Baroclinic Motions and Energetics as Measured by Altimeters
Small surface displacements appearing in tide gauge and altimetric records are used to detect hydrostatic baroclinic modes in the ocean. Those deflections are a small fraction of the interior isopycnal vertical displacements and are dependent directly upon the in situ stratification. Conversion of s...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | en_US |
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American Meteorological Society
2013
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/79776 https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6808-3664 |
| _version_ | 1826203869868195840 |
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| author | Wunsch, Carl Isaac |
| author2 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences |
| author_facet | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences Wunsch, Carl Isaac |
| author_sort | Wunsch, Carl Isaac |
| collection | MIT |
| description | Small surface displacements appearing in tide gauge and altimetric records are used to detect hydrostatic baroclinic modes in the ocean. Those deflections are a small fraction of the interior isopycnal vertical displacements and are dependent directly upon the in situ stratification. Conversion of surface height to interior amplitudes and energies encounters significant spatial and seasonal shifts that need to be accounted for in quantitative use. This technical article analyzes the global-scale spatial variations in the relationship between surface deflections and interior motions. Similar considerations make it possible to use altimetric data to estimate the deep interior temperature variability as a function of position, calculations having a strong influence on abyssal trend determination in the presence of eddies. |
| first_indexed | 2024-09-23T12:44:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | mit-1721.1/79776 |
| institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| language | en_US |
| last_indexed | 2024-09-23T12:44:35Z |
| publishDate | 2013 |
| publisher | American Meteorological Society |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | mit-1721.1/797762024-05-15T02:20:03Z Baroclinic Motions and Energetics as Measured by Altimeters Wunsch, Carl Isaac Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences Wunsch, Carl Small surface displacements appearing in tide gauge and altimetric records are used to detect hydrostatic baroclinic modes in the ocean. Those deflections are a small fraction of the interior isopycnal vertical displacements and are dependent directly upon the in situ stratification. Conversion of surface height to interior amplitudes and energies encounters significant spatial and seasonal shifts that need to be accounted for in quantitative use. This technical article analyzes the global-scale spatial variations in the relationship between surface deflections and interior motions. Similar considerations make it possible to use altimetric data to estimate the deep interior temperature variability as a function of position, calculations having a strong influence on abyssal trend determination in the presence of eddies. United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Grant NNX08AR33G) 2013-08-05T15:57:01Z 2013-08-05T15:57:01Z 2013-01 2012-07 Article http://purl.org/eprint/type/JournalArticle 0739-0572 1520-0426 http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/79776 Wunsch, Carl. “Baroclinic Motions and Energetics as Measured by Altimeters.” Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology 30, no. 1 (January 2013): 140-150. © 2013 American Meteorological Society https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6808-3664 en_US http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/jtech-d-12-00035.1 Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology Article is made available in accordance with the publisher's policy and may be subject to US copyright law. Please refer to the publisher's site for terms of use. application/pdf American Meteorological Society American Meteorological Society |
| spellingShingle | Wunsch, Carl Isaac Baroclinic Motions and Energetics as Measured by Altimeters |
| title | Baroclinic Motions and Energetics as Measured by Altimeters |
| title_full | Baroclinic Motions and Energetics as Measured by Altimeters |
| title_fullStr | Baroclinic Motions and Energetics as Measured by Altimeters |
| title_full_unstemmed | Baroclinic Motions and Energetics as Measured by Altimeters |
| title_short | Baroclinic Motions and Energetics as Measured by Altimeters |
| title_sort | baroclinic motions and energetics as measured by altimeters |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/79776 https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6808-3664 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT wunschcarlisaac baroclinicmotionsandenergeticsasmeasuredbyaltimeters |