Modeling of Coastal Ocean Flow Fields.
Abstract
In Allen, Samelson, and Newberger (1991), we demonstrate the existence of a chaotic invariant set of solutions of an idealized model for wind-forced guasi-geostrophic flow over a continental margin with variable bottom topography. For weak (constant plus time-periodic) forcing and weak friction, we apply a recent extension (Wiggins and Holmes, 1987) of the method of Melnikov (1963) to test for the existence of transverse homoclinic orbits in the model. We find that in the presence of constant positive wind stress Tau sub 0 (equatorward on eastern ocean boundaries) chaotic solutions exist when the ratio of an oscillating wind stress Tau sub 1 to the bottom friction parameter is above a critical value that depends on Tau sub 0/r and the bottom topographic height. Research was continued on the development of intermediate models for the study of subinertial frequency mesoscale motion in stratified shelf, slope, and adjacent interior ocean flow fields. Intermediate models are derived under the assumption that the Rossby number epsilon is small. (MM)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1995
- Accession Number
- ADA300401
Entities
People
- John S. Allen
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research