Project on Generalized Stability Theory

the asymptotic response of the Charney barcolinic instability problem to a localized perturbation is determined using the formalism of Briggs (1964) and exploiting a recently obtained highly accurate WKB approximate dispersion relation (Lindzen and...

The growth of perturbations in a baoclinic flow is examined as an initial value problem. Although the long time asymptotic behavior is dominated by discrete exponentially growing normal modes when they exist, these do not form a complete set and initial...

The asymptotic development at large time of waves arising from localized disturbances in a baroclinic flow is examined. Vertical structures unlike those associated with the more commonly examined temporal normal modes are found both for the pulse confined...

Solution of the initial-value problem for the Eady model is presented. In the presence of boundaries, normal mode waves as well as non-modal waves exist. Energy extracted fro the mean flow during the initial development of a perturbation is found excite...

A solution of the linear initial value problem for the model of Eady with the inclusion of Ekman damping is presented. This model exhibits large transient growth of perturbations for synoptic cyclone spatial scales and a realistic value of the vertical...

Inclusion of Ekman damping in baroclinic models severely limits the range of unstable wavenumbers as well as the growth rate of the instabilities that remain. In contrast, there is much less reduction by the same dissipation of the transient growth of...

The stability of the Gulf Stream flow is predicted by a nonlinear quasigeopstophic model is examined by employing an interactive method, which uses both the tangent linear equations and the adjoint tangent linear equations of the quasigestrophic model...

Development of perturbations in a baroclinic flow can arise both from exponential instability and from the transient growth of favorably configured disturbances that are not of the normal mode form. The transient growth mechanism is able to account for...

polar lows are intense subsynoptic-scale cyclones that form over high-latitude oceans in association with deep cumulus convection and strong ambient baroclinicity. Recent observations indicate that polar lows are generally initiated by a nonaxisymmetric...

Evidence, both theoretical and experimental, is accumulating to support a mechanism for transition to turbulence in shear flow based on the 3-D secondary instability of finite 2-D departures from plane parallelism. It is of central importance for using...