The Dynamic Role of Ridges in a Beta-Plane Channel. Towards Understanding the Dynamics of Large Scale Circulation in the Southern Ocean

In this thesis, the dynamic role of bottom topography in a Beta-plane channel is systematically studied in both linear homogeneous and stratified layer models in the presence of either wind stress or buoyancy forcing. In these studies, the structure of the geostrophic contour plays a fundamental rol...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Wang, Liping
Other Authors: WOODS HOLE OCEANOGRAPHIC INSTITUTION MA
Format: Text
Language:English
Published: 1993
Subjects:
Physical and Dynamic Oceanography
*OCEAN CURRENTS
*OCEAN BOTTOM TOPOGRAPHY
VOLUME
MODELS
WIND
THESES
VORTICES
MASS FLOW
BUOYANCY
RIDGES
CONTOURS
WATER MASSES
TRANSPORT
DRAG
AIR WATER INTERACTIONS
CIRCULATION
GEOSTROPHIC CURRENTS
GEOSTROPHIC WIND
*OCEAN CIRCULATION
*SOUTHERN OCEAN
VORTICITY
Southern Ocean
Online Access:http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA279390
http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA279390
Description
Summary:In this thesis, the dynamic role of bottom topography in a Beta-plane channel is systematically studied in both linear homogeneous and stratified layer models in the presence of either wind stress or buoyancy forcing. In these studies, the structure of the geostrophic contour plays a fundamental role, and the role of bottom topography is looked at from two different angles. It is shown that blocking all the geostrophic contours leads to two different physical processes in which bottom topographic form drag is generated and enables geostrophic flow in a Beta - plane channel to support a net cross-channel volume transport. It is demonstrated that by blocking all the geostrophic contours in the presence of a sufficiently high ridge, the dynamics of both source-sink and wind driven circulations in a Beta - plane is similar to that in a closed basin. Potential vorticity, Geostrophic contour, Form drag.

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