Abstract
This two-part paper considers the general circulation of the atmosphere
(Part 1) and ocean (Part 2) within the deductive framework of our
climate theory, which aims to derive the earth’s generic climate state
from first principles. Because the planetary fluids are inherently
turbulent, such state is a macroscopic manifestation of a nonequilibrium
thermodynamic system, whose closure involves the maximum entropy
production, a veritable generalization of the second fundamental law.
The logical progression detailed in the preceding papers of the theory
has reduced the planetary fluids to warm and cold thermal masses and
determined their bulk properties, which provide the prior constraints
for the present dynamical derivation. Consistent with the asymptotic
thermal state, we assume the potential vorticity (PV) to be homogenized
in thermal masses to derive the upper-bound general circulations. In
Part 1, this upper bound is seen to resemble the prevailing wind,
forsaking therefore discordant explanations of the easterly trades and
the polar jet stream. In this Part 2, we show again that this
upper-bound may reproduce the observed general ocean circulation,
suggesting that the latter may be explained by PV mixing — in place of
the laminar Sverdrup dynamics. Together with Part 1, we posit that the
general planetary circulations are the maximum flow extractable by
random eddy mixing when subjected to differential solar heating.