Dynamical control of atmospheric pressure

✍ Scribed by C. H. B. Priestley

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1947
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 1019 KB
• Volume: 73
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0035-9009
• DOI: 10.1002/qj.49707331505

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Any dynamical expression for the pressure tendency consists fundamentally of a number of potentially large terms. A mechanism of control is here put forward to explain the fact that the realised pressure tendency invariably emerges as a small residual of its much larger primary components.

The field of flow determines the pressure change, but itself depends dynamically on the instantaneous pressure tendency field. It is this mutual interaction between the two fields which constitutes the brake or control on the mutability of the pressure field.

The essential link is the path curvature. The mechanism of control in typical cases may thus be studied by replacing the true wind by the (suitably defined) gradient wind. A number of applications are made with the object of explaining the broad features of the translation of idealisd pressure systems and an indication is given of how the principle may be used to clarify some problems of development.