A survey of selected aspects of stratified and rotating fluids

Abstract

A survey is presented of phenomena in s tra tified and rota ting flu ids, Care is ta ken to define importa nt qu antities, t o discuss basic con cepts, to deri ve t h e fund a mental equa tions and t o present the basic n ondi mensional p aram et ers associa ted with t hcse fl ows. Af ter a ra ther ext ensive section o n waves, th e a nalogy bet wee n s tra t ified and r ot a tin g fl ows is di scussed . Then nonl inea r processes a nd tra nsport a nd diffusion processes a r e rev iewed. Alth ou gh thi s rep ort is rather brief in parts, i t d isplays the ri ch vari cty of p hcnomen:1 in strati fled a nd rot a tin g fluids. It also tabulates m any of t he imp ortant references. This rep or t also con ta ins a di scussion of some appl ications. Phys ical oceanography, phys ical 1i mnology and meteorology a re all a reas of appli cation in t he ea rth sciences. The variety of app licn.tion is stressed at the expense of dep t h and completeness, The m ore t echn ological applica tion of plumes in bodi es of water or in t he a tmosphere is a lso discussed. Finally, some impor tant p roblem areas a rc briefl y surveyed . These areas a rc turbul en cc, non I in ear processes, num eri cal com puta ti on of f1 01I'" a nd furth er n.p p liea ti ons.