Ocean Circulation (eBook)

Front Cover 1
Ocean Circulation 4
Copyright Page 5
Table of Contents 6
ABOUT THIS VOLUME 9
CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION 11
1.1 THE RADIATION BALANCE OF THE EARTH-ATMOSPHERE SYSTEM 14
1.2 SUMMARY OF CHAPTER 1 16
CHAPTER 2. THE ATMOSPHERE AND THE OCEAN 18
2.1 THE GLOBAL WIND SYSTEM 18
2.2 POLEWARD TRANSPORT OF HEAT BY THE ATMOSPHERE 22
2.3 ATMOSPHERE-OCEAN INTERACTION 29
2.4 SUMMARY OF CHAPTER 2 34
CHAPTER 3. OCEAN CURRENTS 36
3.1 THE ACTION OF WIND ON SURFACE WATERS 38
3.2 INERTIA CURRENTS 43
3.3 GEOSTROPHIC CURRENTS 45
3.4 DIVERGENCES AND CONVERGENCES 64
3.5 THE ENERGY OF THE OCEAN: SCALES OF MOTION 68
3.6 SUMMARY OF CHAPTER 3 74
CHAPTER 4. THE NORTH ATLANTIC GYRE: OBSERVATIONS AND THEORIES 78
4.1 THE GULF STREAM 78
4.2 THE SUBTROPICAL GYRES 84
4.3 MODERN OBSERVATIONS OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC GYRE 101
4.4 COASTAL UPWELLING IN EASTERN BOUNDARY CURRENTS 120
4.5 SUMMARY OF CHAPTER 4 124
CHAPTER 5. OTHER MAJOR CURRENT SYSTEMS 127
5.1 EQUATORIAL CURRENT SYSTEMS 127
5.2 MONSOONAL CIRCULATION 139
5.4 EL NINO 150
5.5 CIRCULATION IN HIGH LATITUDES 153
5.6 SUMMARY OF CHAPTER 5 160
CHAPTER 6. GLOBAL FLUXES AND THE DEEP CIRCULATION 164
6.1 THE OCEANIC HEAT BUDGET 164
6.2 CONSERVATION OF SALT 173
6.3 OCEANIC WATER MASSES 177
6.4 OCEANIC MIXING AND TEMPERATURE-SALlNITY DIAGRAMS 190
6.5 TRACERS 200
6.6 GLOBAL FLUXES OF HEAT AND FRESHWATER 204
6.7 SUMMARY OF CHAPTER 6 209
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING 214
ANSWERS AND COMMENTS TO QUESTIONS 215
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 238
INDEX 240