The effects of time-dependent winds and ocean eddies on ice motion in a marginal ice zone
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Authors
Barker, Jeffrey L.
Subjects
Marginal ice zone
East Greenland Current
Mesoscale eddies
Numerical simulations
East Greenland Current
Mesoscale eddies
Numerical simulations
Advisors
Smith, David C., IV
Date of Issue
1987-12
Date
December 1987
Publisher
Language
en_US
Abstract
Observations made during the MIZEX program indicate the presence of mesoscale eddies in the ocean front at the marginal ice edge in the East Greenland Current. The eddies ranged in scale from 5 to 80 km. Barotropic and baroclinic instability may be the physical mechanisms responsible for the existence of such eddies. The observations also indicate transient wind reversals (3-10 m/s) with a frequency of several days. Here the effect of time-dependent winds and ocean eddies on ice motion in a marginal ice zone is studied. Results are obtained with a two-layer, nonlinear, primitive ocean equation ocean model and a coupled free-drift ice model. The results indicate that ocean eddy signature in the ice edge is sensitive to cross-ice-edge motion induced by the winds and is shown to be dependent on magnitude, direction, and duration of the wind.
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
Department
Oceanography
Organization
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Funder
Format
52 p.
Citation
Distribution Statement
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.