A note on the surface quasi-geostrophic temperature variance cascade

Abstract: In this note we examine the dynamical role played by inertial forces on the surface temperature (or buoyancy) variance in strongly rotating, stratified flows with uniform potential vorticity fields. In particular, using a dynamic, multi-scale averaging process, we identify a sufficient condition for the existence of a direct temperature variance cascade across an inertial range. While the result is consistent with the physical and numerical theories of SQG turbulence, the condition which triggers the cascade is more exotic, a fact reflecting the non-locality introduced by fractional dissipation.