TWO-DIMENSIONAL RESPONSE OF A STABLY STRATIFIED SHEAR FLOW TO DIABATIC HEATING.

A two-dimensional, linearized problem in a stratified shear flow with either isolated heating or differential heating is investigated. In response to isolated heating with the heating top below the wind reversal height, the low-level vertical velocity near the heating center may be positive or negative depending upon the Richardson number associated with the basic flow and the depth of the heating layer. The phenomenon can be explained by the advection effect of the basic flow. In response to differential heating associated with the low-level temperature contrast, a sharp contrast of upward and downward motion is produced near the center of the differential heating. Similar to the isolated heating case, the low-level upward motion may be located over the warm or cold side.