On the efficiencies of atmospheric processes

Parameters for calculating the efficiencies of atmospheric transport of zonal momentum and sensible heat are introduced. Numerical values for these efficiencies for the stand-ing and transient eddies of January 1970 are presented. From these data, it is seen that standing eddies have equal efficiency in transporting sensible heat and west-momentum horizontally, whereas transient eddies transport zonal momentum more efficiently than sensible heat in the meridional direction. The efficiencies for the ver-tical transport of sensible heat and zonal momentum are shown to be equal to the efficiencies for the horizontal transport of these parameters, if atmospheric eddies are represented by amplifying quasi-geostrophic baroclinic waves, the phase differ-ences between the meridional and vertical velocity perturbations of which are assumed to be negligible. 1