The equations governing meridional circulation in uniformly rotating stars are discussed, allowing for turbulence and for baroclinic effects. Relations for barotropic stars with steady motions are generalized to baroclinic stars with turbulence. The circulation luminosity (i.e., the luminosity carried by circulation through a level surface) is shown to be zero in barotropic layers and positive ...

The non-modal transient properties of the Eady baroclinic model with a simple heating parameterization are examined. The time-dependent non-modal behavior of the moist baroclinic model is investigated by calculating the energy amplification of optimal perturbations for relevant time-scales and by calculating the energy evolution of random initial conditions. Enhanced non-modal growth on time-sc...

The structure and dynamics of stably stratified homogeneous sheared turbulence is investigated in terms of the triadic interaction of vorticity v , rate-of-strain S, and scalar ~density fluctuation! gradient G[1r8. Results of direct numerical simulations are presented. Due to the presence of the mean velocity and scalar gradients, distinct directional preferences develop which affect the dynami...

Do barotropic or baroclinic eddy feedbacks dominate the atmospheric circulation response to mechanical forcing? To address this question, barotropic torques are imposed over a range of latitudes in both an idealized general circulation model (GCM) and a barotropic model. The GCM includes both baroclinic and barotropic feedbacks. The barotropic model is run in two configurations: 1) only barotro...

Motivated by the fact that time-dependent currents are ubiquitous in the ocean, this work studies the twolayer Phillipsmodel on the beta plane with baroclinic shear flows that are steady, periodic, or aperiodic in time to understand their nonlinear evolution better. When a linearly unstable basic state is slightly perturbed, the primary wave grows exponentially until nonlinear advection adjusts...

Simplified asymptotic equations describing the resonant nonlinear interaction of equatorial Rossby waves with barotropic Rossby waves with significant midlatitude projection in the presence of arbitrary vertically and meridionally sheared zonal mean winds are developed. The three mode equations presented here are an extension of the two mode equations derived by Majda and Biello [1] and arise i...

It is generally held that atmospheric macroturbulence can be strongly nonlinear. Yet weakly nonlinear models successfully account for scales and structures of baroclinic eddies in Earth’s atmosphere. Here a theory and simulations with an idealized GCM are presented that suggest weakly nonlinear models are so successful because atmospheric macroturbulence organizes itself into critical states of...

Investigation of baroclinic tides in the northern South China Sea

We examine the evolution of baroclinic vortices in a time-dependent, nonlinear numerical model of a Jovian atmosphere. The model uses a normal-mode expansion in the vertical, using the barotropic and first two baroclinic modes. Results for the stability of baroclinic vortices on an f plane in the absence of a mean zonal flow are similar to results of Earth vortex models, although the presence o...

The present study considers a variety of cyclone developments that occur in an idealized, baroclinic channel model featuring full condensation heating effects over an ocean with prescribed sea surface temperature variation. The geostrophic basic-state jet is specified by the tropopause shape, and horizontal shear is included by specifying the meridional variation of zonal wind on the lower boun...