NONLINEAR GRAVITATIONAL WAVES
AND THE INSTABILITY OF THE ATMOSPHERE

O.G. Onishchenko1, 2, O.A. Pokhotelov1, N.M. Astafieva2 

1 Schmidt Institute of Physics of the Earth, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia

2 Space Research Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia

Abstract. A review of the main results of the study of dust devils with special attention to the mechanism of generation of vortices in an unstable stratified atmosphere is presented. A new nonlinear model of generation of convective motions and dust vortices in an unstable stratified atmosphere is developed in the approximation of ideal hydrodynamics. Using nonlinear equations for internal gravity waves, the model of generation of convective cell plumes is investigated in axially-symmetric approximation. It is shown that in a convectively unstable atmosphere with large-scale seed turbulence, small-scale intense vertical vortices are formed from the plumes extremely rapidly. The structure of radial, vertical and toroidal velocity components in such vortices is investigated. The structure of the vertical vorticity and the toroidal speed in the tight radius areas of the vortex is analysed.

Keywords: atmosphere, vortices, a model of vortices, nonlinear structure, ideal hydrodynamics.

About the authors

ONISHCHENKO Oleg G. – Dr. Sci. (Phys. and Math.), chief researcher, Schmidt Institute of Physics of the Earth, Russian Academy of Sciences; chief researcher, Space Research Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences. Moscow, Russia. Tel.: +7 (499) 254-88-05. E-mail: onish@ifz.ru

POKHOTELOV Oleg A. – Dr. Sci. (Phys. and Math.), professor, chief researcher, Schmidt Institute of Physics of the Earth, Russian Academy of Sciences. Moscow, Russia.
Tel.: +7 (499) 254-88-05. E-mail: pokh@ifz.ru

ASTAFIEVA Natalia M. – Dr. Sci. (Phys. and Math.), leading researcher, Space Research Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences. Moscow, Russia. Tel.: +7 (495) 333-21-45.
E-mail: ast@iki.rssi.ru