An investigation of the spectral structure of atmospheric waves near a jet stream

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Abstract
An investigation of the nonlinear interaction near the center of maximum mean motion of a jet stream indicates that interactions of waves of low frequencies and those between the mean zonal motion and low frequency waves contribute most to the low frequency range of the energy spectrum of the zonal component of the turbulent motion, whereas the effects of the sphericity and Reynolds stresses contribute most to the low frequency range of the spectra of the meridional turbulent motion. In ranges of intermediate and high frequencies, the interactions between the mean zonal motion and waves of frequency range in question contribute most to the respective spectra. In the investigation of the spectral structure of atmospheric waves near a jet stream, it is found that in the region of the maximum zonal mean motion the kinetic energy of the zonal and meridional components of the turbulent motion is generally contributed by the nonlinear interactions between waves of various frequencies with the mean zonal motion. It is also found that as waves travel eastward from the center of maximum mean zonal motion, the velocity-amplitudes of waves of low frequencies grow at the expense of the kinetic energy of waves of higher frequencies. This suggests that center maximum mean motion of the jet stream tends to excite wave motion of high frequencies, and that the kinetic energy of these waves is transferred to waves of lower frequencies through nonlinear interactions. DOI: 10.1111/j.2153-3490.1973.tb01600.x

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