Open AccessHighly localized energy transfer induced by the interaction between a large vortex and four small vortices
Author(s) -
Luo Zhexian,
Ping Fan
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
atmospheric science letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.951
H-Index - 45
ISSN - 1530-261X
DOI - 10.1002/asl.264
Subject(s) - enstrophy , vortex , barotropic fluid , physics , scale (ratio) , flux (metallurgy) , tourbillon , energy transfer , statistical physics , mechanics , vorticity , materials science , quantum mechanics , molecular physics , metallurgy
The scale interaction is simulated using a two‐dimensional barotropic model with an initial condition of a large‐scale vortex accompanied with four small‐scale vortices. We show that both direct and inverse energy cascades occur simultaneously and that the spatial distribution of energy transfer flux across a moderate length scale is characterized by a highly localized configuration, which contains several closed systems with a spatial scale of 50–100 km embedded in two wave trains. This would imply that the temporal change of enstrophy at closed centers is more complex than that at noncenters. The increase of complexity is further correlated with amplification of the enstrophy difference, which is the value of enstrophy at t = 24 h minus that at the initial time. Copyright © 2010 Royal Meteorological Society