Wind Works: The Atmosphere’s Invisible Energetic Tug-of-War
Two basic atmospheric factors can explain the weak and, at times, contrasting trends in global wind energy dissipation under climate change.
The article discusses a new approach to estimating the work that drives atmospheric winds, using just two key factors: the height-weighted radiative energy loss of the atmosphere and the bulk Bowen ratio. This approach aims to better understand how wind changes in response to global warming, which is crucial for accurately modeling climate and weather, identifying risks to infrastructure, and assessing global wind power capacity.
The study found that increases in radiative cooling in the upper troposphere and a decrease in bulk Bowen ratio with warming are in competition with each other. The balance between these two factors determines changes in the atmosphere's kinetic energy dissipation and shapes how wind responds to a warming world. The authors suggest that while near-constant global wind energy dissipation may seem like climate change does not affect wind behavior, it does not imply that winds do not change at all, as climate change can still lead to significant shifts in atmospheric circulation and regional wind behavior.
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