title: Anisotropy and coherent vortex structures in planetary turbulence.
abstract: High-resolution numerical simulations were made of unforced, planetary-scale fluid dynamics. In particular, the simulation was based on the quasi-geostrophic equations for a Boussinesq fluid in a uniformly rotating and stably stratified environment, which is an idealization for large regions of either the atmosphere or ocean. The solutions show significant discrepancies from the long-standing theoretical prediction of isotropy. The discrepancies are associated with the self-organization of the flow into a large population of coherent vortices. Their chaotic interactions govern the subsequent evolution of the flow toward a final configuration that is nonturbulent.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: McWilliams
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yavneh