Revised April 27, 2007 2:09

Copyright 2000 David A. Randall

A derivation of the governing equations

for the eddy kinetic energy, zonal
kinetic energy, and total kinetic energy
David A. Randall

Department of Atmospheric Science

Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523

What follows is a fairly detailed derivation of the governing equations for eddy
kinetic energy, zonal kinetic energy, and total kinetic energy. Students should work
through these details because only by doing so is it possible to understand where the
equations come from, and to become comfortable with them. There are similar derivations
for many other eddy statistics, and but those are omitted here for brevity.
The flux forms of the primitive forms of the zonal and meridional momentum
equations, in spherical coordinates, with pressure as the vertical coordinate, are given by:
1 !
1 !
!u --------------!
------ +
( uu ) + --------------- ( vu cos " ) + ( $u )
a cos " ! "
!t a cos " ! #
!p
!*
1 !%
tan "
= --------------- + ( f + u -----------) v + g # ,
&
'
!p
a cos " ! #
a
1 !
1 !
!
!v --------------( uv ) + --------------- ( vv cos " ) + ($v)
----- +
a cos " ! "
!p
!t a cos " ! #
!*
1 !%
tan "
= --- ------ ( f + u -----------) u + g " .
a !" &
a '
!p

(2.1)

(2.2)

The corresponding continuity equation is:

1 !u
1
--------------- + --------------- ! ( v cos " ) + !$ = 0 .
a cos " ! # a cos " ! "
!p

(2.3)

Finally, the hydrostatic equation is:

!%
= + .
!p

(2.4)

Now we introduce our notation for zonal means and eddies, and write, for example,
u = [ u ] + u* .

Selected Nuggets

(2.5)

A derivation of the governing equations for the eddy kinetic energy, zonal kinetic energy,

Then we obtain the following zonally averaged forms of (2.1)-(2.4):

* *
* *
1 !
! [ u ] --------------!
----------- +
{ [ v ] [ u ] cos " + [ v u ] cos " } + { [ $ ] [ u ] + [ $ u ] }
a cos " ! "
!t
!p
* * tan "
!
= ( [ v ] [ u ] + [ v u ] ) ----------- + f [ v ] + g [ * # ],
a
!p

(2.6)

* *
* *
1 !
! [ v ] --------------!
---------- +
{ [ v ] [ v ] cos " + [ v v ] cos " } + ({ [ $ ] [ v ] + [ $ v ] })
a cos " ! "
!t
!p
* * tan "
1 ![ % ]
!
= ( [ u ] [ u ] + [ u u ] ) ----------- f [ u ] --- ---------- + g [ * " ],
a
a !"
!p

(2.7)

1
--------------- ! { [ v ] cos " } + ! [ $ ] = 0 ,
a cos " ! "
!p

(2.8)

!
[ % ] = [ + ] .
!p

(2.9)

By subtracting (2.6) from (2.1), we obtain the zonal eddy momentum equation
1 !
!u* --------------( 2u* [ u ] + u*u* )
--------- +
a cos " ! #
!t
1 !
+ --------------- { ( [ v ]u* + v* [ u ] + v*u* [ v*u* ] ) cos " }
a cos " ! "
!
+ ( [ $ ]u* + $* [ u ] + $*u* [ $*u* ] )
!p
* *
* * tan "
1 !
!
= --------------- (%*) + { u* [ v ] + [ u ]v* + v u [ v u ] } ----------- + fv* + g * # *.
a
a cos " ! #
!p

(2.10)

This is a flux form. We can convert it to an advective form by using the zonally averaged
form of the continuity equation, i.e. (2.8), and also the eddy form of the continuity
equation, which is:
1
1
--------------- ! u* + --------------- ! ( v* cos " ) + ! $* = 0 .
a cos " ! #
a cos " ! "
!p
The resulting advective form of the zonal eddy momentum equation is:

Selected Notes of David A. Randall

(2.11)

u*
[u] !
!u* -------------- u* + --------------- ! u*
--------- +
acos " ! #
acos " ! #
!t
[v] !
v* !
1 !
+ ------- u* + ------ ( [ u ] + u* ) --------------- ( [ v*u* ] cos " )
a !"
a !"
a cos " ! "
(2.12)
!
!
!
+ [ $ ] u* + $* ( [ u ] + u* ) [ $*u* ]
!p
!p
!p
* *
* * tan "
1 !
!
= --------------- (%*) + { u* [ v ] + [ u ]v* + v u [ v u ] } ----------- + fv* + g * # *.
a
a cos " ! #
!p
The next step is to multiply (2.12) by u* :
2

[ u ] ! ( u* )
u* ! ( u* )
! ( u* )
------------- + --------------- ------------- + --------------- ------------a cos " ! # 2
a cos " ! # 2
!t 2
2

v* ! ( u* )
v*u* !
u* !
[ v ] ! ( u* )
+ ------- ------------- + ------------ [ u ] + ------ ------------- --------------- ( [ v*u* ] cos " )
a !" 2
a !"
a cos " ! "
a !" 2
2

(2.13)

!
!
! ( u* )
! ( u* )
------------- + $*u* [ u ] + $* ------------- u* ([ $*u* ])
!p
!p
!p 2
!p 2
* *
* * tan "
u* !
!
= --------------- (%*) + u* { u* [ v ] + [ u ]v* + v u [ v u ] } ----------- + fv*u* + u*g * # *.
a
a cos " ! #
!p
+ [$]

Now we reverse our steps, using the zonal mean and eddy forms of the continuity equation
to go back into flux form:
2

1 ! ( u* )
! ( u* )
------------- + --------------- ------------a
cos
"!# 2
!t 2
2

1 ! { [ v ] ( u* ) cos " }
1 ! { v* ( u* ) cos " }
+ --------------- ----------------------------------------- + --------------- --------------------------------------a cos " ! "
a cos " ! "
2
2
+
+ v*u*

( u* ) 2 1 ! 0 ( u* ) 2 1
!0
. [ $ ] ----------- / + . $* ----------- /
2 2 - !p,
!p,

(2.14)

u* !
!
!
!
[ u ] + $*u* [ u ] --------------- ( [ v*u* ] cos " ) u* ([ $*u* ])
a cos " ! "
!p
!p
!"

* *
* * tan "
u* !
!
= --------------- (%*) + u* { u* [ v ] + [ u ]v* + v u [ v u ] } ----------- + fv*u* + u*g * # *.
a cos " ! #
a
!p

Next, this equation is zonally averaged, resulting in considerable simplification, and

yielding

Selected Notes of David A. Randall

A derivation of the governing equations for the eddy kinetic energy, zonal kinetic energy,

2
0
1
( u* )
1
( u* ) 2
1
! ------------ + --------------- ! . ( [ v ] ----------- + --- [ v*u*u* ]) cos " /
&
'
2
2
a cos " ! " ,
!t 2
-

1
1
( u* ) 2
!0
. [ $ ] ----------- + --- [ $*u*u* ] /
2
2
!p,
-

[ v*u* ] !
!
= ----------------- [ u ] [ $*u* ] [ u ]
a !"
!p

(2.15)

* * * tan "
u* !
--------------- (%*) + { [ u*u* ] [ v ] + [ u ] [ v*u* ] + [ v u u ] } ----------- + f [ v*u* ]
a
a cos " ! #

+ u*g

!
* * .
!p #

We now follow essentially the same logic with the meridional momentum
equation. By subtracting (2.7) from (2.2), we obtain an equation governing the
meridional eddy momentum:
1 !
!v* ----------------------- +
( u* [ v ] + [ u ]v* + u*v* )
!t a cos " ! #
1 !
+ --------------- { ( 2 [ v ]v* + v*v* [ v*v* ] ) cos " }
a cos " ! "
!
+ ( [ $ ]v* + $* [ v ] + $*v* [ $*v* ] )
!p
* * tan "
1!
!
= --- (%*) { 2u* [ u ] + u*u* [ u u ] } ----------- fu* + g * " *
a
a!"
!p

(2.16)

Next, convert to advective form, multiply by v* , convert back to flux form, and zonally
average, to obtain

Selected Notes of David A. Randall

2
0
1
1
( v* ) 2
1
v* )
! (------------ + --------------- ! . ( [ v ] ---------- + --- [ v*v*v* ]) cos " /
&
'
2
2
a cos " ! " ,
!t 2
-

1
( v* ) 2
!(
[ $ ] ---------- + --- [ $*v*v* ])
'
2
2
!p&

[ v*v* ] !
!
= ----------------- [ v ] [ $*v* ] [ v ]
a !"
!p

(2.17)

v* !
tan "
------ (%*) { 2 [ u*v* ] [ u ] + [ u*u*v* ] } ----------- f [ u*v* ]
a !"
a
+ v*g

!
* * .
!p "

This is analogous to (2.15).

We can now add (2.15) and (2.17), and define
2
2
1
KE 2 --- [ ( u* ) + ( v* ) ] ,
2

(2.18)

to obtain the eddy kinetic energy equation:

1
1 ! 0
1
1
!
KE + --------------- . ( [ v ]KE + --- [ v*u*u* ] + --- [ v*v*v* ]) cos " /
'
a cos " ! " , &
2
2
!t
+

1
1
!(
[ $ ]KE + --- [ $*u*u* ] + --- [ $*v*v* ])
&
'
2
2
!p

[ v*v* ] !
[ v*u* ] !
!
!
= -------------------- [ u ] ----------------- [ v ] [ $*u* ] [ u ] [ $*v* ] [ v ]
a !"
a
!p
!p
!"

(2.19)

0 u* !
1
v* !
. --------------- (%*) + ------ (%*) /
a !"
, a cos " ! #
tan "
+ { [ u*u* ] [ v ] [ u*v* ] [ u ] } ----------a
+ u*g

!
!
* # * + v*g * " * .
!p
!p

The terms of (2.19) that arise from the pressure gradient force can be further manipulated
as follows. Using the eddy form of the continuity equation and the hydrostatic equation,
we can show that

Selected Notes of David A. Randall

A derivation of the governing equations for the eddy kinetic energy, zonal kinetic energy,

u* !
v* !
--------------- (%*) + ------ (%*)
a cos " ! #
a !"
1 !
1 !
!
= --------------- [ u*%* ] + --------------- ([ v*%* ] cos ") + %* ($*)
a cos " ! #
a cos " ! "
!p
1 !
!
!
= --------------- ([ v*%* ] cos ") + [ $*%* ] $* (%*)
a cos " ! "
!p
!p
1 !
!
= --------------- ([ v*%* ] cos ") + [ $*%* ] + [ $*+* ].
a cos " ! "
!p

(2.20)

Substituting into the eddy kinetic energy equation, we obtain

1
1 ! 0
1
1
!
KE + --------------- . ( [ v ]KE + --- [ v*u*u* ] + --- [ v*v*v* ]) cos " /
'
a cos " ! " , &
2
2
!t
+

1
1
!(
[ $ ]KE + --- [ $*u*u* ] + --- [ $*v*v* ])
&
'
2
2
!p

[ v*u* ] !
[ v*v* ] !
!
!
= -------------------- [ u ] ----------------- [ v ] [ $*u* ] [ u ] [ $*v* ] [ v ]
a
a !"
!"
!p
!p

(2.21)

0 1 !
1
!
. --------------- ([ v*%* ] cos ") + [ $*%* ] / [ $*+* ]
!p
, a cos " ! "
tan "
+ ( [ u*u* ] [ v ] [ u*v* ] [ u ] ) ----------a
+ u*g

!
!
* # * + v*g * " * .
!p
!p

The terms on the first line of the right-hand side represent gradient production, i.e. the
conversion between the kinetic energy of the mean flow and that of the eddies. This
conversion is in the sense of increasing the eddy kinetic energy when the eddy
momentum flux is down the gradient, i.e. when it is from higher mean momentum to
lower mean momentum. The $*+* term represents eddy kinetic energy generation from
eddy available potential energy, while the terms involving %* represent the effects of
pressure work.
The appearance of the metric terms in (2.21) may be somewhat surprising. They
arise because we have defined eddy in terms of departures from the zonal mean, so that
a particular latitude-longitude coordinate system is implicit in the very definition of KE.
Obviously there cannot be any metric terms in the equation for the total kinetic energy, K.
Define the zonal kinetic energy by

Selected Notes of David A. Randall

2
2
1
KZ 2 --- ( [ u ] + [ v ] ) ,
2

(2.22)

[ K ] = KZ + KE .

(2.23)

and note that

Note that all three quantities in this equation are independent of longitude. By converting
(2.6) to advective form, we find that
[v] !
!
!
[ u ] + ------- { [ u ] } + [ $ ] ([ u ])
a !"
!p
!t
* *
1 !
! * *
= --------------- { [ v u ] cos " } [ $ u ]
a cos " ! "
!p
* * tan "
!
+ ( [ v ] [ u ] + [ v u ] ) ----------- + f [ v ] + g [ * # ].
a
!p

(2.24)

Multiply this result by [ u ] , to obtain

2
2
2
! [u]
[v] ! 0[u] 1
! [u]
---------- + ------- . ---------- / + [ $ ] (----------)
!p 2
a !", 2 !t 2
* *
* *
[u] !
!
= --------------- { [ v u ] cos " } [ u ] ([ $ u ])
a cos " ! "
!p

(2.25)

* * tan "
!
+ [ u ] ( [ v ] [ u ] + [ v u ] ) ----------- + f [ u ] [ v ] + [ u ]g [ * # ].
a
!p

Now go back to flux form:

2
2
2
1 !0
[u] 1
1 ! 0 [u]
! [u]
---------- + --------------- . [ v ] ---------- cos " / + . [ $ ] ---------- /
a cos " ! " ,
2
2 !t 2
- !p,
* *
* *
[u] !
!
= --------------- { [ v u ] cos " } [ u ] ([ $ u ])
a cos " ! "
!p
* * tan "
!
+ [ u ] ( [ v ] [ u ] + [ v u ] ) ----------- + f [ u ] [ v ] + [ u ]g [ * # ].
a
!p

Similarly, we can show that

Selected Notes of David A. Randall

(2.26)

10

A derivation of the governing equations for the eddy kinetic energy, zonal kinetic energy,

2
2
2
1 !0
[v] 1
1 ! 0 [v]
! [v]
--------- + --------------- . [ v ] --------- cos " / + . [ $ ] --------- /
2
2 a cos " ! " ,
!t 2
- !p,
* *
* *
[v] !
[v] !
!
= ------- [ % ] --------------- { [ v v ] cos " } [ v ] ([ $ v ])
a !"
a cos " ! "
!p

(2.27)

* * tan "
!
[ v ] ( [ u ] [ u ] + [ u u ] ) ----------- f [ u ] [ v ] + [ v ]g [ * # ].
a
!p

Adding (2.26) and (2.27), we obtain an equation governing the zonal kinetic energy:
1 !
!
!
KZ + --------------- { [ v ]KZ cos " } + { [ $ ]KZ }
a cos " ! "
!t
!p
* *
* *
!
[v] !
[u] !
= ------- [ % ] --------------- { [ v u ] cos " } [ u ] ([ $ u ])
!p
a !"
a cos " ! "
* *
* *
!
[v] !
--------------- { [ v v ] cos " } [ v ] ([ $ v ])
!p
a cos " ! "

(2.28)

* *
* * tan "
+ ( [ u ] [ v u ] [ v ] [ u u ] ) ----------a
!
!
+ [ u ]g [ * # ] + [ v ]g [ * # ].
!p
!p

We can manipulate the geopotential term of this equation by use of the zonally averaged
continuity equation:
1
[v] !
------- [ % ] = --------------- ! ( [ v ] [ % ] cos " ) + [ % ] ! [ $ ]
a cos " ! "
a !"
!p
1 !
!
!
= --------------- ( [ v ] [ % ] cos " ) + ( [ % ] [ $ ] ) [ $ ] [ % ]
a cos " ! "
!p
!p
1 !
!
= --------------- ( [ v ] [ % ] cos " ) + ( [ % ] [ $ ] ) + [ $ ] [ + ].
a cos " ! "
!p
This can be substituted into (2.28), to obtain the zonal kinetic energy equation:

Selected Notes of David A. Randall

(2.29)

11

1 !
!
!
KZ + --------------- ( [ v ]KZ cos " ) + ( [ $ ]KZ )
a cos " ! "
!t
!p
1 !
!
= --------------- ( [ v ] [ % ] cos " ) ( [ % ] [ $ ] ) [ $ ] [ + ]
a cos " ! "
!p
* *
* *
!
[u] !
--------------- { [ v u ] cos " } [ u ] ([ $ u ])
!p
a cos " ! "
* *
* *
!
[v] !
--------------- { [ v v ] cos " } [ v ] ([ $ v ])
!p
a cos " ! "

(2.30)

* *
* * tan "
+ ( [ u ] [ v u ] [ v ] [ u u ] ) ----------a
!
!
+ [ u ]g [ * # ] + [ v ]g [ * # ].
!p
!p

The terms on the third and fourth lines of the right-hand side of (2.30) can be interpreted
as representing the work done by the mean flow against the forces exerted on the mean
flow by the eddies, through eddy momentum transport.
Comparison with the eddy kinetic energy equation shows that, as expected, the
metric terms do not affect the zonally averaged total kinetic energy. Adding the equations
for KZ and KE gives the equation for the zonally averaged total kinetic energy, [K]:

Selected Notes of David A. Randall

12

A derivation of the governing equations for the eddy kinetic energy, zonal kinetic energy,

1
1 ! 0
1
1
!
[ K ] + --------------- . ( [ v ] [ K ] + --- [ v*u*u* ] + --- [ v*v*v* ]) cos " /
&
'
a cos " ! " ,
2
2
!t
+

1
1
!(
[ $ ] [ K ] + --- [ $*u*u* ] + --- [ $*v*v* ])
'
2
2
!p&

[ v*v* ] !
[ v*u* ] !
!
!
= -------------------- [ u ] ----------------- [ v ] [ $*u* ] [ u ] [ $*v* ] [ v ]
a !"
a
!p
!p
!"
* *
* *
!
[u] !
--------------- { [ v u ] cos " } [ u ] ([ $ u ])
!p
a cos " ! "
* *
* *
!
[v] !
--------------- { [ v v ] cos " } [ v ] ([ $ v ])
!p
a cos " ! "

(2.31)

0 1 !
1
!
. --------------- ( [ v ] [ % ] cos " ) + ( [ % ] [ $ ] ) / [ $ ] [ + ]
!p
, a cos " ! "
0 1 !
1
!
. --------------- ([ v*%* ] cos ") + [ $*%* ] / [ $*+* ]
!p
, a cos " ! "
+ u*g

!
!
!
!
* * + v*g * " * + [ u ]g [ * # ] + [ v ]g [ * # ].
!p #
!p
!p
!p

The first three lines on the right-hand side of (2.31) come from the gradient production
terms of the eddy kinetic energy equation and the terms of the zonal kinetic energy
equation that represent the work done by the mean flow against the forces exerted on the
mean flow by the eddies. Inspection shows that these terms can be combined, as shown
below:

Selected Notes of David A. Randall

13

1
1 ! 0
1
1
!
[ K ] + --------------- . ( [ v ] [ K ] + --- [ v*u*u* ] + --- [ v*v*v* ]) cos " /
'
a cos " ! " , &
2
2
!t
+

1
1
!(
[ $ ] [ K ] + --- [ $*u*u* ] + --- [ $*v*v* ])
&
'
2
2
!p

* *
* *
1 !
= --------------- { ( [ u ] [ v u ] + [ v ] [ v v ] ) cos " }
a cos " ! "

* *
* *
!
([u][$ u ] + [v][$ v ])
!p

(2.32)

0 1 !
1
!
. --------------- ( [ v ] [ % ] cos " ) + ( [ % ] [ $ ] ) / [ $ ] [ + ]
!p
, a cos " ! "
0 1 !
1
!
. --------------- ([ v*%* ] cos ") + [ $*%* ] / [ $*+* ]
!p
, a cos " ! "
+ u*g

!
!
!
!
* # * + v*g * " * + [ u ]g [ * # ] + [ v ]g [ * # ].
!p
!p
!p
!p

Here the terms mentioned above have been combined on the first two lines of the righthand side, and it is apparent that they take the form of a divergence. This implies, of
course, that the two terms together integrate to zero over the whole atmosphere. The
interpretation of this result is that the gradient production terms represent conversion
between the kinetic energy of the mean flow and the kinetic energy of the eddies. We do
not see simple cancellation between the corresponding terms of the KE and KZ equations,
because the conversion process is not local; it occurs over a region that is extended in the
meridional and vertical directions. It is only when we integrate over the whole atmosphere
that the cancellation becomes apparent.

Selected Notes of David A. Randall

14

A derivation of the governing equations for the eddy kinetic energy, zonal kinetic energy,

Selected Notes of David A. Randall