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Read Full Article (file size: 1596253 bytes) Cited by
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH,
VOL. 110,
C03019,
doi:10.1029/2004JC002533,
2005
Variability and forcing of the East Australian Current
Melissa M. Bowen
Colorado Center for Astrodynamics Research, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, USA
John L. Wilkin
Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
William J. Emery
Colorado Center for Astrodynamics Research, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, USA
Abstract
The spatial and temporal variability of the East Australian Current (EAC) is investigated using 6 years (1993–1998) of surface
geostrophic stream function from an optimal interpolation of altimeter sea surface heights and velocities derived from tracking
thermal features in satellite imagery. Variability appears as a series of cyclones and anticyclones propagating southwestward
and westward with periods between 90 and 180 days. The behavior of the variability changes over the 6 years. Energy in the
mesoscale frequencies moves slowly south and diminishes with more westward propagation in the region where the current separates
from the coast. We find no evidence for a consistent forcing of the EAC by mesoscale signals propagating westward from the
South Pacific basin. We suggest that the observations are consistent with variability originating between 32°S and 35°S through
intrinsic instabilities of the current.
Received 17
June
2004;
accepted 26
January
2005;
published 23
March
2005.
Keywords: East Australian Current;
mesoscale variability;
western boundary current.
Index Terms: 4520 Oceanography: Physical: Eddies and mesoscale processes; 4576 Oceanography: Physical: Western boundary currents.
Read Full Article (file size: 1596253 bytes) Cited by
Citation: Bowen, M. M., J. L. Wilkin, and W. J. Emery
(2005),
Variability and forcing of the East Australian Current,
J. Geophys. Res.,
110,
C03019,
doi:10.1029/2004JC002533.
Copyright 2005 by the American Geophysical Union.
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