Open AccessOn the Separation of a Barotropic Western Boundary Current from a Cape
Author(s) -
David Munday,
David P. Marshall
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
journal of physical oceanography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.706
H-Index - 143
eISSN - 1520-0485
pISSN - 0022-3670
DOI - 10.1175/jpo2783.1
Subject(s) - barotropic fluid , boundary current , current (fluid) , flow separation , vorticity , separation (statistics) , mechanics , flow (mathematics) , curvature , boundary (topology) , geology , ocean current , boundary layer , physics , geometry , climatology , vortex , oceanography , mathematics , mathematical analysis , statistics
The problem of western boundary current separation is investigated using a barotropic vorticity model. Specifically, a boundary current flowing poleward along a boundary containing a cape is considered. The meridional gradient of the Coriolis parameter (the β effect), the strength of dissipation, and the geometry of the cape are varied. It is found that 1) all instances of flow separation arc coincident with the presence of a flow deceleration, 2) an increase in the strength of the β effect is able to suppress flow separation, and 3) increasing coastline curvature can overcome the suppressive β effect and induce separation. These results are supported by integrated vorticity budgets, which attribute the acceleration of the boundary current to the β effect and changes in flow curvature. The transition to unsteady final model states is found to have no effect upon the qualitative nature of these conclusions. © 2005 American Meteorological Society