MJO signals in latent heating

It has been proposed that the vertical structure of latent heating undergoes a systematic change through the life cycle of the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO), with low-level heating preceding deep, top-heavy heating during convectively active phases. This perception has been derived from estimates of diabatic heating based on limited observations from a special field campaign (TOGA COARE) and estimates using global reanalysis products. Recent development of TRMM latent heating data provides a unique opportunity to investigate this issue using remote sensing products. In this study, MJO signals are derived from multi-year latent heating profiles of TRMM without reference to any other variable. The existence of such signals signifies the central role of latent heating in the dynamics of the MJO.