In the context of meteorology, a solenoid is a tube-shaped region in the atmosphere where isobaric (constant pressure) and isopycnal (constant density) surfaces intersect, causing vertical circulation. They are so-named because they are driven by the solenoid term of the vorticity equation. Examples of solenoids include the sea breeze circulation and the mountain–plains solenoid.
References
- Frederick Sanders; Howard B. Bluestein (2008). "Solenoid (meteorology)". McGraw-Hill Companies. doi:10.1036/1097-8542.634300.
- Mike Pritchard (2011-02-04). "Notes on mountain plains solenoid literature from Koch et al., MWR, 2001".
- Eumetcal. "Sea Breeze".
- "Sea and Land Breezes" (PDF). University of Oklahoma. 2006.
- Jianhua Sun; Fuqing Zhang (February 2012). "Impacts of Mountain–Plains Solenoid on Diurnal Variations of Rainfalls along the Mei-Yu Front over the East China Plains". Monthly Weather Review. 140 (2). American Meteorological Society: 379–397. Bibcode:2012MWRv..140..379S. doi:10.1175/MWR-D-11-00041.1.