Study of the near shore surface characteristics of windrows and Langmuir circulation in Monterey Bay.
Abstract
Observations of the spacing and angle of windrows with
respect to the wind speed and direction were conducted in
Monterey Bay, using aerial photographs taken of windrow
accumulations on 13, 20, 2 7 April and 3, 11 May 1971.
The spacing of windrows was found to depend upon wind
speed. These windrows are indicative of the presence of
helical vortices in the surface waters, and the data
support Langmuir's contention that the vortices are wind-driven.
Deflection angles showed small variation to the
left and right of the wind with 0° being the most common
angle . No correlation was round between depth of the
thermocline and row spacing.
The Langmuir circulation investigated in Monterey Bay
showed a cellular pattern with vertical velocities of
2.2 cm/sec downward in the area of convergence and
0.8 cm/sec upward in the area of divergence, at a wind
speed of 6.0 m/sec.
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