Navy Corrected Geostrophic Wind Set for the Gulf of Mexico.
Abstract
The large variability of the Gulf of Mexico wind field indicates that high-resolution wind data will be required to represent the weather systems affecting ocean circulation. This report presents methods and results of the calculation of a corrected geostrophic wind data set with high temporal and spaticl resolution. Corrected geostrophic wind was calculated from surface pressure analyses compiled by the Fleet Numerical Oceanography Center. The correction factors for wind magnitude and direction were calculated using linear regressions of observed Gulf buoy winds and geostrophic winds deroved at the buoys. The regressions were done for each month to determine the seasonal variability of the correction factors. The magnitude correction was found to be nearly constant (0.675) throughout the year, but the direction correction varied as a sine function dependent on the time of the year. The corrected geostrophic wind was calculated twice daily from 1967-1982 on a spherical grid over the Gulf, and the wind stress and wind stress curl fields were then calculated. Twelve-hourly stress and curl fields show large temporal variations of the wind field for both winter and summer months. Seasonal and monthly climatologies of the stress and corresponding curl show positive curl over the Yucatan and negative curl in the southwest Gulf, which are features not seen in any previous study of Gulf wind stress. Keyword: Charts.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1985
- Accession Number
- ADA169026
Entities
People
- Alan J. Wallcraft
- J. D. Thompson
- Robert C. Rhodes