A simple approximate result for the maximum growth rate of baroclinic instabilities.

Abstract

In this note, it is shown that there does exist a very simple, powerful approximate result for the growth rate of the most rapidly growing instability, viz., that this growth rate is linearly proportional to the surface meridional temperature gradient. The coefficient of proportionality is also easily determined. Moreover, the result extends to substantially more general profiles than those in the Charney problem. -from Authors