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Geostrophic and ageostrophic wind analysis
Author(s) -
Smith F. B.
Publication year - 1955
Publication title -
quarterly journal of the royal meteorological society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.744
H-Index - 143
eISSN - 1477-870X
pISSN - 0035-9009
DOI - 10.1002/qj.49708134909
Subject(s) - geostrophic wind , isobar , physics , pressure gradient , kinetic energy , radius , meteorology , mechanics , atmospheric sciences , geology , classical mechanics , nuclear physics , nucleon , computer security , computer science
Aerological data for the British Isles, 1953, at nine pressure levels, are analysed, to give the geostrophic and ageostrophic components of the wind and the radius of curvature of the isobars. The mean total energy over unit surface area is found to be 1·71 × 10 9 erg cm −2 . The equation of energy associated with the ageostrophic component is obtained, and the work done by the flow down the pressure gradient is identified by means of this equation with a Coriolis term and a centrifugal term. These are estimated from the data, giving a value for the rate of generation of kinetic energy of 8·8 × 10 3 erg cm −2 sec −1 . The mean net mass‐flux across unit length of isobar is found to be 25 kg cm −1 sec −1 . The order of magnitude of this quantity is checked in the final section in which a mathematical analysis is applied to a model depression filling by the influx of mass across its perimeter.