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dc.contributor.advisorPaola Malanotte-Rizzoli.en_US
dc.contributor.authorJochum, Markus, 1969-en_US
dc.contributor.otherWoods Hole Oceanographic Institution.en_US
dc.coverage.spatialt------en_US
dc.date.accessioned2005-09-27T20:22:23Z
dc.date.available2005-09-27T20:22:23Z
dc.date.copyright2002en_US
dc.date.issued2002en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/29062
dc.descriptionThesis (Ph. D.)--Joint Program in Physical Oceanography (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Science; and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution), 2002.en_US
dc.descriptionIncludes bibliographical references (p. 134-138).en_US
dc.description.abstractA numerical model of the tropical Atlantic ocean is used to investigate the upper layer pathways of the Meridional Overturning Circulation (MOC) in the tropical Atlantic. The main focus of this thesis is on those parts of the tropical circulation that are thought to be important for the MOC return flow, but whose dynamics have not been understood yet. It is shown how the particular structure of the tropical gyre and the MOC act to inhibit the flow of North Atlantic water into the equatorial thermocline. As a result, the upper layers of the tropical Atlantic are mainly fed by water from the South Atlantic. The processes that carry the South Atlantic water across the tropical Atlantic into the North Atlantic as part of the MOC are described here, and three processes that were hitherto not understood are explained as follows: The North Brazil Current rings are created as the result of the reflection of Rossby waves at the South American coast. These Rossby waves are generated by the barotropically unstable North Equatorial Countercurrent. The deep structure of the rings can be explained by merger of the wave's anticyclones with the deeper intermediate eddies that are generated as the intermediate western boundary current crosses the equator. The bands of strong zonal velocity in intermediate depths along the equator have hitherto been explained as intermediate currents. Here, an alternative interpretation of the observations is offered: The Eulerian mean flow along the equator is negligible and the observations are the signature of strong seasonal Rossby waves. The previous interpretation of the observations can then be explained as aliasing of the tropical wave field.en_US
dc.description.abstract(cont.) The Tsuchyia Jets are driven by the Eliassen-Palm flux of the tropical instability waves. The equatorial current system with its strong shears is unstable and generates tropical instability waves. These waves cause a poleward temperature flux which steepens the isotherms which in turn generates are geostrophically balanced zonal flow. In the eastern part of the basin this zonal flow feeds the southeastward flow of the equatorial gyre.en_US
dc.description.statementofresponsibilityby Markus Jochum.en_US
dc.format.extent138 p.en_US
dc.format.extent11850753 bytes
dc.format.extent11850513 bytes
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdf
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdf
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.publisherMassachusetts Institute of Technologyen_US
dc.rightsM.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.en_US
dc.rights.urihttp://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582
dc.subjectJoint Program in Physical Oceanography.en_US
dc.subjectEarth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences.en_US
dc.subjectWoods Hole Oceanographic Institution.en_US
dc.titleOn the pathways of the return flow of the meridional overturning circulation in the tropical Atlanticen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
dc.description.degreePh.D.en_US
dc.contributor.departmentJoint Program in Physical Oceanographyen_US
dc.contributor.departmentWoods Hole Oceanographic Institutionen_US
dc.contributor.departmentMassachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Ocean Engineering
dc.identifier.oclc51036253en_US


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