Rossby wave

Meanders of the Northern Hemisphere's jet stream developing around the northern polar vortex (a, b) and finally detaching a "drop" of cold air (c). Orange: warmer masses of air; pink: jet stream; blue: colder masses of air.

Rossby waves, also known as planetary waves, are a type of inertial wave naturally occurring in rotating fluids.[1] They were first identified by Sweden-born American meteorologist Carl-Gustaf Arvid Rossby in the Earth's atmosphere in 1939. They are observed in the atmospheres and oceans of Earth and other planets, owing to the rotation of Earth or of the planet involved. Atmospheric Rossby waves on Earth are giant meanders in high-altitude winds that have a major influence on weather. These waves are associated with pressure systems and the jet stream (especially around the polar vortices).[2] Oceanic Rossby waves move along the thermocline: the boundary between the warm upper layer and the cold deeper part of the ocean.

  1. ^ "What is a Rossby wave?". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
  2. ^ Holton, James R. (2004). Dynamic Meteorology. Elsevier. p. 347. ISBN 978-0-12-354015-7.