Abstract
Barotropic flows in a circular basin at mid-latitude driven by an inflow and an outflow are studied using two different methods: an analytical method with a low-order spectral model and a numerical method with a spatial grid model. A new class of flow is found where the β-term balances with the advection term. In this flow, a large vortex with homogeneous potential vorticity is significant, and the flow does not inherit symmetry from the boundary condition. It is a degenerated flow, called ‘vortex flow’. Two vortex flows symmetrical with respect to each other are obtained using the same parameters. This flows appears at relatively high Rossby number. In a range of lower Rossby numbers, stationary Rossby waves are observed. When Ekman number is sufficiently small, an oscillatory flow is obtained at a Rossby number between those of the vortex flow and the stationary Rossby wave. From these results, the existence of the ‘triple point’ is suggested. This triple point is related to the bimodality of the Kuroshio.
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