Theoretical studies of the circulation of the Subarctic Pacific Region and the generation of Kelvin type waves by atmospheric distrubances ...

Theoretical studies of two problems concerned with the surface forced, large-scale motions in bounded oceanic regions are presented. In Part I, such motions are considered for a particular area of the North Pacific Ocean known as the Subarctic Pacific Region. Discussion is based on the assumption th...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Thomson, Richard Edward
Format: Text
Language:English
Published: University of British Columbia 2011
Subjects:
Online Access:https://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0053316
https://doi.library.ubc.ca/10.14288/1.0053316
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Summary:Theoretical studies of two problems concerned with the surface forced, large-scale motions in bounded oceanic regions are presented. In Part I, such motions are considered for a particular area of the North Pacific Ocean known as the Subarctic Pacific Region. Discussion is based on the assumption that the velocity components may be separated into a time-averaged or quasi-steady flow about which fluctuations occur in the form of transient planetary waves. Some of the characteristics of the latter are briefly outlined. Several aspects of the time-averaged motions are then considered. A simple circulation, driven by the vertical velocity structure, is presented for the interior region of the ocean below the upper frictional layer. Also, using observational data to obtain the depth of the layer between the suface [sic] and the main halocline, this upper layer is found to behave as a geostrophic layer of fluid when averaged over many years. Combination of the above observed depths with the mean calculated Ekman ...