EAS212 Lecture 9: notes_lecture09
4 Apr 2016
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Winds generate movement in the ocean in two ways: by transferring its energy to the surface water through friction, by blowing/pushing the surface waters in a given direction, creating a slope on the sea surface pressure gradient. Wind energy transfer through friction generates currents and waves. Generally, about 1-3% of the wind energy is converted to ocean kinetic energy o. 60 km/h winds give 1-2 km/h ocean currents. Consider the ocean as a series of thin layers, each connected to the one above and below it. As the surface layer of the ocean flows, it interacts with the water below it and transfer energy down, again by friction. As the layer interacts with its neighbour, friction transfer energy between the layers. Again, only a small fraction of the kinetic energy is transferred. This means that the ocean speed normally decreases with depth.
