Rossby-wave turbulence in a rapidly rotating sphere
We use a quasi-geostrophic numerical model to study the turbulence of rotating flows in a sphere, with realistic Ekman friction and bulk viscous dissipation. The forcing is caused by the destabilization of an axisymmetric Stewartson shear layer, generated by differential rotation, resulting in a for...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Copernicus Publications
2005-01-01
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| Series: | Nonlinear Processes in Geophysics |
| Online Access: | http://www.nonlin-processes-geophys.net/12/947/2005/npg-12-947-2005.pdf |
| Summary: | We use a quasi-geostrophic numerical model to study the turbulence of rotating flows in a sphere, with realistic Ekman friction and bulk viscous dissipation. The forcing is caused by the destabilization of an axisymmetric Stewartson shear layer, generated by differential rotation, resulting in a forcing at rather large scales. <P> The equilibrium regime is strongly anisotropic and inhomogeneous but exhibits a steep <i>m<sup>-5</sup></i> spectrum in the azimuthal (periodic) direction, at scales smaller than the injection scale. This spectrum has been proposed by Rhines for a Rossby wave turbulence. For some parameter range, we observe a turbulent flow dominated by a large scale vortex located in the shear layer, reminding us of the Great Red Spot of Jupiter. |
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| ISSN: | 1023-5809 1607-7946 |