INERTIAL BOUNDARY CURRENT OF SIMILARITY TYPE IN HOMOGENEOUS AND STRATIFIED OCEANS.
Abstract
A theoretical study is made of inertial boundary currents in a model ocean. A similarity transformation is introduced, assuming a uniform profile across the current, either horizontally or vertically. This reduces the problem to one described by ordinary differential equations. In the case of a two-dimensional, homogeneous ocean, the solutions can be given in closed form. They give boundary currents that either decay directly away from the boundary, or boundary currents with a countercurrent just at the wall. The currents can go both north and south, and do exist at eastern as well as western boundaries. All interior flow is westward. In the threedimensional, stratified case, the nature of the solution is investigated by looking at expansions valid near and far from the boundaries. Generally, one finds that a north-going current can exist at a western boundary, a south-going current at an eastern boundary. Two types of similarity transformations are used. One leads to a boundary current with outflow to the interior, in the western boundary case, the other to a current with constant transport. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1965
- Accession Number
- AD0614097
Entities
People
- Pierre Welander
Organizations
- Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution