THE CONTRIBUTION OF DIVERGENT WIND COMPONENTS TO THE ENERGY EXCHANGE BETWEEN THE BAROCLINIC AND BAROTROPIC COMPONENTS

Abstract

The contribution from the divergent part of the horizontal wind to the energy conversion between the vertical shear flow and the vertical mean flow has been computed using atmospheric data from the isobaric surfaces: 850, 700, 500, 300, and 200 mb. The new calculations supplement earlier computations giving the energy conversion based on an assumption that the horizontal winds are non-divergent. It is found that the contribution from the divergent part of the horizontal wind normally is very small compared with the contribution from the non-divergent part. The former energy conversion is as a matter of fact generally not significantly different from zero. The abnormal winter 1962?63 has been investigated separately. It is found that energy conversion by the divergent wind component during this period was much larger and constituted a larger fraction of the total conversion than during any other period.