Modeling oceanic and atmospheric vortices

Journal Article · Mon Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1993 · Physics Today; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.881375· OSTI ID:6035661

Dritschel, D G; Legras, B ^[1]

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1. St. Catherine's College, Cambridge (United Kingdom) CNRS, Lab. de Meteorologie Dynamique, Paris (France)

Numerical modeling and prediction of coherent structures in geophysical fluid dynamics is reviewed. Numerical computation is widely used in geophysical fluid dynamics due to the nonlinear behaviour of the systems studied and the complexity of the mathematical models used. Idealized systems and the determination of potential vorticity in simplified atmospheric models are discussed. Atmospheric vortex structures, their interactions, and the effects on weather are described. A quasigeostrophic model is used to illustrate the effect of trophospherically generated disturbances on the polar vortex using the contour dynamics numerical method. A comparison of numerical techniques for simulating the evolution of neighboring vortices of unequal size is given. Future developments in the use of numerical models in geophysical fluid dynamics and weather prediction are discussed. 15 refs.

• OSTI ID: 6035661
• Journal Information: Physics Today; (United States), Vol. 46:3; ISSN 0031-9228
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
42 ENGINEERING
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS//MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING, AND INFORMATION SCIENCE
ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
OCEANIC CIRCULATION
FLUID MECHANICS
POLAR REGIONS
TROPOSPHERE
VORTEX FLOW
WATER CURRENTS
CRYOSPHERE
CURRENTS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
FLUID FLOW
MECHANICS
SIMULATION
540110*
420400 - Engineering- Heat Transfer & Fluid Flow
990200 - Mathematics & Computers