On the Meridional Circulation over the East Antarctic Coast during the winter of 1976 (Special Issue of the Proceedings of the First Symposium on Antarctic Meteorology and Glaciology)

Abstract

The circulation of the atmosphere over the East Antarctic periphery is discussed mainly on the basis of the data of Syowa Station during the polar night of 1976. According to the location of a through or a ridge, the meridional circulation changes with time and place. In the upper troposphere over Syowa the prevailing wind is W-SW in the winter, while the southerly wind increases its speed. It is pomted out that trasient eddy transportation is as well significant as the standing one for the meridional air mass exchange. The blocking high formed in the meridionally developed wave contributes to the increase of the NE wind. In the lower troposphere the major part is occupied by the northerly component having a maximum wind speed around 900 mb. Effects of topography east of the station are inferred.