The goal of this research is to study coherent structures in geophysical flow by determining equilibrium solutions of the quasigeostrophic vorticity equation. The system of equations is solved numerically using the Newton-Kantorovich algorithm and the stability properties of the solutions analyzed using both time integration studies and a dynamical systems approach. The results of this work will be applied to the phenomenon of atmospheric blocking, that is, the situation in which the planetary scale waves of the atmosphere maintain a stable configuration which causes weather patterns to persist for weeks at a time. Modeling of the blocking process will examine the generation, maintenance, and decay of the blocks. This research has obvious implications for improving medium range weather forecasting. The PI is well qualified for this project. She is an applied mathematician with background in fluid mechanics and atmospheric and oceanographic sciences. This award is being made as a Research Initiation Award and is jointly funded by the Large-scale Dynamic Meteorology and Applied Mathematics Programs.
