KINEMATIC DIVERGENCE AND LARGE-SCALE ENERGY CONVERSION

Experimental evidence is presented in support of the hypothesis that real, large-scale divergence and energy conversion processes can be analyzed from the winds and temperatures reported by the present North American rawinsonde network. The Bellamy triangle method has been used to produce divergence and this divergence is shown to have continuity in the horizontal, the vertical and in time. A discussion of the scale on which this parameter can be analysed objectively and the errors involved are presented. Energy conversion processes associated with an individual weather system are displayed in map form for comparison with other synoptic features. (Author)