FLOW INTERACTION WITH TOPOGRAPHY - IMPORTANT CONCEPTS AND QUESTIONS
- Physically and mathematically, what is the Froude number?
- How can the Froude number be used to assess the interaction of flow with topography?
- Under what conditions will flow be blocked by topography? Why will the flow turn "down gradient for two-dimensional barriers?
- What happens to blocked flow with an isolated barrier?
- What is a standing wave?
- What three factors affect how the flow interacts with topography?
- What affects the frequency, wavelength, and amplitude of a mountain wave?
- What Froude number(s) will result in mountain waves?
- What Froude number(s) will result in blocked flow?
- What happens when Fr >> 1?
- What is a critical level? How do they form? Why are they important?
- Under what conditions would you observe:
- vertically propagating mountain waves and strong downsloping winds
- trapped lee waves
Your answer to this question should involve the Froude Number, critical levels, inversions, and the vertical profile of winds.