Boundary Layer Impact on Mountain Waves across Western Ghats of India

Abstract

A two- layer model has been developed assuming a steady, non- rotating and frictionless flow of vertically unbounded Boussinesq fluid across 2-D profile of Western Ghats of India. Further, it is assumed that lower layer is inviscid with neutral stability (N=0) and upper layer has constant static stability with respect to height, given by N= Constant (where N is Brunt- Väisälä frequency). The analytical expressions for vertical velocities and mountain drag have been derived across Western Ghats of India. It is found that vertical velocities are dependent on the characteristics like size and height of ridge as well as plateau region to the eastern side of the Western Ghats. However, the mountain drag is not dependent on the above characteristics of the plateau region to the east of Western Ghats confirming the earlier findings.