Baroclinic and barotropic tides in the Ross Sea

2005 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 107-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
ROBIN ROBERTSON
Keyword(s):  
Continental Shelf ◽  
Continental Slope ◽  
Ross Sea ◽  
Ocean Model ◽  
Vertical Shear ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Regional Ocean Model System ◽  
Shelf Waves ◽  
Tidal Constituents ◽  
Continental Shelf Waves

The barotropic and baroclinic tides in the Ross Sea were simulated using a primitive equation, sigma-coordinate model, the Regional Ocean Model System (ROMS), for four tidal constituents, M2, S2, K1, and O1. Small elevation amplitudes were predicted over most of the basin, with a combined standard deviation of 30–50 cm. Larger amplitudes, with standard deviations ranging from 50–70 cm, occurred deep within the ice shelf cavity, over the continental slope, and over Iselin Bank. Most of the elevation response was associated with the diurnal constituents (K1 and O1), as was most of the depth-independent (barotropic) velocity response. Baroclinic tides were generated at locations of steep topography for the semidiurnal constituents, but not the diurnal. Diurnal continental shelf waves were generated by the diurnal tides and found to amplify the semidiurnal elevations and baroclinic tidal velocities over the continental slope. Comparisons with observations in both elevation and velocities showed very good agreement for the semidiurnal constituents (M2 and S2) and moderate agreement for the diurnal constituents (K1 and O1). The disagreement for the diurnal constituents was associated with diurnal frequency continental shelf waves, which were overexcited along the shelf break. The baroclinic tides induced both small-scale horizontal and vertical shear in the velocity fields in the Ross Sea.

Baroclinic and barotropic tides in the Weddell Sea

2005 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 461-474 ◽  
Author(s):  
ROBIN ROBERTSON
Keyword(s):  
Continental Shelf ◽  
Continental Slope ◽  
Internal Tide ◽  
Weddell Sea ◽  
Internal Tides ◽  
Vertical Shear ◽  
Inertial Oscillations ◽  
Shelf Waves ◽  
Continental Shelf Waves ◽  
Diurnal Tides

Barotropic and baroclinic tides were simulated for the Weddell Sea using ROMS. The model estimates for both tidal elevations and velocities showed good agreement with existing observations. The rms differences were 9 cm for elevations and 1.2–1.7 cm s−1 for the major axes of the tidal ellipses for the semidiurnal constituents and 6–8 cm and 4.5 cm s−1 for the diurnal constituents, respectively. Most of the discrepancies occurred deep under the ice shelf for the semidiurnal tides and along the continental slope for the diurnal tides. Along the continental slope, the model overestimated the generation of diurnal continental shelf waves. The diurnal tides were barotropic throughout the basin. However, internal tides were generated at semidiurnal frequencies over rough topography. Over the continental slope, semidiurnal baroclinic tidal generation was enhanced by the existence of continental shelf waves, through their harmonics. Baroclinic tides generated over rough topography in the northern Weddell Sea incited inertial oscillations as they propagated south. These inertial oscillations varied with depth since they were incited at different depths at different times as the internal tide progressed. Both the baroclinic tides and inertial oscillations induced vertical shear in the water column and increased the divergence of the horizontal surface velocities.

scholarly journals Ocean processes at the Antarctic continental slope

2014 ◽  
Vol 372 (2019) ◽  
pp. 20130047 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen J. Heywood ◽  
Sunke Schmidtko ◽  
Céline Heuzé ◽  
Jan Kaiser ◽  
Timothy D. Jickells ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Southern Ocean ◽  
Continental Shelf ◽  
Continental Slope ◽  
Climate Models ◽  
Water Mass ◽  
Ocean Model ◽  
Shelf Break ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Exchange Processes ◽  
The Antarctic

The Antarctic continental shelves and slopes occupy relatively small areas, but, nevertheless, are important for global climate, biogeochemical cycling and ecosystem functioning. Processes of water mass transformation through sea ice formation/melting and ocean–atmosphere interaction are key to the formation of deep and bottom waters as well as determining the heat flux beneath ice shelves. Climate models, however, struggle to capture these physical processes and are unable to reproduce water mass properties of the region. Dynamics at the continental slope are key for correctly modelling climate, yet their small spatial scale presents challenges both for ocean modelling and for observational studies. Cross-slope exchange processes are also vital for the flux of nutrients such as iron from the continental shelf into the mixed layer of the Southern Ocean. An iron-cycling model embedded in an eddy-permitting ocean model reveals the importance of sedimentary iron in fertilizing parts of the Southern Ocean. Ocean gliders play a key role in improving our ability to observe and understand these small-scale processes at the continental shelf break. The Gliders: Excellent New Tools for Observing the Ocean (GENTOO) project deployed three Seagliders for up to two months in early 2012 to sample the water to the east of the Antarctic Peninsula in unprecedented temporal and spatial detail. The glider data resolve small-scale exchange processes across the shelf-break front (the Antarctic Slope Front) and the front's biogeochemical signature. GENTOO demonstrated the capability of ocean gliders to play a key role in a future multi-disciplinary Southern Ocean observing system.

Dispersion Relation for Continental Shelf Waves When the Shallow Shelf Part Has an Arbitrary Width: Application to the Shelf West of Norway

2016 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 537-549 ◽  
Author(s):  
Magnus Drivdal ◽  
Jan Erik H. Weber ◽  
Jens Boldingh Debernard
Keyword(s):  
Dispersion Relation ◽  
Continental Shelf ◽  
Barents Sea ◽  
Storm Track ◽  
Ocean Model ◽  
Kelvin Wave ◽  
Convex Upward ◽  
Shelf Waves ◽  
Shelf Region ◽  
Continental Shelf Waves

AbstractThe dispersion relation for continental shelf waves (CSWs) in a shelf region with an unbounded flat outer ocean, a convex-upward exponential shelf, and an interior flat region of arbitrary width D is derived. The calculations allow for a nonzero divergence of the wave motion. Some consequences of these findings are discussed for the shelf west of Norway, where the shelf at mid-Norway is quite wide, while at Lofoten it is much narrower. Furthermore, north of Lofoten, along the opening to the Barents Sea, the shelf becomes extremely wide. In this region the conditions are nearly met for a double Kelvin wave. The paper discusses how CSWs generated along the common storm track outside southwest Norway modify as they travel along the shelf. The analytical results are compared with results from a numerical barotropic ocean model with realistic shelf topography.

scholarly journals Hydraulic control of continental shelf waves

2021 ◽  
Vol 917 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Jamshidi ◽  
E.R. Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Continental Shelf ◽  
Hydraulic Control ◽  
Shelf Waves ◽  
Continental Shelf Waves

Abstract

Corrigendum to “Continental shelf waves on the Alborán sea” [Cont. Shelf Res. 111 (2015) 1–8]

2016 ◽  
Vol 127 ◽  
pp. 43
Author(s):  
M.A. Serrano ◽  
M. Díez-Minguito ◽  
M. Ortega-Sánchez ◽  
M.A. Losad
Keyword(s):  
Continental Shelf ◽  
Alboran Sea ◽  
Shelf Waves ◽  
Continental Shelf Waves ◽  
Alborán Sea

scholarly journals M2 tidal dynamics in the Ross Sea

2003 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
ROBIN ROBERTSON ◽  
AIKE BECKMANN ◽  
HARTMUT HELLMER
Keyword(s):  
Continental Shelf ◽  
Ross Sea ◽  
Tidal Energy ◽  
Ocean Model ◽  
Internal Tides ◽  
Global Ocean ◽  
Tidal Dynamics ◽  
Tidal Elevation ◽  
Shelf Slope ◽  
Continental Shelf Slope

In certain regions of the Southern Ocean, tidal energy is believed to foster the mixing of different water masses, which eventually contribute to the formation of deep and bottom waters. The Ross Sea is one of the major ventilation sites of the global ocean abyss and a region of sparse tidal observations. We investigated M2 tidal dynamics in the Ross Sea using a three-dimensional sigma coordinate model, the Regional Ocean Model System (ROMS). Realistic topography and hydrography from existing observational data were used with a single tidal constituent, the semi-diurnal M2. The model fields faithfully reproduced the major features of the tidal circulation and had reasonable agreement with ten existing tidal elevation observations and forty-two existing tidal current measurements. The differences were attributed primarily to topographic errors. Internal tides were generated at the continental shelf/slope break and other areas of steep topography. Strong vertical shears in the horizontal velocities occurred under and at the edges of the Ross Ice Shelf and along the continental shelf/slope break. Estimates of lead formation based on divergence of baroclinic velocities were significantly higher than those based on barotrophic velocities, reaching over 10% at the continental shelf/slope break.

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