Abstract
A formal solution of a linear geostrophic adjustment problem for the baroclinic atmosphere is derived. On the basis of this solution, the adjustment toward balance in primitive equation models is discussed with respect to its dependence on scale in space and time, and also with respect to the processes by which the adjustment takes place, that is, the damping and dispersion of the gravitational wave energy. Throughout the discussion, the effect of finite-difference approximations is considered. Finally, a numerical experiment is described that illustrates some of the results from the theoretical investigations.
