Wang, B., and A. Barcilon, 1986: Two dynamic regimes of finite amplitude Charney and Green waves.* Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, 43 (12), 1288-1296.
Abstract: The weakly nonlinear evolutions of the Green and Charney waves are compared
for two regimes: (1) when internal dissipation is the dominant dissipation;
(2) when Ekman friction is the dominant dissipation.
When the Ekman dissipation is dominant, we obtain a large amplitude, equilibrated
wave state which depends upon the initial conditions but not upon the magnitudes
of the dissipation; the steady wave features a barotropic structure, and
does not transport heat in the meridional direction. In sharp contrast,
when internal dissipation is dominant, a small amplitude, equilibrated wave
state is found, which is independent of the initial conditions but depends
on the magnitude of the internal dissipation. The steady wave exhibits a
westward phase tilt and transports heat poleward by an amount proportional
to the internal dissipation.
The presence of a large planetary vorticity gradient stabilizes the finite
amplitude evolution of the planetabry waves and leads to a stable equilibrium
planetary wave state.
* Contribution No. 230 of Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Institute, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida.