AN ANALYSIS OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF EQUATORIAL WESTERLIES

The real-time data of the high level atmosphere obtained by the R/V Xiangyanghong No.5 involved in the international TOGA-COARE project at 2°S, 155°E and at fixed real time of 05, 11, 19 and 23 h GMT each day from Nov. 5, 1992 to Feb. 18, 1993 are used to analyze diagnostically the vertical structure of wind and humidity over the central area of the warm pool. The results show that (1) the lowfrequency oscillation of the equatorial westerlies (i. e. reconstruction-development-decline) is closely related to the vigour and interruption of the Asian-Australian monsoon (including air flow across the equator caused by East Asia cold wave), (2) the variabilities of the vertical structure of wind and humidity, and the processes of precipitation and gale weather in the troposphere of the warm pool area are closely related to the intensity of the equatorial westerlies, and (3) there are strong wind belts over the high and low level atmosphere in the western equatorial Pacific at the inception of the ENSO event, and jet flow at the high and low level atmosphere during the equatorial westerly burst.