Hydraulics and instabilities of quasi-geostrophic zonal flows (original) (raw)

The research investigates the traditional hydraulic theory concerning unstable mid-latitude jets influenced by Rossby waves modified by shear. It aims to establish general criteria indicating when flows may exhibit hydraulic behavior, even in the presence of shear instabilities. Through a combination of theoretical and numerical analyses, the study reveals the existence of multiple equilibria in such flows and explores the implications of hydraulic adjustments on barotropic instability, emphasizing the connection between these dynamics in an unforced, inviscid fluid setting.