A STUDY OF THE MEAN WIND AND TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTION IN THE VICINITY OF THE POLAR FRONT IN WINTER

Abstract

A mean cross section is constructed from a number of individually analyzed daily cross sections, using the frontal layer as a reference for the coordinates. This preserves the thermal gradients observed in the individual cases, and minimizes the effect of observational errors. Computed wind velocity, wind shear, and vorticity patterns are discussed, particularly with regard to the strong anticyclonic shear and low absolute vorticity found to the south of the jet stream near the tropopause level.