Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2025/iii/paper-333/3/ii/solution

The QG thermodynamic relation makes vertical velocity proportional to the material derivative of . At a flat rigid boundary, no normal flow therefore gives
or for a nonzero-frequency mode. Let and take the vertical structure , which satisfies this condition. Linearizing gives the Baroclinic Rossby wave dispersion relation
For long horizontal waves, , so : the vertical-mode deformation term controls the response. For short waves, , so , the Barotropic Rossby wave form. In both limits the zonal phase propagation is westward relative to the mean flow.

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