance of the World Ocean by swell waves. It is also shown, from a climatological perspective, that the state of equilibrium of the World Ocean is a relatively rare event. The leading modes of variability of the wave age demonstrate that the areas of higher explained variability (the centers of action) occur mostly along the equator, coinciding with the equatorial swell pools. Statistically significant secular changes of the annual wave age parameter are analyzed, revealing dominant upward trend in the equatorial and southeast Pacific Ocean, and partially in the extratropical storm tracks in the Southern Ocean, although in some areas, mainly in the Indian Ocean, some negative trends of the wave age are also observed.
Keywords [en]
Wave age, atmosphere, MABL, boundary layer, swell, MABL, climate, empirical orthogonal functions
National Category
Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences
Research subject
Meteorology
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-130645OAI: oai:DiVA.org:uu-130645DiVA, id: diva2:350097
2010-09-102010-09-102020-05-12