Ventilated and Unventilated Models of the Wind-Driven Circulation,
Abstract
The quasigeostrophic theory of the wind-driven circulation given by Rhines and Young (1982a) is extended to take account of strong isopycnal displacements. Thus the quasigeostrophic approximation is abandoned. Instead exact solutions of the planetary geostrophic equations which satisfy both horizontal and vertical boundary conditions are presented. It is shown that the planetary geostrophic equations have an infinite number of solutions, all of which satisfy identical boundary conditions. Other physical process, not explicit in the planetary geostrophic equations themselves, must be considered to decide which solutions is relevant to the real ocean. To clearly illustrate this lack of uniqueness two solutions are discussed in detail. The first solution is a development of the model given by Luyten, Pdelosky and Stommel (1982). The second solution is a development of the model given by Rhines and Young (1982a). Both solutions satisfy the same boundary conditions but have qualitativey different flow patterns. It is argued that the latter solution (which is based on the assumption that potential vorticity is homogenized) is more realistic.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1983
- Accession Number
- ADP002657
Entities
People
- W. R. Young
Organizations
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography