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On the development of extratropical cyclones
Author(s) -
Petterssen S.,
Smebye S. J.
Publication year - 1971
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.49709741407
Subject(s) - extratropical cyclone , baroclinity , troposphere , cyclone (programming language) , kinetic energy , climatology , atmospheric sciences , environmental science , dissipation , storm , meteorology , geology , physics , computer science , classical mechanics , field programmable gate array , computer hardware , thermodynamics
Abstract Certain synoptic aspects of cyclone development in the lower troposphere are reviewed and two types identified. Type A comprises the well‐known amplifying frontal wave, which is known to produce kinetic energy through a reduction of the baroclinicity within its own domain. Type B is found to be initiated through a finite disturbance in the upper troposphere, and its intensification is accompanied by an augmentation of the baroclinicity and import of kinetic energy, mainly from the jet‐stream region. The energy structures of two storms are described, one being a plain type B case, and, the other representing a type B development modified through the presence of strong fronts. The dissipation of kinetic energy in the surface air is computed and found to constitute an effective brake on cyclone development.