Finite area beta-plane dipoles

Abstract

We study a class of vortex dipoles consisting of two patches of uniform potential vorticity in an otherwise quiescent flow on a β-plane. Steadily propagating solutions that are desingularised analogues of point vortex dipoles are found and compared with the point vortex solutions. Like the point vortex dipoles, both rapidly and slowly propagating solutions exist. Numerical simulations show that the slow solutions are unstable and break up under the influence of weak external perturbations. The fast solutions are more robust. The minimum dipole strength necessary for the existence of a steadily propagating solution is less than that found for point vortex dipoles.