An extended equatorial plane: linear spectrum and resonant triads
Author(s)
Bates, Michael
H. J. Grimshaw, Roger
Griffith University Author(s)
Year published
2014
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
The usual equatorial ߭plane supports a range of wave types, including trapped baroclinic Rossby waves, a Yanai wave and a Kelvin wave, which are known to be important in equatorial wave dynamics, both linear and nonlinear. Here, we extend this model to the whole sphere, using a Mercator projection, in which the Coriolis parameter is retained in full, but the metric coefficients are approximated by their values at the equator. We find that while the trapped baroclinic waves are preserved in this model, the barotropic waves are also trapped, with consequences for nonlinear resonant triad interactions.The usual equatorial ߭plane supports a range of wave types, including trapped baroclinic Rossby waves, a Yanai wave and a Kelvin wave, which are known to be important in equatorial wave dynamics, both linear and nonlinear. Here, we extend this model to the whole sphere, using a Mercator projection, in which the Coriolis parameter is retained in full, but the metric coefficients are approximated by their values at the equator. We find that while the trapped baroclinic waves are preserved in this model, the barotropic waves are also trapped, with consequences for nonlinear resonant triad interactions.
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Journal Title
Geophysical and Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics
Volume
108
Issue
1
Subject
Fluid Physics
Atmospheric Dynamics
Physical Oceanography