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Part of the book series: International Centre for Mechanical Sciences ((CISM,volume 329))

Abstract

Baroclinic turbulence is stratified geostrophic turbulence where rotation and stratification are of equal order. A measure of the relative importance is the internal radius of deformation A, which compares (stable) density stratification effects with respect to rotation. In a two-layer fluid, when A → 0, the problem reduces to a one layer barotropic turbulence and when A → ∞, the two layers are uncoupled. In the intermediate case a vertical shear is allowed and the tilting of the planetary vorticity f∂u/∂z is compensated by -(g/ρo) × ∇p [1]. The perturbation pressure is essentially hydrostatic ∂p/∂z ≈-g ρ′.

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© 1992 Springer-Verlag Wien

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Hopfinger, E.J. (1992). Baroclinic Turbulence. In: Hopfinger, E.J. (eds) Rotating Fluids in Geophysical and Industrial Applications. International Centre for Mechanical Sciences, vol 329. Springer, Vienna. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7091-2602-8_16

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7091-2602-8_16

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Vienna

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-211-82393-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-7091-2602-8

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