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The paper proposes a theory of similarity of quasi-geostrophic vortices against the background of large-scale flows. This information is useful when planning laboratory and numerical experiments to study mesoscale and submesoscale vortex dynamics of vortices interacting with currents. Special attention is paid to studying geometric similarity of phenomena. It is revealed that the complete set of dimensionless similarity numbers of baroclinic vortices includes four dimensionless parameters: the dimensionless intensity of the vortex, the geometric similarity of the background flow (the ratio of the relative vorticity to the deformation coefficient of the background flow), the coefficient of horizontal stretching of the vortex core, and the coefficient of vertical oblateness of the vortex core coinciding with the Burger number. To describe the similarity of barotropic vortices against the background of barotropic flows, the number of necessary dimensionless parameters is reduced by one number: the coefficient of vertical oblateness of the vortex core is eliminated from consideration. When studying axisymmetric vortices or vortex structures close to axisymmetric, another geometric parameter of the vortex is eliminated from consideration—the coefficient of horizontal stretching of the vortex core. As a result, the maximum possible set of similarity parameters includes four dimensionless numbers, and the minimum is two. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Barotropic geostrophic flows are investigated using rectangular and polar coordinate systems. It is shown that, for the analysis of geostrophic flows with radial symmetry, the use of a polar coordinate system is preferable. Relations between the hydrodynamic characteristics, including the expressions of the fluid particle velocity components and vorticity through pressure, are obtained. It is established that, in the case of stationary barotropic flows, isobaths coincide with current lines. Stationary radially symmetric geostrophic flows are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the stability of a composite cyclone representative of Arabian Sea eddies using a high resolution primitive equation model. We observe that the eddy is unstable with respect to a mixed barotropic/baroclinic instability, leading to the growth of an azimuthal mode 2 perturbation. The latter deforms the eddy, which eventually evolves into a tripole after about 4 months of simulation. The presence of a critical level for the most unstable mode generates sharp fronts in the surface mixed layer where the Rossby number is large. These fronts then become unstable, and this generates submesoscale cyclones and filaments. Near these fronts, diapycnal mixing occurs, causing the potential vorticity to change sign locally, and symmetric instability to develop in the core of the cyclonic eddy. Despite the instabilities, the eddy is not destroyed and remains a large-scale coherent structure for the last 6 months of the simulation. Looking at Sea Surface Height only, the composite eddy evolves little, and fairly represents the eddy observed in the altimetry which can live for several months. The study of this simulation thus illustrates the numerous kinds of instabilities which may occur in large cyclonic eddies but cannot be captured directly by altimetric data. • A composite cyclone representative of the Arabian Sea eddies is unstable. • Submesoscale features are generated at the surface via hydrodynamical instabilities. • Currently available data cannot capture the instability occurring in the eddy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]