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A Modeling Study of Coastal-Trapped Wave Propagation in the Gulf of California. Part I: Response to Remote Forcing

A Modeling Study of Coastal-Trapped Wave Propagation in the Gulf of California. Part I: Response... The evolution of remotely forced coastal-trapped waves in the Gulf of California is studied using a hydrostatic primitive equation model. The sea level time variability at a remote station south of the gulf is assumed to propagate northward into the gulf as a mode-1 coastal-trapped wave (CTW). To validate this assumption, observations and model results are compared. In general, sea level fluctuations are reasonably well represented by the model, with model––data correlations decreasing from 0.76 at Topolobampo, close to the entrance of the gulf, to 0.52 at Santa Rosalia in the central gulf. Model––data correlations of velocity are lower (<0.6). In the gulf, CTWs propagate northward along the east side with no significant changes south of the sill, which is 600 km north of the entrance. When incident waves propagating northward in the gulf along the east side arrive at the sill, a small fraction of the wave energy enters the northern gulf and is dissipated. Most of the wave energy is steered at the sill to the west side of the gulf where it propagates southward with decreased sea level amplitude. The weakened waves leave the gulf at the southwest boundary approximately 6––7 days after entering. Some of the incident wave energy is lost into downslope propagating disturbances generated as the CTWs pass, resulting in relatively intense bottom currents. Wave disturbances exhibit nonlinear characteristics while propagating. For example, isopycnal displacements in the wave fronts steepen. This occurs primarily for waves of sea level elevation. The contribution of remotely forced CTWs in the Gulf of California to the total kinetic energy is comparable to that produced by the wind. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Journal of Physical Oceanography American Meteorological Society

A Modeling Study of Coastal-Trapped Wave Propagation in the Gulf of California. Part I: Response to Remote Forcing

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Publisher
American Meteorological Society
Copyright
Copyright © 2002 American Meteorological Society
ISSN
1520-0485
DOI
10.1175/1520-0485(2004)034<1313:AMSOCW>2.0.CO;2
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

The evolution of remotely forced coastal-trapped waves in the Gulf of California is studied using a hydrostatic primitive equation model. The sea level time variability at a remote station south of the gulf is assumed to propagate northward into the gulf as a mode-1 coastal-trapped wave (CTW). To validate this assumption, observations and model results are compared. In general, sea level fluctuations are reasonably well represented by the model, with model––data correlations decreasing from 0.76 at Topolobampo, close to the entrance of the gulf, to 0.52 at Santa Rosalia in the central gulf. Model––data correlations of velocity are lower (<0.6). In the gulf, CTWs propagate northward along the east side with no significant changes south of the sill, which is 600 km north of the entrance. When incident waves propagating northward in the gulf along the east side arrive at the sill, a small fraction of the wave energy enters the northern gulf and is dissipated. Most of the wave energy is steered at the sill to the west side of the gulf where it propagates southward with decreased sea level amplitude. The weakened waves leave the gulf at the southwest boundary approximately 6––7 days after entering. Some of the incident wave energy is lost into downslope propagating disturbances generated as the CTWs pass, resulting in relatively intense bottom currents. Wave disturbances exhibit nonlinear characteristics while propagating. For example, isopycnal displacements in the wave fronts steepen. This occurs primarily for waves of sea level elevation. The contribution of remotely forced CTWs in the Gulf of California to the total kinetic energy is comparable to that produced by the wind.

Journal

Journal of Physical Oceanography – American Meteorological Society

Published: Aug 5, 2002

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