THE NEAR-SURFACE LAYER OF THE OCEAN
In addition to numerical simulations, the dynamics of coherent vortices
has been studied in laboratory experiments. The flow in the laboratory
setting can effectively be made two-dimensional by the presence of rotation
and/or stratification, magnetic fields, or geometry (Van Heist, 1993). Likely
as a result of the variety of mechanisms used to make a flow twodimensional, there is increasing interest not only within the field of
geophysical fluid dynamics, but also in disciplines such as plasma physics
and even astrophysics. In particular, the “Great Red Spot” on Jupiter is
believed to be an organized structure – the eddy. Coherent structures are also
likely present on the Sun and in the accretion disks of neutron stars.
Figure 5-4. Merging of two identical monopolar vortices from the numerical simulation by
Van Heijst (1993).
292
In addition to numerical simulations, the dynamics of coherent vortices
has been studied in laboratory experiments. The flow in the laboratory
setting can effectively be made two-dimensional by the presence of rotation
and/or stratification, magnetic fields, or geometry (Van Heist, 1993). Likely
as a result of the variety of mechanisms used to make a flow twodimensional, there is increasing interest not only within the field of
geophysical fluid dynamics, but also in disciplines such as plasma physics
and even astrophysics. In particular, the “Great Red Spot” on Jupiter is
believed to be an organized structure – the eddy. Coherent structures are also
likely present on the Sun and in the accretion disks of neutron stars.
Figure 5-4. Merging of two identical monopolar vortices from the numerical simulation by
Van Heijst (1993).
292