Heat transport and zonal stress between latitudes

The meridional flux of heat, water vapour, and momentum can be directly evaluated at any station where regular radio soundings and upper wind measurements are made. Physically and mathematically it is convenient to separate the flux into an eddy flux, due to the migrant pressure systems, a standing‐eddy flux attributed to the semi‐permanent systems, and a third component arising from the toroidal circulation. The first and third have been evaluated for a two‐year period at Larkhill. Certain earlier conjectures concerning the general circulation and internal heat adjustment of the atmosphere are hereby directly confirmed. The distribution of eddy flux with height and with season are studied. Among the more important new results is that, in this region at least, the eddy‐flow of heat at some levels is from regions of low towards higher mean temperature and that the eddy‐fluxes of heat in sensible and latent form are approximately equal. The horizontal eddy stress is not uniquely determined by the direction of increasing angular momentum, and its sense may vary from season to season. The main purpose of this preliminary work is to draw attention to the method and its potential importance in physical climatology, and to appeal for a global investigation which is beyond the capacity of any one individual.