On moist quasi-geostrophic baroclinic instability.

Abstract

The analytic theory of quasi-geostrophic baroclinic stability is generalized with the consideration of condensational heating. The heating is parameterized in terms of the vorticity field of the baroclinic wave itself, on the basis of the postulate that the baroclinically induced, low-level convergence sustains the moisture supply to the condensational processes. This formulation is tested with a model of baroclinic instability in its purest form. An exact characteristic equation is obtained with which all instability properties can be precisely determined. The theoretical results should be relevant to the study of the maritime explosively developing cyclones which have been fairly well documented.-from Author