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Geostrophic adjustment in a stratified atmosphere

dc.contributor.authorFulton, Scott R., author
dc.contributor.authorSchubert, Wayne H., author
dc.date.accessioned2022-05-31T17:22:00Z
dc.date.available2022-05-31T17:22:00Z
dc.date.issued1980-08
dc.descriptionAugust 1980.
dc.descriptionAlso issued as Scott R. Fulton's thesis (M.S.) -- Colorado State University, 1980.
dc.description.abstractThe geostrophic adjustment process in a compressible atmosphere with arbitrary vertical stratification is studied as an initial value problem. The governing equations are the adiabatic quasi-static equations on an f-plane linearized about a motionless basic state. A rigid lid upper boundary condition is assumed which permits the use of a discrete eigenfunction expansion in the vertical. Using Fourier transforms in the horizontal a general solution is obtained for both the transient and final states. The general solution is evaluated for several simple experiments with axisymmetric initial conditions in the mass and vorticity fields which have horizontal variations on the tropical cloud cluster scale. These experiments assume a basic state characterized by constant static stability in log-pressure coordinates and a Coriolis parameter corresponding to 20°N latitude. Results are presented which illustrate the nature of the transient adjustment process. Comparison of the initial and final states indicates that the inclusion of vertical structure does not alter the basic conclusion from previous barotropic studies that in the tropics the mass field tends to adjust to the wind field. However, it is found that the extent of this adjustment depends strongly on the vertical structure of the initial conditions. These results are interpreted in term s of the projection of the initial conditions onto the vertical modes.
dc.description.sponsorshipSponsored by the Global Atmospheric Research Program, National Science Foundation ATM-7808125 and ATM-8009799.
dc.format.mediumreports
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10217/235360
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisherColorado State University. Libraries
dc.relationCatalog record number (MMS ID): 991023636269703361
dc.relationQC852 .C6 no. 326
dc.relation.ispartofAtmospheric Science Papers (Blue Books)
dc.relation.ispartofAtmospheric science paper, no. 326
dc.rightsCopyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright.
dc.subject.lcshGeostrophic wind
dc.titleGeostrophic adjustment in a stratified atmosphere
dc.typeText
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