Goswami et al. (2026) Convective Self‐Aggregation in Diurnally Oscillating Sea Surface Temperature and Solar Forcing Experiments

⚠️ Warning: This summary was generated from the abstract only, as the full text was not available.

Identification

• Journal: Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-01-01
• Authors: Bidyut Bikash Goswami, Ziyin Lu, Caroline Muller
• DOI: 10.1029/2024ms004576

Research Groups

Information not available in the provided abstract.

Short Summary

This study investigates convective self-aggregation (CSA) under steady versus diurnally oscillating sea surface temperature (SST) and solar radiation (SOLIN) in a cloud-resolving model. It finds that diurnally oscillating forcing significantly accelerates CSA by enhancing radiative cooling in dry regions, which drives stronger subsidence and more efficient moisture and energy transport.

Objective

• To determine how diurnally oscillating forcing (SST and SOLIN) influences the acceleration of convective self-aggregation (CSA) compared to steady forcing in a non-rotating radiative-convective equilibrium (RCE) framework.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Cloud-resolving model simulations within a non-rotating radiative-convective equilibrium framework, with spatially homogeneous SST and SOLIN forcing at any given time.
• Temporal Scale: Simulations covering diurnal cycles and sufficient duration for convective self-aggregation to occur.

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Cloud-resolving model simulations in a non-rotating radiative-convective equilibrium (RCE) framework.
• Data sources: Numerical model simulations.

Main Results

• Diurnally oscillating forcing accelerates convective self-aggregation (CSA) compared to steady forcing.
• Enhanced long-wave cooling occurs in dry regions at night and during the warm SST phase (late afternoon), intensifying the long-wave feedback mechanism that favors aggregation.
• Reduced short-wave warming in dry regions during the day further contributes to enhanced radiative cooling compared to moist regions.
• Overall, net radiative cooling (short-wave plus long-wave) is enhanced in dry regions relative to neighboring moist convective regions.
• This enhanced radiative cooling drives stronger dry subsidence, which in turn allows low-level circulation to more efficiently transport moisture and energy up-gradient, leading to faster aggregation.
• The experimental setup exhibits sensitivity to initial conditions, particularly at warmer SST, indicating stochastic behavior.

Contributions

• Demonstrates that diurnally oscillating forcing (SST and SOLIN) is a significant accelerator of convective self-aggregation, providing a new understanding of its dynamics.
• Elucidates the specific radiative mechanisms (enhanced long-wave cooling at night/warm SST, reduced short-wave warming during the day) that drive the accelerated aggregation under oscillating conditions.
• Highlights the critical role of enhanced net radiative cooling in dry regions in strengthening subsidence and subsequent moisture/energy transport, thereby driving faster aggregation.
• Identifies the sensitivity of aggregation to initial conditions, especially at warmer SST, which may help reconcile existing discrepancies in the literature regarding the response of convection aggregation to oscillating SST forcing.

Funding

Information not available in the provided abstract.

Citation

@article{Goswami2026Convective,
  author = {Goswami, Bidyut Bikash and Lu, Ziyin and Muller, Caroline},
  title = {Convective Self‐Aggregation in Diurnally Oscillating Sea Surface Temperature and Solar Forcing Experiments},
  journal = {Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1029/2024ms004576},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1029/2024ms004576}
}