Resumen

WIIN-NIELSEN, A.. The zonal atmospheric structure: A heuristic theory, Part III. Atmósfera [online]. 2000, vol.13, n.2, pp.85-94. ISSN 0187-6236.

A model of the zonally averaged structure of the atmosphere is designed. It employs exchange coefficients to describe the meridional transports of quasi-conservative quantities. In contrast to earlier models the exchange coefficients have a specified meridional variation replacing the constant coefficients used in previous studies. The basic model is the two-level, quasi-geostrophic model. The time integration of the model equations is carried out in the spectral domain using the spherical equations. The cut-off for the Legendre polynomials in the model is n=10, but can be selected freely. Employing symmetry around the equator the heating of the atmosphere is prescribed based on observational studies. The integrations permit a determination of the meridional variation of the resulting temperature, the geopotentials, the zonal winds at the upper and the lower levels, the transports of sensible heat for the model atmosphere, the vertical velocity and the transports of momentum at the upper and the lower levels. The energetics of the model may also be determined. The results are in reasonable agreement with the observed zonal structure of the atmosphere.

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