Linear normal mode analysis of baroclinic instability in a meridional channel
Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, 2001.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | eng |
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Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2010
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/57966 |
| _version_ | 1826192547249127424 |
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| author | Walker, Alison (Alison Elizabeth), 1971- |
| author2 | Joseph Pedlosky. |
| author_facet | Joseph Pedlosky. Walker, Alison (Alison Elizabeth), 1971- |
| author_sort | Walker, Alison (Alison Elizabeth), 1971- |
| collection | MIT |
| description | Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, 2001. |
| first_indexed | 2024-09-23T09:20:32Z |
| format | Thesis |
| id | mit-1721.1/57966 |
| institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| language | eng |
| last_indexed | 2024-09-23T09:20:32Z |
| publishDate | 2010 |
| publisher | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | mit-1721.1/579662019-04-13T00:06:51Z Linear normal mode analysis of baroclinic instability in a meridional channel Walker, Alison (Alison Elizabeth), 1971- Joseph Pedlosky. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences. Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences. Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, 2001. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 60-61). Numerical solutions of the unstable, growing modes are found for the two-layer inviscid quasigeostrophic equations in a meridional channel. A steady mean flow in the N-S direction is imposed in the upper layer, and it is assumed that changes in planetary vorticity following this mean flow are balanced by the input of vorticity from an imposed wind stress curl. Thus in the two-layer system, the vertical shear, in thermal wind balance, is associated with an interface slope which provides a gradient of potential vorticity (PV) in the x-direction, of equal magnitude and opposite sign in the two layers. In the y-direction the PV gradient has the value of planetary beta, [beta], in both layers. The unstable modes of this system exhibit a boundary-layer structure across the channel. They are intensified in the west. The growth rates of the unstable modes are of the same order as the zonal case, however the range of wavenumber and shear for which instability is possible is larger. Established cutoff criteria for the equal-layer zonal case are not applicable, and no analogous criteria has yet been found. Growing modes are found even for very weakly sheared flows, and this suggests that baroclinic instability may represent a more significant source of mid-ocean eddy energy than previously believed. by Alison Walker. S.M. 2010-09-01T13:34:41Z 2010-09-01T13:34:41Z 2001 2001 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/57966 49595962 eng M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission. http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582 61 leaves application/pdf Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| spellingShingle | Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences. Walker, Alison (Alison Elizabeth), 1971- Linear normal mode analysis of baroclinic instability in a meridional channel |
| title | Linear normal mode analysis of baroclinic instability in a meridional channel |
| title_full | Linear normal mode analysis of baroclinic instability in a meridional channel |
| title_fullStr | Linear normal mode analysis of baroclinic instability in a meridional channel |
| title_full_unstemmed | Linear normal mode analysis of baroclinic instability in a meridional channel |
| title_short | Linear normal mode analysis of baroclinic instability in a meridional channel |
| title_sort | linear normal mode analysis of baroclinic instability in a meridional channel |
| topic | Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences. |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/57966 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT walkeralisonalisonelizabeth1971 linearnormalmodeanalysisofbaroclinicinstabilityinameridionalchannel |