Dynamics of near-shore vortices

This work addresses two problems: 1) the dispersion induced by a cloud of vortices near a straight coast-line when the bottom is flat and the coastal boundary is a vertical plane or when the bottom is a planar slope; 2) the dynamics of vortices moving over a planar sloping bottom. Vortices near a vertical boundary are studied by the well-known method of images. For a plane sloping bottom we describe and develop a model, first introduced by Peregrine (1996) that uses a sector of a vortex ring to model a vortex in a wedge of fluid, where the wedge is formed by the water surface and by the planar sloping bottom. Numerical simulations using these free-slip analytical models are used to investigate the dispersion of vorticity and of a passive tracer induced by clouds of vortices. The results of the two models are compared. The dispersion of vortices and particles is mainly affected by the formation of vortex dipoles. The shoreline sets a preferential direction for the dispersion process and the dispersion normal to the shoreline is generally smaller, or bounded when the vortices forming the dipole have different absolute circulation. The dispersion of particles is generally smaller than the dispersion of vortices. In the second part of this work the analytical model of Peregrine (1996) for vortices moving over a planar slope at an angle a with the horizontal is tested against a set of laboratory experiments. Experiments were made by studying the dynamics of a vortex dipole moving towards a planar sloping beach. We measured the minimum distance from the shoreline reached by the vortices and their along-shore speed. The parameter ranges examined were 3º≤α≤45º, and 1×103≤Re≤6×103 (where Re is the Reynold's number of the vortices). We find a good agreement between the predictions and the observations when Re >~ 1500

Global perspectives on observing ocean boundary current systems

Ocean boundary current systems are key components of the climate system, are home to highly productive ecosystems, and have numerous societal impacts. Establishment of a global network of boundary current observing systems is a critical part of ongoing development of the Global Ocean Observing System. The characteristics of boundary current systems are reviewed, focusing on scientific and societal motivations for sustained observing. Techniques currently used to observe boundary current systems are reviewed, followed by a census of the current state of boundary current observing systems globally. Next steps in the development of boundary current observing systems are considered, leading to several specific recommendations

Dynamics of vortices on a uniformly shelving beach

Laboratory experiments are described which investigate the dynamics of a vortex dipole moving in water towards a planar sloping beach inclined at an angle [alpha] to the horizontal. Results are compared with those of a vortex ring model first developed by Peregrine (1996). The vortices separate as they travel up the beach, eventually moving in opposite directions and nearly parallel to the shoreline. The ranges of conditions examined are 3°[less-than-or-eq, slant][alpha][less-than-or-eq, slant]45°, 1×103[less-than-or-eq, slant]Re[less-than-or-eq, slant]6×103 and 0.05[less-than-or-eq, slant]Fr[less-than-or-eq, slant]0.14, where Re and Fr are the on-slope Reynolds number and the Froude number of the vortices, respectively. The minimum distance from the shoreline reached by the vortices and their along-shore speed are in general agreement with the predictions when, respectively, R*i<3 (where R*i is the non-dimensional initial distance of the vortices from the shore-line) and Re[greater, similar]1500. The vortex ring model is likely to have useful applications to the study of the dynamics of the near-shore zone

Dynamics of near-shore vortices

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Eddy induced Kuroshio intrusions onto the continental shelf of the East China Sea

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