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Dynamics of Layers in Geophysical Flows

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Book cover Fluid Mechanics and the Environment: Dynamical Approaches

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Physics ((LNP,volume 566))

Abstract

The atmosphere and ocean structure consists of horizontal regions with characteristic mean flows, waves and turbulence, separated from each other by semipermanent thin layers such as the tropopause or the thermocline. At the same time, within these regions, thin layers are continually appearing and dissipating such as clouds and fronts, which largely determine the weather. There are also sharp variations in the horizontal structure of flow and physical processes separated by thin layers with sloping or vertical boundaries (e.g. ozone hole and the intertropical convergence zone). We review here how the mechanisms of waves, wave-mean flow interactions, turbulence distortion, turbulence-wave transformation and Coriolis forces, determine the formation, location and dynamics of these layers. This review provides perspectives on current methods of calculating these critical regions in large-scale numerical models used for weather and ocean forecasting, and for climate prediction.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Space and Climate Physics, University College London, 17-19 Gordon Street, WC1H OAH, London, UK

    J.C.R. Hunt (visiting Professor) & M. Galmiche

  2. J.M. Burgers Centre, Delft University of Technology, Delft, NL

    J.C.R. Hunt (visiting Professor)

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  1. J.C.R. Hunt
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  2. M. Galmiche
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University, 14853, Ithaca, NY, USA

    John L. Lumley

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Hunt, J., Galmiche, M. (2001). Dynamics of Layers in Geophysical Flows. In: Lumley, J.L. (eds) Fluid Mechanics and the Environment: Dynamical Approaches. Lecture Notes in Physics, vol 566. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-44512-9_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-44512-9_7

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