Published online by Cambridge University Press: 19 April 2006
Axisymmetric steady motion of an inhomogeneous rotating fluid is considered. A system of equations, with appropriate boundary conditions, controlling the smooth interior fields is derived under the assumption of small dissipation and small side-boundary conductance. It is argued that this system, being derived without linearization of the equations, might form the basis of valuable numerical analysis. Assuming sufficiently weak forcing, i.e. high insulation of the non-horizontal boundaries, a linear system is derived. An explicit solution is presented and discussed for a particularly simple and important case.