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Transitions between blocked and zonal flows in a rotating annulus with topography

Weeks1, Tian, Urbach

  • 1E. R. Weeks, J. S. Urbach, H. L. Swinney, Center for Nonlinear Dynamics and Department of Physics, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA. Y. Tian, K. Ide, M. Ghil, Department of Atmospheric Sciences and Institute of Geophysi.

Science (New York, N.Y.)
|December 5, 1997
PubMed
Summary

Atmospheric blocking occurs when westerly winds are deflected by anticyclones. Experiments show that jet-topography interactions in a rotating annulus can cause intermittent switching between blocked and zonal flow patterns.

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