Laboratory and Numerical Modeling of Topographic Effects on Time-Dependent Ocean Currents

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It has been observed that when a strong current, such as the Gulf Stream, interacts with topography, such as the New England Seamounts or the Bahama banks, eddies are formed on the lee side of the topographic feature. This proposal is to study the process of eddy generation and decay by steady and unsteady flows past topographic features. Boyer (with Davies) will simulate in a tank experiment the effect of moving diverse topographic shapes through a rotating, stratified fluid; Holland will simulate the same physical system with a primitive equation 20 layer computer model. Results will be compared to determine the range of para- meter space in which the model can predict the lab experiments and ascertain which conclusions are relevant to ocean dynamics.