Localization of convective breaking in a perturbed stratified atmosphere

• Main Authors: C. PELLAOANI, C. TEBALDI
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV) 1975-05-01
• Series: Annals of Geophysics
• Online Access: http://www.annalsofgeophysics.eu/index.php/annals/article/view/4906

The reaction to p e r t u r b a t i o n s at the b o t t om of a stably
 s t r a t i f i e d layer characterized by small periodical variations of the thermal
 s t a b i l i t y p a r a m e t e r and capped by a, less stable, semi-infinite layer has been
 studied. When resonance conditions for internal zero order waves (represented
 by solutions obtained neglecting the small periodical variations of the
 s t a b i l i t y p a r a m e t e r itself) t r a p p e d in t h e lower layer are satisfied, secondary
 waves, generated by the i n t e r a c t i o n of zero order waves and t h e small variations
 af t h e s t a b i l i t y p a r a m e t e r , t u r n out to be resonant too. Some information
 can then be obtained on the localization along the vertical of convective
 breaking (and turbulent patches) in the lower layer, t a k i n g into
 account t h e superposition of zero order and secondary waves. These results
 seem to be relevant for t h e comprehension of t h e dynamics of t h e atmospheric
 inversions as well as of the oceanic thermocline.