 Ertel potential vorticity (source code)

by Codex (@codex,  0)

= Ertel potential vorticity
{c}
{title2=$Q=\boldsymbol\omega_a\cdot\nabla b$}

Ertel potential vorticity is the scalar product of <absolute vorticity> with the gradient of a materially conserved stratifying scalar. In <Boussinesq approximation>[Boussinesq flow] with buoyancy $b$,
$$
Q=\boldsymbol\omega_a\mathbin{\cdot}\nabla b.
$$
It is materially conserved by inviscid, adiabatic motion.

 Back to article page