Open AccessOn atmospheric oscillations
Publication year - 1911
Publication title -
proceedings of the royal society of london. series a, containing papers of a mathematical and physical character
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2053-9150
pISSN - 0950-1207
DOI - 10.1098/rspa.1911.0008
Subject(s) - adiabatic process , atmosphere (unit) , oscillation (cell signaling) , temperature gradient , convection , physics , mechanics , consistency (knowledge bases) , altitude (triangle) , meteorology , mathematics , geology , geometry , thermodynamics , chemistry , biochemistry
1. The chief question discussed in this paper (§§ 6—12) is that of the free oscillations of an atmosphere whose temperature varies with the altitude ; and in particular the case of a uniform vertical temperature-gradient is studied in some detail. For consistency it is assumed that the expansions and contractions follow the adiabatic law. The problem is treated as a two-dimensional one, the space co-ordinates involved being horizontal and vertical; and the more definite conclusions arrived at relate to the case where the (horizontal) wave-length is somewhat large in comparison with the height of the atmosphere. The results are most easily interpreted when the temperature-gradient does not fall much below that characteristic of a state of convective equilibrium. The normal modes of oscillation then fall into well-defined types.