Thin jet and contour dynamics models of Gulf Stream meandering |
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| Authors: | Glenn R Flierl |
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| Institution: | 1. School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia;2. Leibniz Center for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT), Bremen, Germany;3. Center for Marine Environmental Sciences (MARUM), The University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany;4. School of Environmental and Life Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia;5. Coastal and Marine Science Unit, NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia;6. Geocoastal Research Group, School of Geosciences, The University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia;1. Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Washington State University, Vancouver, WA 98686, USA;2. School of the Environment, Washington State University, Vancouver, WA 98686, USA;3. Coastal Marine Group, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Waikato, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand;4. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Portland, OR 97205, USA |
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| Abstract: | This paper reexamines the theory of the meandering of the Gulf Stream and other inertial jets. We develop a hybrid model (with piecewise constant potential vorticity in the upper layer and a deep layer initially at rest) which allows us to clarify the relationships among thin jet, contour dynamics, and instability models. Approximating the hybrid model leads to a simple two-contour model which can be analyzed easily and can be integrated numerically for large amplitude disturbances. The jet evolution predicted by the approximate model is quite similar to the meander development under the full dynamics, except that the time scales are shorter. The model shows that baroclinic processes clearly play a significant role in the growth of meanders, while upper-layer interactions drive the final pinch-off of eddies. In addition to such process studies, the approximate model provides a simple dynamical system for further investigations. |
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| Keywords: | Inertial jet Meandering Dynamics model |
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