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Article

A WKB Asymptotic Analysis of Baroclinic Instability

Richard S. Lindzen1 and Arthur J. Rosenthal1
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  • 1 Center for Earth and Planetary Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138
Print Publication:
01 Mar 1981
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0469(1981)038<0619:AWAAOB>2.0.CO;2
Page(s):
619–629
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Abstract

A modest extension of conventional WKB methods of solving second-order differential equations asymptotically is developed and applied to the problem of baroclinic instability. Accurate results are obtained for the Charney problem using simple expressions. More important, the present expressions can be used immediately for a wide variety of basic velocity profiles.

Abstract

A modest extension of conventional WKB methods of solving second-order differential equations asymptotically is developed and applied to the problem of baroclinic instability. Accurate results are obtained for the Charney problem using simple expressions. More important, the present expressions can be used immediately for a wide variety of basic velocity profiles.

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