Global Estimates of the Energy Transfer From the Wind to the Ocean, With Emphasis on Near-Inertial Oscillations.

ABSTRACT: Estimates of the kinetic energy transfer from the wind to the ocean are often limited by the spatial and temporal resolution of surface currents and surface winds. Here we examine the wind work in a pair of global, very high-resolution (1/48° and 1/24°) MIT general circulation model simulations in Latitude-Longitude-polar Cap (LLC) configuration that provide hourly output at spatial resolutions of a few kilometers and include tidal forcing. A cospectrum analysis of wind stress and ocean surface currents shows positive contribution at large scales (>300 km) and near-inertial frequency and negative contribution from mesoscales, tidal frequencies, and internal gravity waves. Larger surface kinetic energy fluxes are in the Kuroshio in winter at large scales (40 mW/m²) and mesoscales

SUBMITTER: Flexas MM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6853200 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature