A Numerical Study of Steady Baroclinic Annulus Waves

[摘要] Steady baroclinic annulus waves observed over a wide range of the rotation rate are simulated using a high-resolution numerical model.The performance of the model is verified by comparing the simulated and observed rates of the inward heat transport. The spectral analysis shows that all the flows obtained are composed of the dominant wave and its harmonics in addition to the mean zonal flow, and free from sidebands of the dominant mode; these wave patterns drift with the angular speed reflecting the azimuthal motion of the whole working fluid. The energy analysis reveals that the main non-linear transfer of kinetic energy is from the dominant wave to the first harmonic and from there to the series of harmonics; this process is accompanied with the passage of a significant amount of kinetic energy from the dominant wave to the mean zonal flow at low rotation rates but from the mean zonal flow to the dominant wave at medium and high rotation rates.

[学科分类] 大气科学