Exercise 6

Complete the following statements relating the Rossby radius to synoptic features at various latitudes. (Make a selection in each drop-down box, then click Done.)

	The Rossby radius of deformation (L_R) is for an anticyclone
	and for a cyclone.
	Additionally, when the same disturbance occurs at lower latitudes, L_R will be .

Discussion

The Rossby radius is proportional to the inertial period, which is longer where the Coriolis parameter is small (lower latitudes) and where the absolute vorticity is small (anticyclones). The point is that smaller cyclonic vortices can survive longer in midlatitudes than in the tropics, while anticyclones (unless they are fairly large scale) will be transient after their forcing ends.