Modeling Oceanic and Atmospheric Vortices
DOI: 10.1063/1.881375
Many of the physical systems in the universe are fluids. Our understanding of the Earth, the planets, stars and even galaxies depends crucially on fluid dynamics. This mathematical discipline has been instrumental in the development of meteorology, oceanography and, to a lesser extent, astrophysics. From the beginning, observations and calculations have made apparent the rich dynamical structure of astronomical fluids: Satellite observations told us that the Great Red Spot of Jupiter was simply the most prominent object within the turbulent Jovian atmosphere, which exhibits hundreds of observable vortices embedded in a complex structure of bands or jets extending from one pole to the other. Similar structures have been observed, though in less detail, on the other Jovian planets. Complex dynamical structures are also believed to characterize condensing nebulae, evolving galaxies, stellar convective layers and the accretion disks of neutron stars and black holes.
This article is only available in PDF format
References
1. B. Legras, D. Dritschel, Phys. Fluids A 3, 845 (1991); https://doi.org/PFADEB
Fluid Dyn. Res. (1993), in press.2. B. Hoskins, M. McIntyre, A. Robertson, Q. J. Meteorol. 111, 877;
113, 402 (1985).3. M. McIntyre, in Atmospheric Dynamics, Proc. Int. Sch. Phys. “Enrico Fermi,” CXV Course, J. C. Gille, G. Visconti, eds. North Holland, New York (1991).
4. F. Sanders, J. Gyakum, Mon. Weather Rev. 108, 1589 (1980).https://doi.org/MWREAB
5. J. Nycander, D. Dritschel, G. Sutyrin, to be published in Phys. Fluids A (1993).
6. D. Dritschel, R. Saravanan, submitted to Q. J. R. Meteorol. Soc. (1993).
7. L. Polvani, R. Plumb, to be published in J. Atmos. Sci. (1993).
8. L. Polvani, G. Flierl, N. Zabusky, J. Fluid Mech. 205, 215 (1989). https://doi.org/JFLSA7
J. McWilliams, J. Fluid Mech. 198, 199 (1989).https://doi.org/JFLSA79. D. Waugh, “Single‐Layer Geophysical Vortex Dynamics,” PhD thesis, U. of Cambridge (1992), p. 207.
10. D. Dritschel, Comput. Phys. Rep. 10, 77 (1989).https://doi.org/CPHREF
11. D. Dritschel, D. Waugh, Phys. Fluids A 4, 1737 (1992).https://doi.org/PFADEB
12. B. Legras, P. Santangelo, R. Benzi, Europhys. Lett. 5, 37 (1988).https://doi.org/EULEEJ
13. M. Vergassola, submitted to Phys. Rev. Lett. (1993).
14. J. Tribbia, D. Baumhefner, J. Atmos. Sci. 45, 2306 (1988).https://doi.org/JAHSAK
15. N. Zabusky, M. Hughes, K. Roberts, J. Comput. Phys. 30, 96 (1979).
More about the authors
David G. Dritschel, Natural Environmental Research Council, St., Catherine's College, Cambridge.
Bernard Legras, CNRS Laboratory for Dynamic, Meteorology, Ecole Normale Supérieure, Paris.
