The intensification of cyclonic winds in the Gulf of Alaska
during winter belies the relatively constant geostrophic circulation
as being indicative of actual flow. In the absence of direct current
measurements, effects of various meteorological phenomena have
been eliminated from monthly mean sea level measurements over the
decade 1950 to 1959, and the resulting height anomalies equated to
monthly mean Sverdrup transports. A linear relationship is obtained,
except during summer when it permits an estimate of the increase in
recorded sea level due to runoff. The data suggest that during summer
the geostrophic transport is a good indication of general flow,
but that during winter the distribution of mass does not adjust to the
Sverdrup transport, and the resulting barotrophic flow is about one
and one-half times the geostrophic flow during this period. Mean
seasonal Sverdrup transport indicates maximum recirculation in the
Gulf of Alaska gyre during winter, a reduced but equal recirculation
during summer and fall, but none during spring.
These results conflict with existing interpretations of flow in
the Gulf of Alaska, and should form the basis for renewed oceanographic
explorations in this region. / Graduation date: 1969
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ORGSU/oai:ir.library.oregonstate.edu:1957/28267 |
| Date | 12 July 1968 |
| Creators | Favorite, F. |
| Contributors | Patullo, June G. |
| Source Sets | Oregon State University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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