Generation of inertia-gravity waves by a time-dependent baroclinic wave in the laboratory

Journal article

A novel technique is used to visualise and measure a baroclinically unstable flow in a two-layer, rotating annulus experiment in the laboratory with very high resolution in space and time. It was found that small-scale, high-frequency waves were generated in certain preferred locations within the flow by a baroclinic wave undergoing periodic amplitude vacillation. These fast waves have been investigated in terms of their dispersion relation and shown to be consistent with inertia-gravity waves, generated in association with geostrophic adjustment. Phase-portrait analyses of these experiments indicate that the resulting vacillatory behaviour of the large-scale flow remains consistent with low-dimensional dynamics, despite the generation of these small-scale inertia gravity waves.

Authors: Lovegrove, A; Read, P; Richards, C

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: PHYSICS AND CHEMISTRY OF THE EARTH PART B-HYDROLOGY OCEANS AND ATMOSPHERE
• Volume: 24
• Issue: 5
• Pages: 455-460
• Publication date: 1999-01-01
• DOI: 10.1016/S1464-1909(99)00028-3
• ISSN: 1464-1909
• Language: English