M2 tidal currents in the eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean

Abstract

Current meter measurements recorded over the water column at 10 depths ranging from 20 m to 3027 m using surface and subsurface moorings near 0°, 110°W are analyzed for the M2 tidal current over a 10‐month sampling interval. A kinematical description is given by month and depth, followed by a decomposition into a barotropic mode and three baroclinic modes. The barotropic tide was dominant, and its hodograph was stable over the 10 months sampled. The baroclinic tide was random, isotropic, and without mode preference.