Quick Search:    advanced search

GSW Home   GeoRef Home   My GSW Alerts   Contact GSW   About GSW   Journals List   Help

Journal of the Geological Society

This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by HAY, W. W. Articles by THOMPSON, S. L. Search for Related Content GeoRef GeoRef Citation

Results of global atmospheric circulation experiments on an Earth with a meridional pole-to- pole continent

¹ Museum, Department of Geology, and Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, Campus Box 449, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
² Earth System Science Center, 512 Deike Building, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
³ National Center For Atmospheric Research, PO Box 3000, Boulder, CO 80307-3000, USA

Four general circulation models, forced by mean annual insolation and having an energy balance ocean, have been run for pole-to-pole continents: (1) low relief, 750 m average elevation; (2) high plateau, 1500 m average elevation; (3) mostly low, 750 m, but with 3 km mountains on the west, and (4) mostly low, 750 m, but with 3 km mountains on the east. The high plateau continent emphasizes the contrast between high and low pressure systems. Marginal mountains on either coast enhance moisture transport from the west to the continental interior, but mountains on the east eliminate the tropical wet belt and produce the most arid scenario. In none of the experiments do zonal climate boundaries trend steeply equatorward from east to west. All of the models produce more arid continental conditions than exist today.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				W. W. HAY, E. J. BARRON, and S. L. THOMPSON Global atmospheric circulation experiments on an Earth with polar and tropical continents Journal of the Geological Society, October 1, 1990; 147(5): 749 - 757. [Abstract] [PDF]