Geophysical research: article

Аnnotation: In recent theoretical works of the authors, some estimates of atmospheric disturbances associated with inhomogeneities of the gravity field (IGF) have been obtained. In this case, the main attention was paid to dynamic effects – disturbances of the wind field under the influence of IGF. In this work, attention is drawn to the fact that noticeable thermal effects of IGF can also exist in the surface layer of the atmosphere. These inhomogeneities, deforming the fields of pressure, density and temperature of the air, affect the temperature regime of the boundary layer, the heat exchange of air with the underlying surface. The paper considers an analytical model designed to estimate the amplitudes of these effects. On the basis of the proposed model, an analytical solution is found for a linear stationary two-dimensional problem for perturbations caused by one horizontal harmonic of the IGF in a semi-infinite stably stratified medium rotating around a vertical axis. The temperature of the lower boundary (underlying surface) was assumed to be fixed. On this boundary, it was also assumed that the no-slip and no-flow conditions are satisfied. The attenuation of all disturbances with height was assumed. The essential similarity parameters are analogs of the Rayleigh and Taylor numbers, in which the given horizontal scale of the IGF appeared as the spatial scale. Analytical expressions are obtained for the profiles of temperature perturbations and amplitudes of deviations of vertical heat fluxes on the surface. The latter, in addition to the amplitudes of the inhomogeneities of the gravity field, most strongly depend on the background stratification of the medium. In highly anomalous regions, the amplitudes of deviations of heat fluxes, according to the estimates obtained, can reach and exceed 1 W/m2, which gives grounds for taking into account the inhomogeneities of the gravity field in climatic calculations and numerical models of the atmosphere.