Abstract
Abstract The wind fields in the tropics (15°S–15°N) generated by the FGGE IIIb analyses of the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts are used to compute the kinetic energy of baroclinic (vertical shear) and barotropic (vertical mean) flows, and the conversion between these two energy reservoirs for the FGGE (1979) summer. The computations are carried out in the longitudinal spectral domain. The computational results show that the baroclinic kinetic energy of every wave component is larger than its corresponding barotropic kinetic energy. The kinetic energy is converted from the baroclinic flow to the barotropic flow, and in the tropics the magnitude of this energy conversion is an order smaller than that in middle latitudes as studies by Wiin-Nielsen and his colleague have shown. This energy conversion is dominated by wavenumber 1, like other spectral energy studies of the tropical upper troposphere. Since the computations of the conversion between baroclinic and barotropic kinetic energy onl...
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
