ON WIND SHEAR AT FRONTS AND INVERSIONS

In the past, experimental investigations as well as theoretical consid erations have shown that within fronts and inversions wind shear and v ertical temperature gradient adjust in such a way that the Richardson number is at its critical value. Results from aircraft measurements no w suggest that the shear within moving cold fronts, warm fronts and in versions shows different behaviour because of the different mechanisms controlling the Richardson numbers. This leads to higher Richardson n umbers, and therefore to lower amounts of wind shear within moving col d fronts when compared to warm fronts and inversions.