Abstract
Direct measurements of the nearshore surface currents along the coast of central California were made in October 1958 and January 1959. Parachute drogues were used to determine trajectory and speed. Hydrographic casts were made concurrently over the surrounding area to compare the drogue results with the geostrophic flow calculated from density measurements. Very good agreement was found in direction, but the geostrophic speed calculated from a weak gradient over a short distance cannot give accurate results. In October the coastal waters were just beginning to flow northward, and velocities measured by both drogues and the geostrophic approximation indicated some irregularity. In January the northward-flowing Davidson current was well established. It was about 50 nautical miles wide at 36°N, and speeds of 0.2 and 0.5 knot were observed. The flow maintained the quasi-periodic fluctuations of approximate diurnal and semidiurnal period that had been observed before.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.