Poseidon Ocean Model

Miscellaneous Features

Gulf Stream
Kuroshio
Tropical Instability Waves
Indonesian Throughflow
Tropical Atlantic

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Gulf Stream

Gulf Stream SST and Flow, Oct 31, 1976

More ->>> Annual Cycle

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Kuroshio

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Subsurface Flow

Tropical Instability Waves

Here we present snapshots of the tropical instability waves. The surface plot shows the manifestation of TIWs that we are very familiar with. Looking deeper, we see that the TIWs appear in the velocity field on the 15th layer (about the core of the undercurrent). A striking change in the temperature across the equator is also seen. Note that at depth, the TIWs have flow that largely parallels the isotherms, giving the impression that they are actually transporting very little heat at depth.

See below for a comparison of these "snapshots" with similar figures done with monthly mean data.

Surface Temperature

Velocity

Temperature

Salinity

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TIWs in Monthly Mean Data

Here are comparisons of the August 1976 snapshot and history data taken from August 1977, where the history is accumulated over the entire month. Note that the TIWs disappear, and the sense of the flow is remarkably changed.

**Comparing TIWs in Monthly and Snapshot Data**
Click on image to enlarge
Snapshot	Monthly

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Tropical Atlantic Subsurface Flow

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