Modeling studies of wind and thermohaline forcing on the California current system
By: by Philip W. Vance
Publisher: Naval Postgraduate School; Available from National Technical Information Service
Published: 1997
Place of publication: Monterey, Calif; Springfield, Va
Language: eng
Number of pages: 73
Subjects: EDDIES(FLUID MECHANICS); OCEAN CURRENTS; GEOSTROPHIC CURRENTS
Other titles: NPS-OC-97-OO5.
Description: A high-resolution, multi-level, primitive equation model is initialized with climatological data to study the      combined effects of wind and thermohaline forcing on the ocean circulation of the California Current System      (CCS). The ocean circulation is generated by the model using a combination of climatological wind stress and      thermohaline forcing. In the first experiment, the effects of thermohaline forcing alone are evaluated, in the second      experiment, previously conducted, the effects of wind forcing are isolated, while in the third experiment, the      combined effects of wind and thermohaline forcing are looked at. The results from the combined experiment      show that even though the effects of wind forcing dominate the CCS, the additional effects of the thermohaline      forcing results in the following: the seasonal development of a poleward surface current and an equatorward      undercurrent in the poleward end of the model region; an onshore geostrophic component, which results in a      temperature front and stronger surface and subsurface currents between Cape Mendocino and Point Arena; and      a region of maximum eddy kinetic energy inshore of tilde 125 deg W between Cape Mendocino and Point      Arena, associated with the temperature front. These model simulations are qualitatively similar to recent      hydrographic, altimetric, drifter, and moored observations of the CCS.
Notes: Thesis advisor, Mary L. Batteen.

AD-A333 389.

"NPS-OC-97-005."

"June 1997."

Thesis (M.S. in Physical Oceanography) Naval Postgraduate School, June 1997.

Includes bibliographical references (p.  69-71)

dk/dk cc:9116 01/07/98.