A Preliminary Study of the Potential to Kinetic Energy Conversion Process in the Stratosphere

Abstract

The potential to kinetic energy conversion process in the lower stratosphere associated with the vertical exchange of warm and cold air is evaluated using adiabatically derived vertical velocities for the North American region for a five-day period. Preliminary results suggest the possibility that on the average the kinetic energy of stratospheric motions may not result from a conversion of potential energy within the stratosphere by this process. The further implication is that stratospheric motions are maintained by the motions in the adjacent layers of the atmosphere. DOI: 10.1111/j.2153-3490.1960.tb01292.x