Generation of tropical instability waves in the Atlantic Ocean.

Schuckmann, K. von, Brandt, Peter and Eden, Carsten (2008) Generation of tropical instability waves in the Atlantic Ocean. Open Access Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 113 . C08034. DOI 10.1029/2007JC004712.

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Abstract

The spatial and temporal distributions of tropical instability waves (TIWs) in the Atlantic Ocean are investigated using a combination of current observations with moored instruments deployed at the equator at 23°W and a realistic eddy-resolving (1/12°) general circulation model of the Atlantic Ocean. The meridional and vertical shears of the zonal current system contribute to the eddy production rates and thus to the generation of TIWs in the central tropical Atlantic Ocean. In the Southern Hemisphere, TIWs are forced only by baroclinic instability associated with the vertical shear of the central part of the South Equatorial Current (SEC). In the Northern Hemisphere, baroclinic instability due to the vertical shear of the northern SEC (nSEC) as well as barotropic instabilities due to horizontal shears of the Equatorial Undercurrent (EUC)/nSEC and nSEC/North Equatorial Countercurrent (NECC) contribute to the generation of the TIWs. Since seasonal changes of the instability production rates related to the EUC/nSEC are comparable low while the rates related to the nSEC/NECC are high, we suggest that the seasonality of the NECC dominates the seasonal modulation of the TIWs.

Document Type: Article
Keywords: Oceanography; Atlantic Ocean; tropical instability waves; TIWs; circulation
Research affiliation: OceanRep > GEOMAR > FB1 Ocean Circulation and Climate Dynamics > FB1-TM Theory and Modeling
OceanRep > The Future Ocean - Cluster of Excellence
OceanRep > GEOMAR > FB1 Ocean Circulation and Climate Dynamics > FB1-PO Physical Oceanography
Refereed: Yes
Open Access Journal?: No
Publisher: AGU (American Geophysical Union)
Projects: Future Ocean, PIRATA, BMBF Nordatlantik
Expeditions/Models/Experiments:
Date Deposited: 28 Apr 2009 14:08
Last Modified: 23 Sep 2019 22:40
URI: https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/695

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