{
  "abstract": "The available potential energy (APE) of a fluid can be defined locally in space, providing useful insights into both the energetics and dynamics of stratified flows ranging from three-dimensional turbulence to planetary scale circulations. Here we develop a framework for considering the multi-scale evolution of the local APE using a spatial filtering, or coarse-graining, approach. A scale decomposition valid generally for filters with both horizontal and vertical support is proposed, and shown to admit a construction in terms of a series of band-passed energies. The physical interpretation of the decomposition is discussed, and evolution equations for the APE at scales larger, and smaller, than the filtering scale are derived --- including the cross-scale APE flux term. These results can be paired with existing frameworks for coarse-grained kinetic energy, offering the potential for examining a complete energy cycle that accounts for conversions between both spatial scales and energy reservoirs. An illustrative example of the application of this approach to a simulation of three-dimensional Kelvin-Helmholtz instability is provided, including an exact formulation of the scale-dependent instability energy budgets, and the distribution of terms such as cross-scale transfers and APE dissipation in physical space.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": "2605.15879",
  "author_total": 3,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Jacob O. Wenegrat"
    },
    {
      "name": "Tomas Chor"
    },
    {
      "name": "Roy Barkan"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1ttdfd6r1ejte.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.48550/arxiv.2605.15879",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "1ttdfd6r1ejte",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2605.15879",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": "CC0-1.0",
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "arxiv",
      "physics.ao-ph"
    ],
    [
      "arxiv",
      "physics.flu-dyn"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2206|Fluid Dynamics and Turbulent Flows"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7161598065",
  "pdf_url": "https://arxiv.org/pdf/2605.15879",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-19",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1ttdfd6r1ejte.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:30:52Z",
      "native_id": "2605.15879",
      "source": "arxiv",
      "url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2605.15879"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "earth",
      "origin": "arxiv:physics.ao-ph",
      "subfield": "atmospheric"
    },
    {
      "field": "physics",
      "origin": "arxiv:physics.flu-dyn",
      "subfield": "fluid-dynamics"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Coarse-grained local available potential energy",
  "title_text": "Coarse-grained local available potential energy",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:33:41Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1ttdfd6r1ejte",
  "venue": "arXiv",
  "versions": []
}