The Gulf StreamThe Gulf Stream

Justin ShapiroJustin Shapiro

Image Courtesy

of Benjamin Franklin. (He had it just about

right)http://www.ushistory.org/franklin/

temple/images/gulf_stream.gif

LocationWestern Boundary of the North Atlantic Ocean

Sources: Caribbean Sea, Antilles Current

Sharp Transition zone between cold, dense water (Laborador) and warm, less dense water.

Transport: Heat

Heat: 1.4 petawatts of heat

In conjunction with the Hadley Circulation, this heat transport moderates the climate of Europe.

Some argue that the atmosphere plays a larger role here: Mid-latitude Cyclones

Transport: WaterVolume:

Through Florida Straights: 30 Sv

Max. Trans. At 55W: 150 Sv

Transport Increases due to mass contributions from the Worthington Gyre and the Northern Recirculation Gyre

Downstream of Cape Hatteras, Transport Increases by ~8Sv/100km

QuickTime™ and aCinepak decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Topographical Image: oceancurrents.rsmas.miami.edu/atlantic/img_topo1/gulf-stream2.jpg

Gulf Stream’s Sink

Near 38N 44W: Flow Diverges

Toward Mid-Atlantic Ridge:

Azores Current (cold)(southward)

Following north along the continental slope

North Atlantic Current (warm)(Eastward)

Time Variant Structure

Large Values of Eddy Kinetic Energy at Labrador/Gulf Stream Interface

~22 Warm Core and 35 Cold core rings are shed: features persist from weeks to a year!

Wanders much like a wriggling garden hose

Scaling factors

Width: 80-150 km

Depth: 800-1200 m

Average Speed: 2 m/s

Reference

• HYCOM Consortium, Live Access Data Server, http://hycom.coaps.fsu.edu/thredds/dodsC/atl_ops.html

• Joanna Gyory, Arthur J. Mariano, Edward H. Ryan. "The Gulf Stream." Ocean Surface Currents. http://oceancurrents.rsmas.miami.edu/atlantic/gulf-stream.html.

• Lee, Hoyle, “A Gulf Stream Synthetic Geoid for the TOPEX Altimeter,” 1997.