Potential Vorticity Mixing

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9529824 Young A mechanistic understanding of potential vorticity mixing and homogenization will be developed by constructing streamfunctions that are solutions of the equations of motion, and in which particle trajectories exhibit sensitive dependence on ilitial conditions. The main objective is to show that critical layer absorption of Rossby waves radiated by meandering boundary currents leads to irreversible deformation of potential vorticity and the potential vorticity homogenization of the flanking recirculating gyres. Another objective of this study is to examine potential vorticity in zonal flows, and in particular the marginal stability and potential vorticity evolution during the nonlinear equilibration of unstable waves.