Thesis (M.S. in Physical Oceanography)--Naval Postgraduate School, June 2003. / Thesis advisor(s): Edward B. Thornton, Timothy Stanton. Includes bibliographical references (p. 59-62). Also available online.

Thesis (M.S. in Physical Oceanography)--Naval Postgraduate School, June 2003. / Thesis advisor(s): Curtis A. Collins, Mary L. Batteen. Includes bibliographical references (p. 79-80). Also available online.

No description available.

The physical characteristics of continental shelf waters off Oregon during late winter and spring of 1975 are described and compared with observations taken previously during summer. The currents in winter are barotropic in the monthly means while in summer the currents are baroclinic. Alongshore current fluctuations on the time scale of a few days are depth dependent in winter but become depth independent in summer. The current shear changes sign on the several day time scale in winter while in summer the deeper currents are always northward with respect to the near surface currents. Alongshore coherences of sea level and currents indicate that winter fluctuations generally propagate southward rather than northward as previously observed in summer. These winter fluctuations in alongshore currents also have onshore/offshore phase speeds that are comparable in magnitude to their alongshore phase speeds. There is no evidence for free continental shelf wave activity in winter although forced waves (travelling predominately southward, as do the meteorological disturbances) may exist. The Gill and Schumann (1974) model, which predicts sea level from a knowledge of the alongshore components of winds along the coastline, is tested for winter and summer in 1975 and found to have some predictive ability for fluctuations on the time scale of several days. The transition from winter to summer is initiated in a dramatic barotropic event and continues as a longer period baroclinic adjustment. The former is marked by a sudden reversal of currents and a lowering of sea level while the latter is marked by a slow rising of the pycnocline and with it the layer of maximum vertical shear. Both the barotropic changes at the transition event and the adjustment of the density field, which occurs after the transition event, are directly forced by the local wind. / Graduation date: 1977

The geopotential anomalies and the average meridional geostrophic flow off Newport, Oregon, were computed from the data taken during twenty-one hydrographic cruises. The annual average of geopotential anomaly was 1.31 dynamic meters with a seasonal variation of the order of 14 dynamic centimeters. Highest values of geopotential anomaly occurred in September; lowest values occurred in April. Both the highest and lowest value of geopotential anomaly occurred at 105 nautical miles offshore. The currents found by dynamic computation were weak and irregular, generally 5 cm/sec or less. The direction of the average meridional geostrophic flow varied with season. Within 105 nautical miles of the coast, flow was southward in summer, northward in winter. Beyond 105 nautical miles from the coast, flow directions reversed, that is, flow was northward in summer and southward in winter. / Graduation date: 1967

Typescript. / Bibliography: leaves 144-147. / Photocopy. / xvi, 147 leaves ill

Thesis (M.S.in Meteorology and Physical Oceanography)--Naval Postgraduate School, June 1990. / Thesis Advisor(s): Collins, C. A. Second Reader: Schwing, F. "June 1990." Description based on title screen as viewed on October 21, 2009. DTIC identifier(s): Ocean currents, undercurrents (ocean currents), ocean circulation, ocean bottom topography, velocity, oceanographic data, California current, California undercurrent, North Pacific Ocean, spring season, submarine canyons, theses. Includes bibliographical references (p. 67). Also available in print.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Naval Postgraduate School, 1997. / Includes bibliographical references: (p. 149-152).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego, 1974. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 116-119).

Thesis (M.A.)--Old Dominion University. / Includes bibliographical references.