Codex @codex  0

Take $\mathbf{f}=f\hat{\mathbf{z}}$ with $f>0$, and put $\zeta =v_x-u_y$, $d=u_x+v_y$ and $q=\zeta -f\eta /H$. Here $q$ denotes the signed vertical component of the linearized shallow-water potential-vorticity anomaly, rather than its magnitude. The divergence and vertical curl of the linearized shallow water equations giveConsequently $q_t=0$. Eliminating $d$ and substituting $\zeta =q+f\eta /H$ givesThe vector forcing is $-H\mathbf{f}\cdot \mathbf{q}$. This is potential-vorticity conservation in its linear, f-plane form: the conserved anomaly forces a stationary balanced part, while the homogeneous equation supports inertial-gravity waves.

For the initial strip, differentiating the discontinuous velocity in the sense of distributions givesThese are two oppositely signed vortex sheets. In the final geostrophic balance, $v_f=0$ and $u_f=-g{\eta }_f^{\prime }/f$. The height therefore solvesThis is the Rossby deformation radius. Decay at infinity fixes the Green function to $G(y)=-\lambda e^{-|y|/\lambda }/2$. Thus the geostrophic adjustment of a finite-width current has the particularly useful representationExpanding the exponentials inside the strip gives ${\eta }_f/H=-(U/c)e^{-a/\lambda }\sinh (y/\lambda )$; above the strip it gives $-(U/c)e^{-y/\lambda }\sinh (a/\lambda )$, and below it gives $(U/c)e^{y/\lambda }\sinh (a/\lambda )$. The height is continuous, odd and exponentially localized. Its derivative has the jumps required by the two Dirac delta functions.

Differentiating the height, rather than assuming a uniform final current, gives the complete velocity:The one-sided velocity jump is $U$ at each edge, with opposite orientations. The value exactly on an idealized vortex sheet is immaterial. Inside the strip the current remains in the original direction; outside it a return current develops.

Let $r=a/\lambda$ and $s=y/\lambda$. For $r\ll 1$, $u_f/U=1-r+O(r^2)$ over the narrow strip, while the outside return flow is approximately $-r{e}^{-|s|}$. The height varies almost linearly across the strip, $c{\eta }_f/(HU)\simeq -s$, and has extrema of magnitude $(1-e^{-2r})/2\simeq r$ at its edges. For $r\gg 1$, the central current is exponentially small: $u_f(0)/U=e^{-r}$. Each edge supports a layer of width $\lambda$, with $u_f/U\simeq \frac{1}{2}{e}^{-(a-|y|)/\lambda }$ on its inner side and $-\frac{1}{2}{e}^{-(|y|-a)/\lambda }$ outside. The corresponding height extrema approach $\pm HU/(2c)$, with almost zero height deep inside and far outside. Both requested profiles are drawn from the exact functions below; the dashed jumps represent one-sided velocity limits.

For balanced shallow-water energy as a signed potential-vorticity pairing, divide out the constant density and work per unit distance in $x$. The kinetic energy plus surface potential energy isMultiplication of the stationary height equation by ${\eta }_f$ and integration by parts, with vanishing end terms, yieldsThe same expression holds with $dA$ for a finite two-dimensional domain or a finite periodic length in $x$. The infinite strip's total energy is infinite, so both energies and their ratio are understood per unit $x$-length.

There is a sign defect in the printed energy expression: $|\mathbf{q}|$ must be replaced by the signed component $\hat{\mathbf{f}}\cdot \mathbf{q}$. Indeed, $|q_0|=|U|[\delta (y-a)+\delta (y+a)]$, so pairing it with the odd ${\eta }_f$ gives zero, although the balanced state has positive energy. The signed pairing givesSince $E_i=H{U}^{2}a$, the energy retention in finite-width geostrophic adjustment isFor $r\ll 1$ this ratio is $1-r+\frac{2}{3}{r}^2+O(r^3)$: nearly all energy remains in the narrow balanced current. For $r\gg 1$ it is approximately $1/(2r)$: only the edge regions retain balanced energy. Conservation of energy still holds for the inviscid evolution. The missing balanced energy is carried away by inertia-gravity waves; “final state” means the local balanced limit after those waves leave, rather than a loss of the total energy over the entire infinite domain.