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Glider observations of kinematics in a Gulf of Alaska eddy
Author(s) -
Martin J. P.,
Lee C. M.,
Eriksen C. C.,
Ladd C.,
Kachel N. B.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: oceans
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.67
H-Index - 298
eISSN - 2156-2202
pISSN - 0148-0227
DOI - 10.1029/2008jc005231
Subject(s) - glider , eddy , geology , current meter , vorticity , current (fluid) , potential vorticity , radius , buoyancy , rossby number , rossby wave , altimeter , geodesy , sea surface height , oceanography , meteorology , vortex , turbulence , physics , mechanics , computer security , marine engineering , computer science , engineering
The depth‐radial structure of a Gulf of Alaska (GoA) eddy is investigated using observations from an autonomous winged buoyancy‐driven glider, drifters, and satellite altimeters. The eddy formed when Sitka and Yakutat eddies merged in June 2005. Sitka and Yakutat eddies form in the northeastern GoA and travel westward carrying anomalous energy, temperature, and chemical properties. The glider crossed the eddy seven times from mid‐August to late October 2005. A temperature maximum, at 130 m depth near the eddy's center, is indicative of coastal water. The strongest azimuthal current is 0.35 m s −1 , occurring at 270 m depth and 17.5 km radius. The eddy's Rossby (Burger) number is 0.16 (0.47). Using a model with nonzero constant potential vorticity anomaly only within each depth's radius of strongest current, a function is fit to azimuthal current. The fit explains a large percentage of the current's radial variance, with a squared correlation coefficient of ≥0.9 at the depths of strongest current (270 m) and weakest stratification (360 m). Temporal trends in azimuthal volume transport rate and depth mean potential vorticity are not observed during the glider survey.

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