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Results from the laboratory experiments on the evolution of baroclinicallyunstable flows generated in a rotating tank with topographic beta-effect arepresented. We study zonal jets of alternating direction which occur in theseflows. The primary system we model includes lighter fluid in the South andheavier fluid in the North with resulting slow meridional circulation and fastmean zonal motion. In a two-layer system the velocity shear between the layersresults in baroclinic instability which equilibrates with time and, due tointeraction with beta-effect generates zonal jets. This system is archetypalfor various geophysical systems including the general circulation and jetstreams in the Earths atmosphere, the Antarctic Circumpolar Current or theareas in the vicinity of western boundary currents where baroclinic instabilityand multiple zonal jets are observed. The gradient of the surface elevation andthe thickness of the upper layer are measured in the experiments using theAltimetric Imaging Velocimetry and the Optical Thickness Velocimetry techniquesrespectively. Barotropic and baroclinic velocity fields are then derived fromthe measured quantities. The results demonstrate that the zonal jets are drivenby eddy forcing due to continuously created baroclinic perturbations. The flowis baroclinic to a significant degree and the jets are surface intensified. Themeridional wavelength of the jets varies linearly with the baroclinic radius ofdeformation and is also in a good agreement with a modified Rhines scale. Thissuggests a linear dependence of the perturbation velocity in the equilibratedbaroclinically unstable flow on the beta-parameter.

Zonal jets in equilibrating baroclinic instability on the polar beta-plane: experiments with altimetry