4.5 Exercise 18: Coastal Upwelling and Downwelling
117
Fig. 4.15 Exercise 18. Downwelling scenario. Snapshots of the density field, and cross-shore and
alongshore components of horizontal velocity after 3 days of simulation
Ekman layer. Notice that the bottom Ekman layer attains a thickness of 10–20 m in
this simulation. During the course of the downwelling event, the coastal sea level
gradually rises by 20 cm (not shown). The resultant barotropic offshore pressure
gradient is the principal driver of the geostrophic alongshore jet.
4.5.7 Additional Exercise for the Reader
Explore the density structure and flows resulting from oscillatory wind-stress forcing, prescribed by Eq. (4.21), with a period of 4 days for a total simulation time of
20 days. Note that the average wind stress is zero, so that, without diffusion effects,
the final density distribution should be the same as the initial distribution. Over
time, however, we anticipate that diffusion causes residual lateral density gradients
and associated geostrophic flows.
117
Fig. 4.15 Exercise 18. Downwelling scenario. Snapshots of the density field, and cross-shore and
alongshore components of horizontal velocity after 3 days of simulation
Ekman layer. Notice that the bottom Ekman layer attains a thickness of 10–20 m in
this simulation. During the course of the downwelling event, the coastal sea level
gradually rises by 20 cm (not shown). The resultant barotropic offshore pressure
gradient is the principal driver of the geostrophic alongshore jet.
4.5.7 Additional Exercise for the Reader
Explore the density structure and flows resulting from oscillatory wind-stress forcing, prescribed by Eq. (4.21), with a period of 4 days for a total simulation time of
20 days. Note that the average wind stress is zero, so that, without diffusion effects,
the final density distribution should be the same as the initial distribution. Over
time, however, we anticipate that diffusion causes residual lateral density gradients
and associated geostrophic flows.