Available Potential Energy in Numerical Ocean Circulation Models.

Abstract

The energetics of two numerical models of the ocean circulation are studied by use of available potential energy. Avaialable potential energy, calculated by an approximation equations using a temperature perturbation field, compares favorably with the obtained using the exact expression using a height perturbation field. A general circulation model of the ocean is employed to study large-scale energy transformations, and a mid-ocean dynamics experiment (mesoscale) model is employed to study transformations of energy by stationary features and by transient motions. Results from the general circulation model are consistent with those of Haney (1974). Results from the mesoscale model indicate that the transformation of energy is from available potential energy to kinetic energy of the transient eddy field. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 01, 1974
Accession Number
AD0787372

Entities

People

  • Marion Everet Alcorn

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Dynamics
  • Energy
  • Energy Conversion
  • Equations
  • Kinetic Energy
  • Ocean Currents
  • Oceans
  • Perturbations
  • Physics
  • Potential Energy
  • Stationary

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Coastal Oceanography
  • Plasma Physics / Magnetohydrodynamics