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Estimates of internal tide energy fluxes from Topex/Poseidon Altimetry: Central North Pacific
Author(s) -
Ray Richard D.,
Cartwright David E.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2000gl012447
Subject(s) - internal tide , altimeter , bathymetry , geology , ridge , hydrography , ocean surface topography , climatology , oceanography , sea level , internal wave , geodesy , trench , paleontology , chemistry , organic chemistry , layer (electronics)
Energy fluxes for first‐mode M 2 internal tides are deduced throughout the central North Pacific Ocean from Topex/Poseidon satellite altimeter data. Temporally coherent internal tide signals in the altimetry, combined with climatological hydrographic data, determine the tidal displacements, pressures, and currents at depth, which yield power transmission rates. For a variety of reasons the deduced rates should be considered lower bounds. Internal tides are found to emanate from several large bathymetric structures, especially the Hawaiian Ridge, where the integrated flux amounts to about 6 gigawatts. Internal tides are generated at the Aleutian Trench near 172°W and propagate southwards nearly 2000 km.