An Analytical Study of the Sea Breeze

Abstract In this paper we present theoretical results concerning the sea breeze intensity and its inland penetration as a function of latitude and friction. We produce solutions for the spatial structure of the streamfunction and momentum components and for their Line behavior in the case of a step function forcing of finite duration, and in the case of periodic forcing. Results show that the sea breeze initially has an aspect ratio equal to unity and that earth rotation and friction aged its intensity but they are unimportant in determining its early geometry. The sea breeze has a characteristic time scale which is a combination of the inertial period and the e-folding time due to friction. For a time larger than this characteristic time scale, the inland penetration of the sea breeze is confined by a Rossby deformation radius, which includes a frictional effect. In fact, friction and inertia reduce, not only the intensity, but also the horizontal scale of motion; at the equator the controlling parameter...