Diffraction of Rossby Waves By A Shear Layer
Abstract
Oceanic Rossby waves propagate in regions of non-uniform ambient potential vortic- ity (PV). It has long been know that the interaction of such waves with mean flows is of great importance and can result in the wave becoming localised within the cur- rent (i.e. trapped). Other phenomena associated with the existence of Rossby wave critical layers can occur. In this talk, we model the Antarctic Circumpolar Current as a piecewise linear, mid-latitude zonal shear flow and obtain an analytical solution for the amplitude of a diffracted incident Rossby wave. Results from this analytic solution are compared with those derived via the WKB method and numerical methods.
- Publication:
-
EGS General Assembly Conference Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- 2002
- Bibcode:
- 2002EGSGA..27.1682O