Topographically-induced mesoscale motions in antitriptically balanced barotropic flow

Abstract

The dynamic processes within a steady viscous incompressible barotropic fluid interacting with an isolated mesoscale obstacle are studied. The topography is allowed to disrupt a variety of antitriptically balanced background states. Localized forcing and damping results when the mean balanced state is upset. A mesoscale antitriptic pressure gradient of a trough (ridge) is shown to enhance lee side confluence if positioned just upstream (downstream) of the topographical center. Repositioning the trough (ridge) downstream (upstream) yields solutions similar to those obtained with an enhanced frictional drag. Comparisons are made against solutions obtained from calculations with constant frictional drag under mesoscale flow conditions, i.e., the Rossby number is near unity.