A numerical model of the horizontal wind driven ocean circulation is developed, with the aim of considering the influence of frictional dissipation on the flow. The model consists of a time dependent vorticity equation which is integrated from the sea surface to a depth which corresponds to the thermocline. By this procedure the vertical structure of the currents in the upper layer of the ocean is removed, and the vorticity equation is reduced to a two dimensional equation. The forcing mechanism of the flow is provided by the curl of the wind stress at the surface. In order to balance this source of vorticitv , a form of dissipation at the bottom boundary of the model is required.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:645990 |
| Date | January 1974 |
| Creators | Wells, Neil C. |
| Publisher | University of Reading |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
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