Airstream Boundaries in Numerical Weather Simulations

Abstract

Distinct airstreams, separated by sharp boundaries, are present in numerical weather simulations and can be used to identify characteristic structures in baroclinic storms. To allow objective comparisons between different analyses, a rigorous treatment of airstream boundaries is performed based upon a numerical procedure in which the uncertainty of individual trajectory paths is related to the strength of an airstream boundary, as defined and quantified herein. The properties of the procedure are then investigated via application to a numerical simulation of the ERICA IOP 4 storm. The work not only provides the necessary framework within which future analyses of airstreams can be interpreted but also provides insights into quantitative properties of atmospheric flows.