Merger criterion for two vortices in 3d quasi-geostrophic flow

E. Ozugurlu*, J. N. Reinaud, D. G. Dritschel

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

In this study we examine the interaction between two like-signed quasi-geostrophic vortices containing different uniform potential vorticity. The interaction depends on 6 parameters: the potential vorticity ratio between the two vortices, their volume ratio, their individual height-to-width aspect ratio, their vertical offset and their horizontal separation distance. We first calculate equilibrium states using an asymptotic approach which models the vortices as ellipsoids and then determine their linear stability. It is found that two vortices can merge at farther distances when one has stronger potential vorticity than the other. This tells us that interaction between vortices having significantly different potential vorticity may be more destructive, for a given separation distance. Most of the vortex interactions for the considered parameter space are in the partial-merger regime (where the largest vortex grows in volume) and this happens between vortices of similar po! tential vorticity.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationNUMERICAL ANALYSIS AND APPLIED MATHEMATICS
Subtitle of host publicationInternational Conference on Numerical Analysis and Applied Mathematics
Pages391-396
Number of pages6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2007
Externally publishedYes
EventNUMERICAL ANALYSIS AND APPLIED MATHEMATICS: International Conference on Numerical Analysis and Applied Mathematics - Corfu, Greece
Duration: 16 Sept 200720 Sept 2007

Publication series

NameAIP Conference Proceedings
Volume936
ISSN (Print)0094-243X
ISSN (Electronic)1551-7616

Conference

ConferenceNUMERICAL ANALYSIS AND APPLIED MATHEMATICS: International Conference on Numerical Analysis and Applied Mathematics
Country/TerritoryGreece
CityCorfu
Period16/09/0720/09/07

Keywords

  • Co-rotating vortices
  • Ellipsoidal vortex model
  • Merger
  • Nonlinear evolution
  • Potential vorticity
  • Quasi-geostrophic flow
  • Shear

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