THE EFFECT OF VORTEX STRETCHING ON THE EVOLUTION OF BAROTROPIC EDDIESOVER A TOPOGRAPHIC SLOPE

We use numerical simulations based on the shallow water equations for a homogeneous fluid on an f-plane to study the evolution of a cyclonic eddy over a topographic slope. The results are compared with analogou s simulations using the nondivergent approximation in order to determi ne the effect of the free-surface vortex stretching terms. The simulat ions use a geometry and parameters related to the experimental results of Carnevale et al. (1991). We find that this vortex stretching produ ces a significant reduction in the eddy speed. Our numerical results a re supported by theoretical analyses, largely set in the quasi-geostro phic context.