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.