  The quasi-geostrophic two-layer model is of superior interest in dynamic
meteorology since it is one of the easiest ways to study baroclinic processes
in geophysical fluid dynamics. The complete set of point symmetries of the
two-layer equations is determined. An optimal set of one- and two-dimensional
inequivalent subalgebras of the maximal Lie invariance algebra is constructed.
On the basis of these subalgebras we exhaustively carry out group-invariant
reduction and compute various classes of exact solutions. Where possible,
reference to the physical meaning of the exact solutions is given. In
particular, the well-known baroclinic Rossby wave solutions in the two-layer
model are rediscovered.
