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The flow of a stratified fluid in a rotating annulus

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 April 2006

P. F. Linden
P. F. Linden
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge
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Abstract

The motion of a continuously stratified fluid in a rotating annulus is investigated experimentally. The flow is driven by the differential rotation of a lid on the annulus in contact with the fluid. For small enough Rossby numbers the basic flow is found to be axisymmetric, but in contrast to the unstratified case the zonal flow is not independent of the depth, and there is significant vertical shear in the interior. As the Rossby number of the flow is increased the axisymmetric flow becomes unstable to non-axisymmetric baroclinic disturbances. Some features of these disturbances as well as the time response to the motion of the lid are examined.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Fluid Mechanics , Volume 79 , Issue 3 , 9 March 1977 , pp. 435 - 447
Copyright
© 1977 Cambridge University Press

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