Model Studies of the Estimate of the Contribution of Wind-Driven Currents to the General Circulation of the World Ocean

摘要

The calculations of barotropic currents caused by tangential wind stress are carried out on the basis of a nonlinear model of the World Ocean.A comparative analysis of the wind-induced barotropic and general baroclinic circulation is carried out.It is shown that on average,about one-half of the discharges of western boundary currents are related to wind-induced currents.In contrast,the transport of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current is mainly determined by thermohaline factors.Seasonal variations in the wind-induced and total baro-clinic transports the quasi-in-phase,and their amplitudes are close to each other.A 7-year prognostic calculation of barotropic currents in the World Ocean is carried out on the basis of the daily values of tangential wind stress,which reveals a significant variability of the currents.