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Observations and modeling of a pulsating density current
Author(s) -
Biton E.,
Silverman J.,
Gildor H.
Publication year - 2008
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 - 10.1029/2008gl034123
Subject(s) - ocean current , current (fluid) , climatology , current density , water mass , boundary current , flux (metallurgy) , nonlinear system , general circulation model , atmospheric sciences , environmental science , geology , flow (mathematics) , oceanography , physics , mechanics , climate change , materials science , quantum mechanics , metallurgy
We investigate density current formation and flow in the northern Gulf of Eilat, Red Sea, using in situ observations and a high resolution, nonhydrostatic general circulation model. These density currents occur in relatively warm water ∼20°C and are probably the warmest in the world ocean. We demonstrate the intrinsic nonlinearity of density currents by comparing two high‐resolution simulations forced by different heat flux. This nonlinearity, which is poorly represented in global models, is shown here to affect the properties of simulated density currents. Such a bias in simulating density currents in global models may lead to significant biases on the larger scale global ocean circulation and water mass distribution.