Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-atmospheric-physics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2014/paper-1/3/a/solution

The isentropic potential vorticity is Ertel potential vorticity expressed on constant potential temperature surfaces:
Here is the vertical curl of horizontal velocity differentiated on an isentropic surface, and is mass per unit area per unit potential-temperature interval. For smooth inviscid adiabatic motion, . Conserved anomalies are advected and deformed, explaining much balanced large-scale weather variability. Diagnosing velocity from PV additionally needs balance, stratification and boundary information. Strong latent/radiative heating, friction and irreversible mixing generate or modify PV, limiting a purely conservative explanation.[ref]

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