Westward propagating normal modes in the presence of stationary background waves

Abstract

Eigenvectors and eigenvalues of the nondivergent barotropic vorticity equation linearized about zonally asymmetric wintertime mean flows are calculated to determine which barotropic modes might contribute to westward propagating disturbances observed in nature. Of particular interest are modes that correspond to a recurring pattern concentrated in the Western Hemisphere with a period of about 25 days. By slowly changing the basic states that support the westward propagating unstable modes until they are equal to the climatological January state that earlier studies have shown produces quasi-stationary teleconnection-like modes, it is demonstrated that the unstable westward propagating and quasi-stationary modes are related to each other. -Authors