Contribution of baroclinic mechanism in the formation of the depression during MONEX-79

Abstract

A linear baroclinic stability analysis is performed for the basic vertical zonal wind profile prior to the formation of the depression during Bay of Bengal phase of MONEX-79 by utilizing a quasi- geostrophic, multilayer, numerical model. The preferred wavelength obtained from the growth rate spectrum is 1400 km for the channel width 1500 km, with an e-folding time 5.2 days. The wave structure in the vertical is computed and compared with the observed structure of the depression. Many common features are noticed between them. Further, the vertical structure of the preferred wave obtained from the modified wind profile, removing wind shear below the westerly maximum level, shows closer agreement to the depression structure than that obtained from the full profile. The effect of vertical variation of static stability in the lower layers on the growth of short unstable waves is studied. It is found that a decrease in static stability in the lower layers resulted in the increase in growth rate and decrease in the preferred wavelength.