Stationary waves forced by extratropical diabatic heating are studied using a linear quasi-geostrophic beta-plane model. It is found that, for any given heating profile, analytic solutions can be obtained when the zonal-mean zonal wind is constant. The solutions generally contain a vertically "decaying" part and a vertically "propagating" part, although the details vary with the horizontal and vertical structure of the heating. In this presentation, the formula for the general solutions will be given. The formula will then be applied to two specific heating profiles: one having a maximum at the surface and the other having a maximum in mid-troposphere. The characteristics of the heating forced stationary waves will be discussed. These solutions will be used to help explain the observed wintertime stationary waves in midlatitudes and summertime stationary waves in the subtropics.
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12th Conference on Atmospheric and Oceanic Fluid Dynamics