Publication Date:
2019-07-12
Description:
Results are presented of an analysis of the surface geostrophic velocity field for the Gulf Stream region for the position, structure, and surface transport of the Gulf Stream for 2.5 yr of the Geosat altimeter Exact Repeat Mission. Synthetic data using a Gaussian velocity profile were generated and fit to the sea surface residual heights to create a synthetic mean sea surface height field and profiles of absolute geostrophic currents. An analysis of the model parameters and the actual geostrophic velocity profiles revealed two different flow regimes for the Gulf Stream connected by a narrow transition region coincident with the New England Seamount Chain. The upstream region was found to exhibit relatively straight Gulf Stream paths, long Eulerian time scales, and eastward propagating meanders. The downstream region had more large meanders, no consistent propagation direction, and shorter Eulerian time scales. A 25-percent reduction in surface transport occurred in the transition region, with a corresponding reduction in current speed and no change in Gulf Stream width.
Keywords:
OCEANOGRAPHY
Type:
Journal of Geophysical Research (ISSN 0148-0227); 96; 16
Format:
text
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