$k\sim k_f \ll k_R$, we have approximately $F_G(k) \sim k_R^2 F_E(k)$. It follows that if we neglect Ekman dissipation, then the ratio of the enstrophy flux $\gn$ over the energy flux $\gee$ injection to the downscale cascades will satisfy $(\gn/\gee) \sim k_R^2$, and therefore the transition wavenumber $k_t$ has to be in the vicinity of the Rossby wavenumber $k_R$. As it turns out, this is indeed the approximate location of the transition wavenumber $k_t$ in the actual Nastrom-Gage spectrum as well as in the @article:Orlando:2003 simulation.

We will show that asymmetric Ekman dissipation tends to decrease the ratio $k_t \sim (\gn/\gee)^{1/2}$ as long as the potential energy spectrum dominates the kinetic energy spectrum in the forcing range. This peculiar behaviour results from the asymmetry of the effective forcing between the two layers, caused by the introduction of the Ekman term into the bottom layer. This claim is further supported by our consideration of the random Gaussian forcing model, in which the bottom-layer forcing is directly suppressed by a controlled scalar factor. Unfortunately, there are a number of open questions and outstanding issues concerning the distribution of energy between potential energy and kinetic energy. Furthermore, the modeling assumption that the Ekman 