Vertical vorticity development owing to down-sliding at slantwise isentropic surface

Abstract

Based upon the conservation of Ertel potential vorticity and moist potential vorticity, a ‘parcel dynamic’ approach is used to investigate the development of vertical vorticity of a parcel which is sliding down a slantwise isentropic surface. An accurate form of the tendency equation of vertical vorticity is deduced to interpret such slantwise vorticity development (SVD). In addition to those dynamic terms in the traditional vertical vorticity equation, the newly developed accurate form includes several thermal terms associated with the changes in stability, vertical wind shear and baroclinity. It is proved that the combinative impacts of these thermal terms on the development of vertical vorticity can be expressed by a succinct theory of SVD. According to this theory, when the horizontal component of potential vorticity and stability possess opposite signs, and the slantwise isentropic surfaces are very steep, the vorticity development of the down-sliding flow at such isentropes can be dramatic. It is also shown that in a convectively unstable and saturated atmosphere, such vorticity development must be accompanied by the development of a low-level jet. Study of a torrential rain process shows that moist potential vorticity analysis is a powerful tool in the study of torrential rain occurrence. Results from the present study are in agreement with the contentions of earlier workers that moist symmetric instability is the cause of some heavy rainbands.