Quasi-Geostrophic Frontogenesis

Abstract

An exact solution to the quasi-geostrophic equations is derived for an initial horizontal wind field which contains deformation. The variation in the initial temperature field is confined to a band which is oriented normal to the axis of contraction of the deformation field. In the solution, a frontal zone forms and the temperature at two boundary points becomes discontinuous as the time approaches infinity. The solution is very similar to Stone's solution and it generalizes his work. Some aspects of the solution are not realistic.