Potential Temperature() Salinity 10 32 30 30 -0.8 31 50 245 30 245 29 70 80 90 1

Question

Potential Temperature() Salinity 10 32 30 30 -0.8 31 50 245 30 245 29 70 80 90 100 70 28 100 0 5 105 20 25 30 Distance (km)225 30 Distance Iknm) Timmermans et al. (2008) c) The diagram above shows near-surface observations of temperature and salinity from an eddy in the Arctic ocean. The contours in the left-hand panel show isopycnals (isolines of potential density). i) What type of eddy is this, and why would you classify it this way? (2P) ii) Would you expect the eddy to be in geostrophic or cyclogeostrophic balance? Explain why. (2P) ii) Sketch the direction of the geostrophic velocity in this section and explain how you derived it. You may assume that the geostrophic flow is zero at the surface. [N.B. this is not a hint for part

Explanation / Answer

(i) halocline eddies across the Arctic Ocean. The Arctic halocline, is characterized by a strong increase in salinity (and potential density) and varying temperature structures.

(ii) Cyclogeostrophic balance , A current that is nearly in geostrophic balance (pressure gradient balanced by Coriolis term), with a correction for the centrifugal acceleration due to flow along curved flow lines.

(iii) Eastward direction , The direction of geostrophic flow is parallel to the isobars, with the high pressure to the right of the flow in the Northern Hemisphere, and the high pressure to the left in the Southern Hemisphere.

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