Baroclinity

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Baroclinity

The state of stratification in a fluid in which surfaces of constant pressure (isobaric) intersect surfaces of constant density (isosteric). The number, per unit area, of isobaric-isosteric solenoids intersecting a given surface is a measure of the baroclinity. Also called baroclinicity, barocliny .
Barotropy is the state of zero baroclinity. Since the presence of solenoids (baroclinity) complicates the dynamics of the fluid, there has been much investigation of the extent to which an atmosphere, though obviously a baroclinic fluid, can be dynamically treated as barotropic. See equivalent-barotropic model.

References

This article is based on NASA's Dictionary of Technical Terms for Aerospace Use