[GTP] GTP MMM Seminar at NCAR

[Silvia Gentile]

Joint GTP MMM Seminar

Feedback of zonal flows on Rossby/drift-wave turbulence driven by small 
scale instability
Colm Connaughton
Warwick Mathematics Institute and Warwick Centre for Complexity Science    


We demonstrate theoretically and numerically the zonal-flow/wave 
turbulence feedback mechanism in Charney-Hasegama-Mima turbulence forced 
by a small scale instability. Zonal flows are generated by a secondary 
modulational instability of the waves which are directly driven by the 
primary instability. The shear generated by the zonal flows then 
suppresses the small scale turbulence thereby arresting the energy 
injection into the system. This process can be described using nonlocal 
wave turbulence theory. Finally, the arrest of the energy input results 
in saturation of the zonal flows at a level which can be estimated from 
the theory and the system reaches stationarity even without large scale 
damping.
(Joint work with S. Nazarenko and B. Quinn)


Tuesday July 29
NCAR Foothills Laboratory 1
3450 Mitchell Lane
Room FL1-2198 EOL Atrium
Lecture 3:30pm
Refreshments 3:15 PM

-- 
Silvia Gentile
NCAR IMAGe
1850 Table Mesa Drive
Boulder, CO 803035
www2.image.ucar.edu/IMAGe