Abstract
This paper describes a novel technique for deriving potential vorticity and Richardson number from aircraft cross-sections of baroclinic zones. It exploits the fact that gravity waves distort isentropic surfaces, so that an aircraft flying horizontally can measure a vertical profile of temperature and wind under favourable conditions. The technique is applied to two flights of the UK Meteorological Research Flight's C-130 Hercules aircraft, in April 1983 and June 1991. It is found to work reasonably well only when large-amplitude gravity waves are present. Values of potential vorticity so derived agree with those calculated in the conventional manner from cross-sections, and are found to correlate well with ozone mixing ratio.
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