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Everything about Frontogenesis

Meteorological process of producing weather fronts

Frontogenesis is a meteorological process of tightening of horizontal temperature gradients to produce fronts. In the end, two types of fronts form: cold fronts and warm fronts. A cold front is a narrow line where temperature decreases rapidly. A warm front is a narrow line of warmer temperatures and essentially where much of the precipitation occurs. Frontogenesis occurs as a result of a developing baroclinic wave. According to Hoskins & Bretherton, there are eight mechanisms that influence temperature gradients: horizontal deformation, horizontal shearing, vertical deformation, differential vertical motion, latent heat release, surface friction, turbulence and mixing, and radiation. Semigeostrophic frontogenesis theory focuses on the role of horizontal deformation and shear. Wikipedia →

🧭 Start here: a 6-step reading path

  1. Read the overview: FrontogenesisA 5-minute orientation
  2. Skim a recent paper: Parameterizing Submesoscale Vertical Buoyancy Flux by Simultaneously Considering Baroclinic Instability and Strain‐Induced FrontogenesisInfluential work since 2022
  3. Pick up a classic book: An isentropic analysis including frontogenesisThe most-reprinted book on the subject
  4. Read the landmark paper: Atmospheric Frontogenesis Models: Mathematical Formulation and SolutionCited 512 times
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  6. Go sideways: Thermal windA closely related topic

📖 Definitions

Noun The formation or strengthening of an atmospheric weather front or of an oceanic front.

🗂️ The subject at a glance

  1. Kinematics
  2. Elements of frontogenesis
  3. Development of the frontogenetical circulation
  4. 3-Dimensional equation

🏆 Landmark papers (most cited)

🆕 Influential since 2022

📚 Books worth reading

Ranked by number of editions on Open Library, a rough measure of how lasting a book is.

🔗 Related topics