Three-dimensional quasi-geostrophic potential vorticity (3D QG potential vorticity)

For constant buoyancy frequency $N$ on a beta plane, three-dimensional quasi-geostrophic potential vorticity can be written

The hydrostatic convention $b=f_0{\psi }_z$ may refer to full buoyancy or to its anomaly relative to $N^{2}z$. Subtracting the uniform reference profile changes $\psi$ by $-N^2{z}^2/(2f_0)$ and changes $q=f_0+{\nabla }_h^2\psi +(f_0^2/N^2){\psi }_{zz}$ by the uniform constant $-f_0$. Horizontal velocity and potential-vorticity gradients are unchanged, so the advection and stability dynamics are identical. Stating the convention avoids mistaking this reference constant for a dynamical gradient.

A quasi-geostrophic vertical mode separates horizontal and vertical dependence of the streamfunction. With rigid horizontal boundaries and constant stratification, the vertical eigenfunctions are $\cos (n\pi z/H)$.

A barotropic mode has horizontal velocity independent of depth. It is the zeroth quasi-geostrophic vertical mode and usually has the largest gravity-wave speed and Rossby deformation radius.

A baroclinic mode has nontrivial vertical shear and at least one change of vertical structure through the fluid depth. Higher quasi-geostrophic vertical modes have smaller gravity-wave speeds and Rossby deformation radii.

The quasi-geostrophic potential-vorticity equation states that three-dimensional quasi-geostrophic potential vorticity is materially conserved in inviscid, adiabatic flow. On a beta plane with constant buoyancy frequency,

For a small steady lower-boundary height $b(x,y)$, impermeability gives $w={\mathbf{u}}_g\cdot \nabla b$ at the reference plane. Substitution in the buoyancy equation $D_g(f_0{\psi }_z)+N^{2}w=0$ yields the displayed boundary condition. For nonzero Fourier modes in a uniform crossing current, this fixes ${\psi }_z(0)=-N^{2}b/f_0$. An upper radiation condition or decay condition is still needed to select the physical response.

With basic zonal velocity $U(z)$, basic horizontal buoyancy gradient $b_y=-f_0{U}_z$, and $b^{\prime }=f_0{\psi }_z^{\prime }$, adiabatic buoyancy evolution at a flat impermeable wall givesA normal mode thus obeys $(U-c){\hat{\psi }}^{\prime }-U_z\hat{\psi }=0$ at the wall. This dynamical condition, rather than vanishing streamfunction, sets the frequency of an Eady edge wave.

For a Boussinesq approximation, constant buoyancy frequency $N$, and buoyancy heating rate $R$, the quasi-geostrophic potential-vorticity equation becomes $D_{g}q/Dt=(f_0/N^2)R_z$, where $q={\nabla }_h^2\psi +(f_0^2/N^2){\psi }_{zz}+\beta y$. Heating changes the vertical gradient of buoyancy and therefore produces a potential-vorticity tendency proportional to its height derivative.

For constant buoyancy frequency, density forcing $r_0{e}^{-\mu z}\cos kx\cos {\omega }_{0}t$ gives two frequencies $\omega =\pm {\omega }_0$. The quasi-geostrophic streamfunction satisfies ${\lambda }_{\omega }^2=(N^2/f_0^2)(k^2+\beta k/\omega )$ and $C_{\omega }=ig\mu r_0/(2{\rho }_0{f}_0\omega )$. With zero streamfunction at the bottom, a positive ${\lambda }_{\omega }^2$ selects the decaying solution $C_{\omega }(e^{-\mu z}-e^{-{\lambda }_{\omega }z})/({\mu }^2-{\lambda }_{\omega }^2)$. For $\beta ,k>0$, the westward branch propagates vertically when ${\omega }_0<\beta /k$; a radiation condition selects positive vertical group velocity, not merely bounded amplitude. Coincident exponential exponents are handled by the finite limit $-C_{\omega }z{e}^{-\mu z}/(2\mu )$.

In the weak-forcing steady response about rest, diabatically forced quasi-geostrophic potential vorticity gives $\beta {\psi }_x=(f_0/N^2)R_z$. For $\beta \ne 0$, an eastern zero-flow condition fixes the horizontal circulation through $\psi =-(f_0/\beta N^2){\int }_x^{\infty }{R}_{z}dX$, up to a horizontally uniform pressure gauge. The thermodynamic equation gives $w=R/N^2$. A western zonal wake can remain even though the heating and vertical velocity vanish there. This is a formal steady interior solution: specified initial boundary buoyancy can prevent it from being the attained steady state. For example, under a rigid lid where the heating vanishes, initially uniform boundary buoyancy remains uniform at linear order.

In a log-pressure coordinate, quasi-geostrophic potential vorticity uses density-weighted vertical stretching. For stratification $N^2=RS/H$ and geostrophic flow ${\mathbf{u}}_g=(-{\psi }_y,{\psi }_x,0)$, the inviscid equation is $D_{g}q/Dt=0$. Combining horizontal vorticity balance with the thermal equation eliminates ageostrophic flow and gives this conservation law.

For scales $U,L,D$, thermal balance estimates $w\sim f_0{U}^2/(N^{2}D)$. Density-weighted continuity gives horizontal ageostrophic flow of order $Lw/\min (D,H)$. It is small relative to $U$ only ifThis condition supplements small Rossby number and small relative variation $\beta L/|f_0|$ of the Coriolis parameter.

An isopycnal displacement is the vertical displacement $\xi$ of a constant-density surface. In linear stratified quasi-geostrophic flow,

A quasi-geostrophic mountain wave is a stationary Rossby wave forced when a geostrophic basic flow crosses topography. Its vertical wavenumber is real only when the intrinsic Rossby-wave phase speed permits vertical propagation.

A stationary boundary corrugation can resonate with a Rossby wave whose intrinsic propagation cancels the background current. For constant $N$, rigid upper height $H$, and $m=\pi /H$, define ${\kappa }^2=k^2+{\ell }^2+f_0^2{m}^2/N^2$. When $U=\beta /{\kappa }^2$, a lower corrugation proportional to $e^{ikx}\sin (\ell y)$ admits a disturbance proportional to $e^{ikx}\sin (\ell y)[Bt\cos (mz)+C(z-H)\sin (mz)]$, with $B=2ik{f}_0{U}^2/\beta$ and $C=N^2/(f_{0}m)$. Its wave activity grows quadratically with time while the upward Eliassen–Palm flux grows linearly. The linear prediction applies only while the disturbance remains small.

For constant stratification and $U=U_0+\Lambda z$, a decaying zero-interior-PV mode has vertical structure $e^{-Kz}$. Its topographic boundary condition gives $A^{\prime }+ik(U_0+\Lambda /K)A=ikϵN^2{U}_0/(Kf)$. Resonance requires $K{U}_0+\Lambda =0$ and nonzero forcing $kϵU_0$. With zero initial disturbance, $A$ grows linearly and is imaginary relative to cosine topography. Its meridional velocity is therefore opposite in phase to the relief for positive $f,U_0,ϵ$. A zero zonal wavenumber or zero boundary current removes the forcing and invalidates an unconditional claim of secular growth.

Thermal damping makes the vertical wavenumber of a stationary topographic Rossby wave complex. A vertically propagating wave then decays while oscillating, whereas an inviscidly evanescent disturbance acquires both decay and phase tilt; both can exert wave drag.