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Terrain influences on the dynamics of heat lows
Author(s) -
Reichmann Zsuzsanna,
Smith Roger K.
Publication year - 2003
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 - 10.1256/qj.00.194
Subject(s) - orography , geology , hydrostatic equilibrium , terrain , plateau (mathematics) , climatology , vorticity , flow (mathematics) , meteorology , atmospheric sciences , mechanics , vortex , precipitation , geography , physics , mathematical analysis , cartography , mathematics , quantum mechanics
The hydrostatic primitive‐equation numerical model we used earlier to study the basic dynamics of heat lows in an idealized flow configuration is extended to investigate the effects of orography. Calculations are carried out over a heated land mass with an elevated plateau for the case with no surrounding sea, as well as with the sea present. We investigate the effect of the shape of the terrain on the mature heat low. In the presence of orography the mixed layer over land becomes deeper than without orography and the induced flow is stronger also. The width of the plateau influences, among other things, the relative‐vorticity distribution and the nocturnal jet development. The flow behaviour in the presence of orography provides an explanation for the different vertical profiles of vertical velocity in heat lows discussed in the literature. Copyright © 2003 Royal Meteorological Society