The Formation of Coherent Structures in the Context of Blocking

Abstract

It is shown that the interaction of long, weakly nonlinear, quasigeostrophic baroclinic waves can be described by a pair of linearly coupled Korteweg?de Vries equations. Baroclinic energy conversion is investigated as the interaction of interacting upper- and lower-layer structures, which are represented by solitary waves. This system exhibits a rich dynamics that is suggestive of atmospheric blocking features, such as stable stationary solutions, transient quasi-steady-state solutions, multiple equilibria, and baroclinic instability. This system is investigated both analytically, using techniques from asymptotic perturbation theory, and through numerical simulations.