Describe, in detail, the concept of atmospheric eddies. Make sure to relate (des
ID: 113739 • Letter: D
Question
Describe, in detail, the concept of atmospheric eddies. Make sure to relate (describe in detail) the phenomena of CAT, rotors, waves, and wind shear to eddies. Also, briefly describe how terrain or obstacles (e.g., mountains, buildings, etc.) can affect these phenomena. Finally, describe how you think two or more of these forms of atmospheric disturbances can be caused from, or interact with, the Boulder Flatirons (see image) ,in your examples, reflect on scale, frontal system, air mass, altitude, ground effect.
Explanation / Answer
Eddies are related to swirls of fluid flow and atmospheric eddies are fluid currents in the atmosphere. There direction of motion is generally the reverse of the general flow of currents, Thus, reverse currents are created due to fluid eddies. Eddies are synonymous with waves. They are xonal inhomegenity in the atmosphere. They are created when void spaces are created by the moving fluid swirls and subsequent reverse flow of currents. They help in atmospheric circulation. There are 2 kinds of eddies: stationary and transient.
Stationary eddies are zonal assymmetries arising from land or sea and play important role in the Northern Hemisphere.
Transient eddies show departure from mean flow at specific locations and are absent from zonal asymmetries. They control the climate of the Southern Hemisphere.
Waves are special kinds of eddies. They transport energyand momentum but does not mass. SO, they cannot redistribute any property that is related to mass.