EARTHSS 3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Ocean Gyre, Ekman Spiral, Ekman Transport
10 Feb 2019
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Surface ocean circulation: be able to draw out the 3-cell conceptual model and explain how it affects ocean salinity and surface winds. Surface winds: be able to describe the direct and indirect methods of measuring ocean circulation. Surface circulation: above 400m driven by winds. Deep circulation: below 400m driven by density. Direct methods: floating devices released and tracked thru time. Tracking temperature and salinity or other chemical tracers: be able to describe/draw diagrams to explain ekman spirals and ekman transport. Ekman spirals: looking vertically down at the currents, they seem to spiral. Ekman transport: avg flow of water throughout the spiral is about 90 degrees to the right/left of the surface wind in the northern/southern hemisphere. Northern hemisphere move to the right: be able to describe/explain/ draw diagrams to illustrate the formation, location, and direction of flow of the subtropical gyres in the northern and southern hemispheres. Gyres form due to continent positions and wind patterns.
