On the mechanism of the vertical heat flux and generation of kinetic energy in the atmosphere

Abstract

Satisfactory results have been achieved in establishing balance between the latitudinal distribution of heat sources and sinks in the atmosphere and the meridional energy flux computed from observations. Mostly, however, studies of the atmospheric heat balance have been limited to latitude belts of the whole atmosphere or at least the whole troposphere, whereas few attempts have been made to establish heat balance for layers of different height. In the present paper a tentative model of the vertical heat flux in the extratropical region of the Northern Hemisphere is presented. It is shown that the vertical heat flux, necessary for heat balance in the vertical, essentially is a result of small-scale and large-scale turbulence. In the latter type of processes the polarfront cyclones play a prominent role. It is also shown that the vertical heat flux due to large-scale eddy processes is closely correlated to the generation of kinetic energy.