Barotropic
From The Encyclopedia of Earth
Meteorology (main)
March 30, 2010, 12:00 am
December 21, 2011, 10:57 am
Barotropic describes a hypothetical atmosphere (Earth's atmosphere) or ocean in which surfaces of pressure (isobaric surfaces) and density (isentropic surfaces) coincide at all levels, as compared to baroclinic flow. In a state of barotropic stratification, no potential energy is available for conversion to kinetic energy.
A barotropic flow is a generalization of the barotropic atmosphere; moreover, barotropic flow is a flow regime in which the pressure is a function of the density. Barotropic flow, in oceanography, is depth-independent circulation due to changes in surface elevation.
References
- James R Holton, An introduction to dynamic meteorology, ISBN 0-12-354355-X, 3rd edition, p77.
- Marcel Lesieur, Turbulence in Fluids: Stochastic and Numerical Modeling, ISBN 0-7923-0645-7
- D. J. Tritton, Physical Fluid Dynamics, ISBN 0-19-854493-6.
| This article is written at a definitional level only. Authors wishing to expand this entry are inivited to expand the present treatment, which additions will be peer reviewed prior to publication of any expansion. |
See also
- Baroclinic
- Earth's atmosphere
- Physical Oceanography Index
- Seas of the world
