Quasi-geostrophic modeling of mixed instabilities in the Gulf Stream near 73°W

Abstract

The characteristics of the unstable normal modes of fluctuation of an eastward-flowing jet over a weak bottom slope are examined with a linear, quasi-geostrophic, continuously stratified, mixed-instability model utilizing basic-state fields determined from observations of the velocity and temperature structure of the Gulf Stream near 73d°W. Comparison of the model results with Gulf Stream path observations based on inverted echo sounder measurements in the area between 74°W and 70°W shows that the model can predict several of the observed features of Gulf Stream meanders: (a) two dispersion regimes, one with fast and one with slow changes in phase speed with meander wavelength; (b) the wavelengths λ associated with two growth maxima, a primary maximum at λ ∼ 270 km and a secondary maximum at λ ∼ 180 km. The energy conversion rates, when integrated over the model cross-sectional domain, change from predominantly baroclinic for fluctuations with λ < 370 km, to predominantly barotropic for λ > 370 km. The eddy pressure field is surface intensified in the upper 1000 m; a secondary intensification due to bottom topography occurs for the shorter wavelength ( λ ∼ 180 km) fluctuations near the bottom at the area where the basic state jet extends to the bottom. In the absence of bottom slope, the phase speeds decrease and the growth rates increase relative to the sloped bottom case for all fluctuations with λ > 200 km; consistent with observations showing Gulf Stream meanders to slow down as they propagate through areas of relaxing bottom slope. Fluctuations with λ > 1000 km propagate upstream with phase speed of the order of ∼ −5 km day −1 . The energy conversion rates, integrated over the model cross-sectional area, are predominantly baroclinic for all wavelengths.