Abstract

Observations unambiguously show that deep ocean currents carry a significant amount of fluid across the equator. Away from the equator in either hemisphere, these currents are relatively quiescent so that planetary vorticity dominates relative vorticity within the fluid. Thus, the po- tentialvorticity of cross-equatorialflow changes sign en route. The breakdown of geostrophic balance at the equator because of the vanishing horizontalcomponent of the Coriol is force and the fact that potentialvorticity is not conserved in these flows constitute formidable challenges to modeling these cross- equatorialcurrents. Recent research points to friction as being crucialto the crossing process since it provides the mechanism by which potential vorticity can be altered. As well, since these flows are bottom-dwelling currents, the geometry of the bottom topography is an important factor in determining the portion of the current which successfully crosses the equator. We examine the dynamicalbalances within equator-crossing flows by studying a simplified model of the flow in the equato- rialregion. This modelretains the effects of friction and bot- tom topography. We compare the predictions of this model with the predictions of more sophisticated numericalmodel s and with observations. It is shown that, despite the simplicity of the model, it captures certain aspects of the flow quite well.

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