Long waves, lee waves and gravity waves

✍ Scribed by F. K. Ball

• Book ID: 104572174
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1959
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 411 KB
• Volume: 85
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0035-9009
• DOI: 10.1002/qj.49708536303

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

It is shown that the equation determining the streamlines of large‐scale atmospheric motions (jet streams and long waves) is similar to the equation determining the streamlines of small‐scale gravitational motions of a stratified liquid. Both motions are characterized by the occurrence of jets, the number of jets being determined by the value of a dimensionless parameter. Atmospheric flow at 500 mb is compared with theoretical solutions (derived by Long 1955) of the non‐linear equations for the flow of a stratified liquid. Linearization of the equation for large‐scale atmospheric motions leads to the Rossby wave equation, whereas linearization of the equation for the motion of a stratified liquid leads to Scorer's lee‐wave equation.