Fast singular oscillating limits and global regularity for the 3D primitive equations of geophysics

Fast singular oscillating limits of the three-dimensional "primitive" equat ions of geophysical fluid flows are analyzed. We prove existence on infinit e time intervals of regular solutions to the 3D "primitive" Navier-Stokes e quations for strong stratification (large stratification parameter N). This uniform existence is proven for periodic or stress-free boundary condition s for all domain aspect ratios, including the case of three wave resonances which yield nonlinear "2(1)/(2) dimensional" limit equations for N --> +in finity; smoothness assumptions are the same as for local existence theorems , that is initial data in H-alpha, alpha greater than or equal to 3/4. The global existence is proven using techniques of the Littlewood-Paley dyadic decomposition. Infinite time regularity for solutions of the 3D "primitive" Navier-Stokes equations is obtained by bootstrapping from global regularit y of the limit resonant equations and convergence theorems.