Meridional migration of tropical convergence zones

Abstract

Outgoing longwave radiation data from the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment show that the meridional migration of tropical convergence zones (TCZ) varies greatly from one region to another in the Tropics. In Africa, the meridional migration of TCZ is limited due to the meridional variation of the planetary net radiation due to the Sahara Desert. The large meridional migration in the Asian subcontinent and the west Pacific Ocean is attributed to the strong land-sea contrast in these regions. The wind-evaporation feedback mechanism is proposed as the cause of intraseasonal meridional migration of TCZ in the Atlantic and east Pacific Oceans.