THE NON-LINEAR RESPONSE OF A TWO-LAYER, BAROCLINIC OCEAN TO A STATIONARY, AXIALLYSYMMETRIC HURRICANE.
Abstract
This study is concerned with the theoretical description of upwelling and mixing induced in a stratified, rotating two-layer ocean by momentum transfer from an intense stationary, axially-symmetric atmospheric vortex. A general model is derived which leads to a hierarchy of models of increasing complexity. The mechanisms of energy transfer to and from the atmosphere and to and from the lower layer are examined in detail. Results agree qualitatively with observations taken in the Gulf of Mexico following hurricane Hilda, 1964. Intense upwelling is confined to within twice the radius of maximum winds. The displaced warm central waters produce some downwelling adjacent to the upwelled region. Turbulent mixing of heat and salt modifies the density structure throughout the wind-forced region of the ocean. The degree of upwelling is time-dependent and the hurricane-force winds must act on the ocean for several hours before significant upwelling occurs. In a special model it is shown that the configuration of the upwelled region becomes quasi-stationary when the hurricane-force winds are removed from the system. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1965
- Accession Number
- AD0626809
Entities
People
- James J. O'brien
Organizations
- Texas A&M University