Realistic initiation and dynamics of the Madden-Julian Oscillation in a coarse resolution aquaplanet GCM

The main mechanisms for the initiation and propagation of the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) are still widely debated. The capacity of operational global climate models (GCMs) to correctly simulate the MJO is hindered by the inadequacy of the underlying cumulus parameterizations. Here, we show that a coarse resolution GCM, coupled to a simple multicloud model parameterization mimicking the observed dynamics and physical structure of organized tropical convection, simulates the MJO in an idealized setting of an aquaplanet without ocean dynamics. We impose a fixed non-homogeneous sea surface temperature replicating the Indian Ocean/Western Pacific warm pool. This results in a succession of MJOs with realistic phase speed, amplitude, and physical structure. Each MJO event is initiated at a somewhat random location over the warm pool and dies sometimes near the eastern boundary of the warm pool, and sometimes at a random location way beyond the warm pool. Also occasionally the MJO events stall at the center of maximum heating. This is reminiscent of the fact that in nature some MJOs stall over the maritime continent while others reach the central Pacific Ocean and beyond. The initiation mechanism in the model is believed to be a combination of persistent intermittent convective events interacting with observed large scale flow patterns and internal tropical dynamics. The large scale flow patterns are associated with planetary scale dry Kelvin waves that are triggered by preceding MJO events and circle the globe while congestus cloud decks on the flanks of the warm pool are believed to force Rossby gyres which then funnel moisture towards the equatorial region.