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Hydrodynamic Instability of the Periodic System of Updrafts and Downdrafts in the Atmosphere

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Abstract

The linear hydrodynamic instability of the spatially periodic system of updrafts and downdrafts in a stably stratified atmosphere is studied. Such formulation of the problem is used to simulate the cloud systems observed in the atmosphere, when the zones of updrafts correspond to clouds and those of downdrafts correspond to intercloud intervals. A rather unexpected conclusion was made that the consideration of turbulent viscosity and thermal conductivity of the atmosphere as well as of radiative cooling leads to the instability at the Richardson numbers exceeding the critical value of 1/8 for the nondissipative case.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Obukhov Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pyzhevskii per. 3, Moscow, 119017, Russia

    M. V. Kalashnik & M. V. Kurgansky

  2. Taifun Research and Production Association, pr. Lenina 82, Obninsk, Kaluga oblast, 249020, Russia

    M. V. Kalashnik

Authors
  1. M. V. Kalashnik
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  2. M. V. Kurgansky
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Correspondence to M. V. Kurgansky.

Additional information

Original Russian Text © M.V. Kalashnik, M.V. Kurgansky, 2018, published in Meteorologiya i Gidrologiya, 2018, No. 11, pp. 31–40.

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Kalashnik, M.V., Kurgansky, M.V. Hydrodynamic Instability of the Periodic System of Updrafts and Downdrafts in the Atmosphere. Russ. Meteorol. Hydrol. 43, 729–736 (2018). https://doi.org/10.3103/S1068373918110031

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.3103/S1068373918110031

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