Abstract
It is known that dissipative adjustment must occur in the cross-equatorial dynamics of a deep western boundary current (DWBC) that is in planetary-geostrophic balance away from the equator. Theoretical modelling and numerical simulations suggest that the dissipative zones correspond to “small” isolated zonally-elongated regions within the trough and crest of a nonlinear stationary equatorial planetary wave that is formed as the DWBC flows eastward along the equator. An internal frictional boundary layer theory is advanced to describe the leading order structure of the DWBC in the dissipative regions, which asymptotically matches with the large scale inviscid flow characteristics in the equatorial region.
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