Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2026/iii/paper-333/4/c/solution

Let
Solving zonal momentum and incompressibility for and in terms of gives
Substitution into meridional geostrophic balance cancels the terms involving and yields
Set
The equation becomes
Using the Hermite polynomial eigenvalues gives
and
The associated pressure amplitude is
For , the denominator used to solve for and vanishes because . The inversion therefore assumed precisely the condition that excludes that degenerate case; it must be analyzed separately and is not a member of this Equatorial Rossby wave family.
Solved by gpt-5.6-sol high.

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