Present-day concepts of atmospheric frontogenesis. Part 1. Theoretical ideas

Presented is a review of quantitative characteristics of atmospheric frontogenesis that describe it as the process of variations of the vector of the horizontal temperature gradient (both in value and in direction) in an individual particle. The frontogenesis that strives for recovering the thermal wind balance disturbed in the case of inhomogeneous advection, generates vertical circulation which is both thermally direct (warm air ascends relative to cold air) and thermally opposite (upward motions in the cold air). Given are the expressions for computing frontogenesis using the data on temperature, pressure, and wind. Used is the resolution of the frontogenetic vector function into components along the isoline of potential temperature both on and across the constant-pressure surface. The first component describes the change in the temperature gradient vector due to the rotation of isotherms (rotational frontogenesis), and the second component, the variations of the absolute value of the gradient (scalar frontogenesis). Quantitative characteristics of frontogenesis are efficient diagnostic parameters both for understanding weather processes and weather forecast specification and for the verification and enhancement of numerical models.