Marine Science Faculty Publications

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2000

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0485(2000)030<0105:EUITCP>2.0.CO;2

Abstract

Horizontal divergence and vertical velocity (w) are estimated at 0°, 140°W using an array of five subsurface moored acoustic Doppler current profilers deployed from May 1990 to June 1991 during the Tropical Instability Wave Experiment. The record-length mean flow is divergent within the near-surface region and convergent within the thermocline, with maximum convergence located at the high speed core of the Equatorial Undercurrent (EUC). This pattern of divergence results in upwelling at and above the EUC core (with maximum value of 2.3 × 10−5 m s−1 located at 60-m depth) and downwelling below the core. The relative slopes in the zonal plane between the mean velocity vectors and the isotherms suggest a net diffusive heat flux. Assuming that this occurs vertically, an entrainment velocity parameterization provides an estimate of the “diapycnal vertical velocity” profile that reverses sign at the EUC core depth. Several kinematical and dynamical consistency checks are developed on both the time-dependent and the mean motions to supplement a discussion of errors for the mean w profile. The time-dependent fluctuations in w may be an order of magnitude larger than the mean values, and on synoptic timescales w may be directed either up or down over the entire upper 250-m region sampled.

Was this content written or created while at USF?

Yes

Citation / Publisher Attribution

Journal of Physical Oceanography, v. 30, issue 1, p. 105-124

© Copyright 2000 American Meteorological Society (AMS). Permission to use figures, tables, and brief excerpts from this work in scientific and educational works is hereby granted provided that the source is acknowledged. Any use of material in this work that is determined to be “fair use” under Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act or that satisfies the conditions specified in Section 108 of the U.S. Copyright Act (17 USC §108) does not require the AMS’s permission. Republication, systematic reproduction, posting in electronic form, such as on a website or in a searchable database, or other uses of this material, except as exempted by the above statement, requires written permission or a license from the AMS. All AMS journals and monograph publications are registered with the Copyright Clearance Center (http://www.copyright.com). Questions about permission to use materials for which AMS holds the copyright can also be directed to permissions@ametsoc.org. Additional details are provided in the AMS Copyright Policy statement, available on the AMS website (http://www.ametsoc.org/CopyrightInformation).

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