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!" !"
D D
! Dt
(ln(" # + f ) ) = $% • V# and
Dt
(ln " ) = #$ • V%
Setting these equal to each other and multiplying by Dt, we get
D("# + f ) D$
D(ln("# + f )) = D(ln $ ) or =
! ! "# + f $
Integrating from initial values (denoted by 0) to final values, we can integrate:
(" # + f )
D("# + f ) % D% ("# + f ) = ln $
! $ " +f =$ % to !
get ln
(" # + f ) 0 # %0 ("# + f ) 0 $0
! + d!" ! ! + d!"
p p -dp
-dp
!" !"
Parcel changes latitude ! Change f and absolute vorticity (keeping stability
constant) ! Change relative vorticity
Values of IPV > 1.5 PVU are generally associated with stratospheric air
low PV
x
%$
P = "g(#$ + f )
%p
• From the definition of PV, a +PV anomaly could mean
1. the vorticity is larger than average
2. the static
! stability is larger than average
3. both of the above
"Vg kˆ "%
VT = = #$
"p f "p
"Vg kˆ "%
VT = = #$
"p f "p
!+%!"
" + # !+%!"
# - "
1.5 PVU
!"
" #
!" # "
(out of page) (into page)
low PV low PV
x x
A +PV anomaly has isentropic surfaces which bow towards the anomaly both in the
troposphere and the stratosphere ! increased static stability
A -PV anomaly has isentropic surfaces which bow away the anomaly both in the
troposphere and the stratosphere ! decreased static stability
!-%!" +$ -$
x
Isentropes must deform so as to take on the structure of a +PV anomaly.
Thus, adiabatic flow in a system-relative sense will enter the region of the +PV
anomaly from the east and depart to the west.
The flow will follow the isentropes barring any diabatic effects, and will undergo
isentropic upglide on the east side of the system, and isentropic downglide on
the west side of the system.
Does this sound familiar?
Relation between QG theory and IPV thinking
Recall that the QG height tendency equation (ignoring friction and diabatic
heating) is:
% 2 f 02 $2 ( $+ - %1 2 (0 f 02 $ % $+ (
'" + 2*
= , f 0 /V g • "' " + + f *2 + ,V
' g • " *
& # $P ) $t . & f0 )1 # $P & $P )
!
If we take the total derivative of PQG we get:
DPQG "
= ( PQG ) + V g • #PQG
Dt "t
!
With equation (2), then the following must be true:
DPQG
=0
! Dt
Thus, the QG height tendency equation can be used to show that geostrophic PV
is conserved following adiabatic geostrophic flow.
!
Relation between QG theory and IPV thinking
z !+2%!"
!-%!" +$ -$
x
In the region of depicted isentropic upglide, there" is clearly positive PV
advection. Equation (2) on the previous page "t (PQG ) = #[V g • $PQG ] requires
that this region has to have a local increase in PV.
" & 2 f 02 "2 ) ",
Equating ( QG ) ($ +
P # + , and with PQG increasing with time, then
"t ' % "P 2 * "t !
% 2 f 02 $2 ( $+ "#
'" + 2*
will be positive and thus will be negative.
& # $P ) $t "t
!
Thus the +PV anomaly will lead ! to height falls in this region of upward motion
!
caused by adiabatic cooling in the ascending air.
Lower Tropospheric PV Anomalies
• PV anomalies need not be confined to the upper troposphere
• Consider a warm potential temperature anomaly at the
surface
z !+3%!"
!+2%!"
The thermal wind equation tells
O O us that wind will be calm at the
tropopause, but increase
!+%!"
towards the surface, and
#& T <0 " thermal vorticity will be
!" WARM
!-%!" anticyclonic
x
Lower Tropospheric PV Anomalies
• PV anomalies need not be confined to the upper troposphere
• Consider a warm potential temperature anomaly at the
surface
z !+3%!"
!+2%!"
However, distribution of
O O isentropes tells us that we have
a +PV anomaly at the surface!
!+%!"
Low-level +PV’
high PV
y
t=0 Consider a + PV anomaly
+ low PV
x at initial time t. It will have
a cyclonic circulation
associated with it that will
advect low PV air poleward
and high PV equatorward.
Propagation of Lower Tropospheric PV Anomalies
Let us consider what happens at upper levels during cyclogenesis from the
PV perspective.
high PV
y
t=0 At a later time, the +PV
+ low PV
x anomaly will advect low PV
high PV air poleward, creating a -PV
y - anomaly to the east.
+ t = t+%t
low PV
x
The original anomaly will
advect higher PV air
equatorward, causing it to
propagate west.
Propagation of Lower Tropospheric PV Anomalies
Let us consider what happens at upper levels during cyclogenesis from the
PV perspective.
high PV
y
t=0 Subsequently, the original
+ low PV
x +PV anomaly continues to
high PV propagate westward while a
y - secondary +PV anomaly is
+ t = t+%t
spawned to the east.
low PV
x
y -
high PV
This analysis shows that
+ + t = t+%t upper level PV anomalies
x low PV
will tend to propagate
westward, as long (Rossby)
waves do through
advection of planetary
vorticity (f).
Low level PV anomalies
• As shown before, any low level warm temperature anomaly
can be considered a +PV anomaly, and has a cyclonic
circulation associated with it.
• Southerly winds downstream of the +PV anomaly are
associated with horizontal warm advection, northerly winds
upstream perform cold advection.
• The net effect is to propagate the disturbance eastward at the
surface, and little upstream development occurs.
y
!-2%!"
!-%!"
!" + t=0
x
y
!-2%!"
!-%!"
!"
x
+ t = t+%t
Lower and upper level PV anomalies together
• Through scale analysis, a PV anomaly will have a
“penetration depth” H of
fL L is the length scale of the anomaly g #"
H= N=
" 0 #z
N N is the Brünt-Vaisala Frequency
10 m s-1 5 K km -1
10 -4 s-1 1000 km 10 3 m
N= = 0.029 s H= = 7752 m
300 K km 10 3 m 0.0129 s-1 km
!
• For an anomaly 1000 km in horizontal dimension centered at
!300 hPa, the vertical scale of a PV anomaly will be roughly
!
enough amplitude to!reach through most of the troposphere.
• Thus, it is likely that
– an upper level PV anomaly can penetrate down to the surface and
contribute to the generation of a low level warm anomaly (through
warm advection)
– the circulation associated with a low level warm anomaly may extend
far enough upward to cause horizontal PV advection at upper levels
• So, given proper phasing, PV anomalies at different levels
may amplify each other given the proper phasing.
From the PV perspective, development of cyclones
depends on a prolonged period of mutual
amplification of upper and lower level anomalies
y
!" The influence of the upper level
z
+PV anomaly is to deform the
surface
sea-level circulation through
x
horizontal temperature advection.
t=0
Cyclogenesis from the PV perspective
The warm air advection acts on
the surface isentropes to create a
warm anomaly; this anomaly
PV+%PV" creates a circulation that
PV"
+ penetrates the tropopause given
by its penetration depth.
z y
The surface warm anomaly will
300 hPa
x have a reflection on the 300 hPa
field by inducing a cyclonic
circulation that will strengthen the
!-2%!"
+
!-%!" +PV anomaly through
!"
z y equatorward +PV advection on
surface the east side of the PV anomaly.
x This will cause the upper level
t = %t PV anomaly to propagate
eastward, contrary to its
inclination to propagate
westward.
Cyclogenesis from the PV perspective
The invigorated upper level
anomaly exerts an invigorated
influence on the low level
PV+%PV" isentrope field.
PV"
+ Since the upper level +PV
z y anomaly lies upstream of the
surface warm anomaly, this
300 hPa
x maximizes thermal advection
where the maxima in warm
anomalies where they already
!-2%!"
+
!-%!" exist.
!"
y
z Thus the upper level +PV-induced
surface warm and cold advection aid in
x strengthening the lower level +PV
t = 2%t feature, and act together to allow
the PV to propagate eastward.
Cyclogenesis from the PV perspective
Thus when upper and lower PV
anomalies are in close proximity,
they can mutually amplify, as
PV+%PV" well as ‘phase lock’ which
PV"
+ allows them to propagate
together.
z y
Upshear (westward) tilt of the
300 hPa
x cyclone with height is a requisite
condition for this process to occur,
and thus it is benefical for
!-2%!"
+
!-%!" systems to have upshear tilt for
!"
z y maximum intensification.
surface (consistent with QG theory)
x Also, it appears that cyclogenesis
t = 2%t occurs independently of
frontogenesis, which is why
cyclones can form in the QG
system despite the lack of fronts.
How are PV anomalies generated?
(Holton 4.36)
!
( ) =( ) =( ) +( ) ( )
dv
dx "
#v
#x "
#v
#x y, p
#v #p
#p x,y #x "
(2)
( ) =( ) =( )
dT
dy "
#T
#x "
#T
#y x, p
+ ( ) ( )
#T #T
#p x,y #y " (6)
Substituting from (3) and (4) we get
c p p ( dx ) = ( #x ) y, p + ( #p ) ( )
1 dp #T #T #p
" x,y #x "
!
cp p
1
( ) =( ) +( ) ( )
dp
dy "
#T
#y x, p
#T #T
#p x,y #y "
both of which have the same terms on the RHS, so we can set them equal to
get:
( dpdx )" = ( #T#x )y, p %'& c 1p p $ ( #T#p )x,y (*) (7)
!
( dpdy )" = ( #T#y )x, p %'& c 1p p $ ( #T#p )x,y (*) (8)
If we take -'/'p, '/'x, and '/'y of the Poisson equation on a constant isobaric
surface we get
" #T $#
$p = 1
cp% " ( ) $T
$p
!
so (7) & (8)
( ) dp
dx "
= ##x" #"
#p (9)
T
# ( )p = ( )p
$#
$x
$T
$x
become
( ) dp
dy "
= ##y" #"
#p (10)
T
# ( ) =( )
$#
$y p
$T
$y p
!
Using (9) and (10) in (1) and (2) we can now say
"u
"y
= "u
"y ( ) ( )
"u
+ "p
#
( ) [
"# "#
"y "p (11)
x, p x,y
]
( ) =( ) +( ) [
"v
"x #
"v
"x y, p
"v "#
"p x,y "x
"#
"p ] (12)
z d
(P ) < 0
dt
For diabatic heating in the mid-
troposphere, this causes destruction
dQ
! >0 of PV in the upper troposphere and
dt
creation of PV in the lower
troposphere.
d
(P ) > 0
p ! dt
x
!
Effects of diabatic heating on PV distribution near cyclones
• Let’s consider what happens in a real cyclone. Usually we have diabatic
heat release caused by ascent downstream of a +PV anomaly.
z z
d
+
(P ) < 0
+ dt
! dQ
>0
$<0 dt
p L p !
d
dt
(P ) > 0
t=0 x t = %t x
!
Destroy upper tropospheric PV ! steepen the PV gradient downstream
of the +PV anomaly ! shorten the wavelength between the trough
(+PV) and downstream ridge (-PV) ! increase height gradient !
strengthen upper level jet
Enhance lower tropospheric PV ! enhance “phase locking” !
intensification of cyclone ! reduce static stability in low levels
Treble Clefs
A “Treble Clef” pattern in the PV field is often
observed with mature cyclones
t=0
initial development of
“open wave” cyclone
t = 2%t
with negative PV
advection !
formation of cut off
low
A’
B’
Forget PV! The Traditional
Geopotential Height Maps Work
Fine!
Advantages of Height Disadvantages of
Height
• Identification and • Gravity waves and
assessment of features topography
• Inference of wind and • Inference of evolution
vorticity and intensification
• Inference of vertical • Role of diabatic
motion? processes is obscure
• Need 300 & 500 mb
What’s PV Got that Traditional
Maps Haven’t Got?
Advantages of PV Disadvantages of PV
• PV is conserved • Unfamiliar
• PV unaffected by • Not as easily available
gravity waves and • Not easy to eyeball
topography significant features
• PV at one level gives • Qualitative inference of
you heights at many wind and vorticity
levels • Hard to diagnose
• Easy to diagnose vertical motion?
Dynamics