The Effect of Topography on the Dynamics of Interacting Solitary Waves in the Context of Atmospheric Blocking

Abstract

It is shown that the influence of topography on the interaction of long, weakly nonlinear, quasigeostrophic baroclinic waves can be described by a pair of linearly coupled Korteweg?de Vries equations, with a forcing term in one of the equations. This system exhibits a rich dynamics that is suggestive of atmospheric blocking such as stable stationary solutions, transient quasi-steady-state solutions, multiple equilibria, and baroclinic instability. Topography is shown to favor the formation of blocking systems. This system is investigated both analytically, using techniques from asymptotic perturbation theory, and through numerical simulations.