STUDIES IN CLIMATE DYNAMICS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SECURITY: NUMERICAL STUDIES OF TRANSIENT PLANETARY CIRCULATIONS IN A WIND-DRIVEN OCEAN ON THE SPHERE
Abstract
The paper presents a numerical investigation of a bounded ocean basin on the spherical earth, with particular attention directed to the role of planetary circulations. The time-dependent primitive equations are solved for a shallow, wind-driven, homogeneous ocean in a basin of uniform depth on the sphere. In a series of comparative numerical solutions, it is shown that at least a 2-degree resolution is needed to resolve the western boundary currents adequately and to avoid undue distortion of the transient Rossby waves. Although the transient Rossby waves systematically produce a momentum flux convergence at the latitude of the maximum eastward current, this is only a relatively small contribution to the zonal oceanic momentum balance; the bulk of the mean zonal stress is balanced by a nearly stationary net pressure torque exerted against the meridional boundaries by the wind-raised water.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 1970
- Accession Number
- AD0706035
Entities
People
- W. L. Gates
Organizations
- RAND Corporation