Vortex structures in geophysical convection

An intriguing variety of vortex structures arise during buoyant convection, especially in the presence of background stratification and rotation. Thes e vortices play an important role in environmental fluid motions, bearing u pon small-scale turbulence to planetary-scale circulation. A brief review o f vortex motions associated with buoyant convection is presented in this pa per, emphasizing the sources of vorticity, evolution of vortex structures a nd their role in oceanic and atmospheric dynamics. The genesis of a variety of vortices, for example, mushroom vortices, geostrophic and ageostrophic vortices, dipolar structures and hetons in buoyant convection flows is desc ribed, and parameterizations to represent their properties are discussed. N ew laboratory and numerical simulation results on vortex-related phenomena in stratified and rotating fluids and their implications in geophysical con vective flows are also presented. (C) 2001 Editions scientifiques et medica les Elsevier SAS.