Sea surface dynamic height topography and the North Equatorial Countercurrent as inferred from a linear model

Abstract

Hellerman and Rosenstein's (1983) climatological winds are used to force a linear, continuously stratified model of the tropical Atlantic. The dynamic height topography relative to 500 meters is compared with available data. Special attention is paid to the computed North Equatorial Countercurrent. We conclude that most of the observed seasonal variations can be explained using simple linear theory.