Circulation in upper layers of southern North Atlantic deduced with use of isentropic analysis
Circulation in upper layers of southern North Atlantic deduced with use of isentropic analysis
Date
1938-08
Authors
Montgomery, Raymond B.
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DOI
10.1575/1912/1093
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Keywords
Ocean currents
Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
Abstract
Except for the presence in most localities of a shallow homogeneous surface layer
and of a relatively homogeneous and deeper bottom layer, the oceans of the temperate
and tropical regions are stratified and vertically stable at all depths. Due to the opacity
of water for long-wave radiation and to the damping of vertical turbulence by the
stability, there is no potent mechanism for altering the potential density of any water
element below the layer of direct surface influences. Hence there can be no flow of major
proportions across surfaces of constant potential density. For these reasons it is now
generally accepted that flow takes place essentially parallel to these surfaces. It follows
that the major sources for the water on each surface of constant potential density are to
be found along its intersection with the sea surface in higher latitudes.