Wind-forced modeling studies of currents, meanders, eddies, and filaments of the Canary Current System
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Authors
Buch, Eric J.
Subjects
Primitive equation model
Canary Current System
Currents
Meanders
Eddies
Filaments
Canary Current System
Currents
Meanders
Eddies
Filaments
Advisors
Batteen, Mary L.
Date of Issue
1997-06
Date
June 1997
Publisher
Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School
Language
eng
Abstract
A high-resolution, multi-level, primitive equation ocean model is used to examine the response of an eastern boundary oceanic regime to both wind forcing and irregular coastline geometry. The focus of this study is the coastal region from 300 N to 42.50 N, a portion of the Canary Current System (CCS). To study the generation, evolution, and sustainment of the currents, meanders, eddies and filaments of the CCS, the model is forced from rest using seasonal climatological winds. To investigate - the role of irregular coastline geometry, the first experiment uses climatological wind forcing along an idealized "straightened" coastline, while the second experiment uses the same wind forcing along an irregular coastline. In both cases a surface current, undercurrent, meanders, eddies, and filaments are generated. The results obtained while using the irregular, rather than the idealized coastline, however, show preferred eddy generation locations as well as enhanced growth of meanders, eddies, and filaments. The features produced by the model are consistent with available observations of the CCS. The model results support the hypothesis that both wind forcing and irregular coastline geometry are important mechanisms in the generation of many of the observed features of the CCS
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
Department
Oceanography
Organization
Naval Postgraduate School
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Funder
Format
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.