Geostrophic and ageostrophic wind analysis

✍ Scribed by F. B. Smith

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1955
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 678 KB
• Volume: 81
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0035-9009
• DOI: 10.1002/qj.49708134909

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Aerological data for the British Isles, 1953, at nine pressure levels, are analysed, to give the geostrophic and ageostrophic components of the wind and the radius of curvature of the isobars. The mean total energy over unit surface area is found to be 1·71 × 10^9^ erg cm^−2^.

The equation of energy associated with the ageostrophic component is obtained, and the work done by the flow down the pressure gradient is identified by means of this equation with a Coriolis term and a centrifugal term. These are estimated from the data, giving a value for the rate of generation of kinetic energy of 8·8 × 10^3^ erg cm^−2^ sec^−1^. The mean net mass‐flux across unit length of isobar is found to be 25 kg cm^−1^ sec^−1^. The order of magnitude of this quantity is checked in the final section in which a mathematical analysis is applied to a model depression filling by the influx of mass across its perimeter.