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Florida Transport: Gulf Stream, Currents, Rings, and Equatorial Circulation

This text provides information on the transport patterns in the Florida region, including the Gulf Stream, various currents, Gulf Stream rings, and equatorial circulation. It highlights the characteristics and movement of these oceanic features.

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Florida Transport: Gulf Stream, Currents, Rings, and Equatorial Circulation

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  1. Transport: Florida current 30Sv (15-38Sv) Cape Hatteras 85Sv 65oW 150Sv (contributions by Antilles Current Gulf Stream rings 40Sv) Southwestward countercurrent in deep ocean (9-18cm/s) Transport 15Sv (2-50Sv)

  2. Western Boundary current: Gulf Stream

  3. Width: 120km Cold wall: 1/200 Thermostad Between 16o-20oC 18o water Its properties are very consistent within a few tenth of a degree on either side of 18oC and with a salinity of 36.4 to 36.6 It is possibly winter formed. Its rate of annual formation is not well known

  4. Gulf Stream Ring and Ocean Eddies 150-300 km in diameter Vertical dimension 3000m Life time up to 2 years Cold ring, cyclonic Thermocline 500m higher than surrounding water SSH 95cm deeper (obs) Warm ring, anticyclonic SSH 75cm higher (obs) At any time, there may be 3-4 warm rings north of the stream and 8-15 cold rings south of it Move south or south or southwestward a few km/day Merge with the stream again

  5. Equatorial Circulation

  6. Equatorial Under Current

  7. Geostrophic balance near the equator

  8. Equatorial Under Current Core close to the equator, ~1m/s Below mixed layer Thickness ~ 100 m Half-width 1-2 degrees (Rossby radius at the equator) Forced by zonal pressure gradient established by equatorial easterlies Surface slope 5 x 10-8

  9. Geostrophy contributes to the stability of an eastward flow along the equator

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