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Cloud bands induced by isolated mountains
Author(s) -
Sang J. G.
Publication year - 1999
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.49712555919
Subject(s) - diabatic , convection , mechanics , crest , phase (matter) , boundary layer , meteorology , latent heat , geology , physics , atmospheric sciences , geophysics , computational physics , optics , adiabatic process , thermodynamics , quantum mechanics
The wave equation is solved analytically to obtain the solutions of diverging types of trapped waves, caused by an isolated hill, at the top of a convective boundary layer with an overlying stable layer above. Wind veering in the upper stable layer favours the wave trains to be to the left of the mean wind direction. the elevated lifting latent heat may make the crest line of the diverging wave a diabatic heating band, if the water vapour supply is sufficient. Analytical solution is also used to analyse the effects of a heating band, which makes a small angle with the mean wind direction. the trapped components of the induced waves may spread horizontally and excite wave trains running parallel to the original heating band. the untrapped waves hold an in‐phase relation with the heating. the resultants of trapped and untrapped waves possess multiscale structure and properties similar to those of cloud streets. These analyses may provide an explanation for the formation and propagation of cloud streets.