Flaws

The fractional rate of increase of CAPE is approximately 12%K−1at an SST of 300 K, which is somewhat larger than the rates of increase of 8% K−1 [Muller et al., 2011] and 7% K−1[Romps, 2011] found in previous studies of RCE.

the extra upward net mass flux implies extra net condensation, andhence extra convective heating, which is expressed in the environment as extra subsid-ence (downward arrows)

Sensitivities to Temperature Perturbations

Methods for examining three hypotheses

cloudy parcels with small initial vertical velocity may be preferentially eliminated from the updrafts and lead to more mass flux reduction and, hence, a stronger response.

both the differences in updraft buoyancy and vertical velocity play a significant role, with the vertical velocity being the more important, and the effect of liquid water content is only secondary compared to the other two factors.

Comparison with observations indicates that increasing resolution generally improves the pattern of tropical convection.

convective closure

The presence of dry midtropospheric air may thus serve to help permit the buildup of buoyant energy for subsequent episodes of deep convection, such as associated with the onset of the Madden–Julian oscillation.

With a more strongly convecting mean state forced by the large-scale vertical velocity profile taken from the Tropical Ocean and Global Atmosphere Coupled Ocean–Atmosphere Response Experiment (TOGA COARE), spontaneous development of convectively coupled waves requires moisture variations above the boundary layer, whereas with a mean state of radiative–convective equilibrium (RCE) not forced by large-scale vertical advection, the development of convectively coupled waves is stronger and persists even when moisture variations above the boundary layer are removed.