A Simple Two-Dimensional Electrical Analog Model for Wind-Driven Circulation in the Gulf of St. Lawrence
A mathematical model of water circulation in an enclosed basin was examined, taking into account the effects of vertical friction, Coriolis force, and horizontal pressure gradients. Wind stress at the free surface was the only excitation force taken into account. The resulting vorticity equation was applied to the Gulf of St. Lawrence by using an electrical analog simulation technique. Solutions were obtained for two situations: one in which the circulation was vertically averaged and another which showed the circulation at several depths. Comparison of the results with broad features of the Gulf circulation derived from synoptic surveys suggested that the wind plays an important role in producing the long-term circulation. The model did not duplicate all of the features of the long-term circulation, but suggested several phenomena for further direct study.