Distinctions between Convection associated with the MJO and non-MJO Convective Envelopes

This study examines the distinctions between the properties of convection within initiating Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) convective envelopes over the Indian Ocean and other large-scale non-MJO convective envelopes using 16 years of data from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM). The two types of non-MJO convective envelopes examined are convectively coupled Kelvin waves and large-scale non-propagating convective bursts—failed MJO events. The examination of convective characteristics includes rain type, system size, and the vertical structure of convection. Contrasts in the properties of convection between these three types of convective envelopes are related to differences in the convective environment (e.g., moisture, static stability, and shear).