Title: EVAT 554 OCEAN-ATMOSPHERE DYNAMICS
1EVAT 554OCEAN-ATMOSPHERE DYNAMICS
LECTURE 6
- FILTERING OF EQUATIONS FOR ATMOSPHERE (CONT)
(Reference Peixoto Oort, Chapter 3)
2Meridional Momentum Balance
Length scale L?106m, l?102m Depth scale H?104m,
h ?102m Horizontal velocity scale u,v ?10
ms-1 Vertical velocity scale w ?10-2
ms-1 Horizontal pressure scale ?p ?10 mb 1000
Pa Time Scale L/u ?105s or H/w ?106s
Radius of Earth a6.37x 106m Coriolis parameter
f,f' ?10-4 s-1 Density of Air r ?1 kg
m-3 Horizontal Eddy Viscosity nH ?10-1
m2s-1 Vertical Eddy Viscosity nV ?10-1 m2s-1
10-4 ms-2
10-3 ms-2
10-3 ms-2
10-4 ms-2
10-4 ms-2
3Horizontal Momentum Balance
(zonal)
(meridional)
Geostrophic Balance
Length scale L?106m, l?102m Depth scale H?104m,
h ?102m Horizontal velocity scale u,v ?10
ms-1 Vertical velocity scale w ?10-2
ms-1 Horizontal pressure scale ?p ?10 mb 1000
Pa Time Scale L/u ?105s or H/w ?106s
Radius of Earth a6.37x 106m Coriolis parameter
f,f' ?10-4 s-1 Density of Air r ?1 kg
m-3 Horizontal Eddy Viscosity nH ?10-1
m2s-1 Vertical Eddy Viscosity nV ?10-1 m2s-1
10-4 ms-2
10-3 ms-2
10-3 ms-2
10-4 ms-2
10-4 ms-2
4Horizontal Momentum Balance
(zonal)
(meridional)
Geostrophic Balance
Length scale L?106m, l?102m Depth scale H?104m,
h ?102m Horizontal velocity scale u,v ?10
ms-1 Vertical velocity scale w ?10-2
ms-1 Horizontal pressure scale ?p ?10 mb 1000
Pa Time Scale L/u ?105s or H/w ?106s
Radius of Earth a6.37x 106m Coriolis parameter
f,f' ?10-4 s-1 Density of Air r ?1 kg
m-3 Horizontal Eddy Viscosity nH ?10-1
m2s-1 Vertical Eddy Viscosity nV ?10-1 m2s-1
10-4 ms-2
10-3 ms-2
10-3 ms-2
10-4 ms-2
10-4 ms-2
Rossby Number
Geostrophic Balance Holds when Ro ltlt 1
5Horizontal Momentum Balance
(zonal)
(meridional)
Geostrophic Balance
Geostrophic Wind
6Horizontal Momentum Balance
f 43o
d600 km
W7.27x10-5 s-1
f2Wsin f
Example
5.6 m/s
Geostrophic Wind
7Let us Revisit e.g. the Meridional Momentum
Balance
Length scale L?106m, l?102m Depth scale H?104m,
h ?102m Horizontal velocity scale u,v ?10
ms-1 Vertical velocity scale w ?10-2
ms-1 Horizontal pressure scale ?p ?10 mb 1000
Pa Time Scale L/u ?105s or H/w ?106s
Radius of Earth a6.37x 106m Coriolis parameter
f,f' ?10-4 s-1 Density of Air r ?1 kg
m-3 Horizontal Eddy Viscosity nH ?10-1
m2s-1 Vertical Eddy Viscosity nV ?10-1 m2s-1
10-4 ms-2
10-3 ms-2
10-3 ms-2
10-4 ms-2
10-4 ms-2
What if the acceleration/non-linear term cannot
be neglected?
i.e., Ro ? 1
8Let us Revisit e.g. the Meridional Momentum
Balance
Length scale L?106m, l?102m Depth scale H?104m,
h ?102m Horizontal velocity scale u,v ?10
ms-1 Vertical velocity scale w ?10-2
ms-1 Horizontal pressure scale ?p ?10 mb 1000
Pa Time Scale L/u ?105s or H/w ?106s
Radius of Earth a6.37x 106m Coriolis parameter
f,f' ?10-4 s-1 Density of Air r ?1 kg
m-3 Horizontal Eddy Viscosity nH ?10-1
m2s-1 Vertical Eddy Viscosity nV ?10-1 m2s-1
10-4 ms-2
10-3 ms-2
10-3 ms-2
10-4 ms-2
10-4 ms-2
What if the acceleration/non-linear term cannot
be neglected?
This applies to flows with strong curvature
i.e., Ro ? 1
9Horizontal Momentum Balance
Centripetal acceleration
acV2/R
V(u2v2)1/2
VRw
Gradient Wind Balance
(zonal)
This applies to flows with strong curvature
(meridional)
10Horizontal Momentum Balance
Centripetal acceleration
acV2/R
V(u2v2)1/2
VRw
Gradient Wind Balance
(zonal)
This applies to flows with strong curvature
(meridional)
11Horizontal Momentum Balance
Centripetal acceleration
acV2/R
V(u2v2)1/2
VRw
Gradient Wind Balance
(zonal)
What about flow near the equator?
(meridional)
12Horizontal Momentum Balance
Centripetal acceleration
acV2/R
Near equator (e.g. Hurricane), Coriolis Force is
negligible, and balance is between PGF and
Centripetal acceleration
V(u2v2)1/2
VRw
Cyclostrophic Balance
(zonal)
What about flow near the equator?
(meridional)
13Horizontal Momentum Balance
(zonal)
(meridional)
Geostrophic Balance
Generally an excellent approximation for upper
level winds
Any evidence of breakdown of Geostrophy?
14Horizontal Momentum Balance
(zonal)
(meridional)
Geostrophic Balance
Relationship Between Temperature and Winds?
Advection
15Horizontal Momentum Balance
(zonal)
(meridional)
Geostrophic Balance
Relationship Between Temperature and Winds?
Advection
16Horizontal Momentum Balance
(zonal)
(meridional)
Geostrophic Balance
What can we say about this term?