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What is sea surface slope?
The surface of the real ocean is constantly changing as winds and density differences cause gentle hills and valleys to form. Although these slopes are very small when compared to those on land, surface water responds to these changes in topography as it would on land, by starting to move (uphill) (downhill). 5.
How do you calculate geostrophic current?
This geostrophic balance is given as dp/dx = v2ω sin θ, and dp/dy = –u2 sin, where dp/dx and dp/dy are the horizontal pressure gradient along the x-axis and y-axis, respectively, and u and v are the horizontal components of the velocity U along the x-axis and y-axis, respectively.
How does sea surface height change?
The geoid is the shape the sea surface would have if all the currents and tides stopped. The height (or “relief”) of the sea surface is caused by both gravity (which doesn’t change much over hundreds of years) and the dynamic (always changing) ocean circulation.
What is Geotrophic?
geostrophic motion, fluid flow in a direction parallel to lines of equal pressure (isobars) in a rotating system, such as the Earth. Such flow is produced by the balance of the Coriolis force (q.v.; caused by the Earth’s rotation) and the pressure-gradient force.
How do you find the Coriolis parameter?
The Coriolis parameter f = 2Ω sin θ varies with latitude θ.
What is oceans dynamic height?
(Also called geodynamic height.) In oceanography, represents the ability of a column of water to do work due to differences in geopotential (the potential for gravity to do work because of height of the water relative to some reference level). The dynamic height is computed from the measured density distribution.
How is sea surface height calculated?
The sea surface height (SSH) is calculated through altimetry satellites, which determine the distance from the satellite to a target surface by measuring the satellite-to-surface round-trip time of a radar pulse. The satellites then measure the distance between their orbit altitude and the surface of the water.
What is sea surface topography and how do we measure it?
Ocean surface topography is measured using a satellite altimeter. Ocean surface topography is estimated by referencing the sea surface height to the geoid. Other ancillary information on the ocean surface is also obtained from satellite altimetry including information on surface waves and roughness.
What is Geotropic winds?
: a wind whose direction and speed are determined by a balance of the pressure-gradient force and the force due to the earth’s rotation.
What is Coriolis coefficient?
The Coriolis frequency ƒ, also called the Coriolis parameter or Coriolis coefficient, is equal to twice the rotation rate Ω of the Earth multiplied by the sine of the latitude .
What is Omega in Coriolis equation?
Twice the component of the earth’s angular velocity about the local vertical, 2Ω sinφ, where Ω is the angular speed of the earth and φ is the latitude.