https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/i2013-13036-x
Regular Article
A unified equation for the vertical velocity of fluid parcels in the context of quasi-geostrophic potential-vorticity equations
1327
Department of Physics, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
2327
ISAC-CNR, Roma, Italy
* e-mail: fulvio_crisciani@alice.it
Received:
13
December
2012
Revised:
26
February
2013
Accepted:
26
February
2013
Published online:
18
March
2013
Quasi-geostrophic potential-vorticity equations in the inertial regime are obtained by eliminating the ageostrophic vertical velocity from two coupled equations: a vorticity equation and a local conservation equation which depends on special properties of the fluid considered each time. In this paper, a unified equation governing the nondimensional ageostrophic vertical velocity for barotropic and baroclinic flows, in both the oceanic and atmospheric context is presented. Then, the results are applied to determine a wide variety of quasi-geostrophic potential-vorticity equations. Moreover, the estimate of the related dimensional vertical velocity is carried out on general grounds.
© Società Italiana di Fisica and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, 2013
