Recent theories of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) suggest that its lateral and vertical stratification is controlled by its baroclinic instability: eddies in the ACC not only feed-off the available potential energy stored in sloping isopycnals but play a central role is setting up that stratification. Simple theory makes predictions about how the depth of the thermocline in the ACC depends on the surface winds, the air-sea buoyancy flux and transfer by baroclinic eddies. By examining gridded hydrographic data, here we test some of these predictions against observations. We show that, to a remarkable degree, the buoyancy field in the ACC decays exponentially with depth beneath the mixed layer. The e-folding depth increases equatorward, from less than 500 m on the poleward flank of the ACC to greater then 1000 m on its equatorial flank, in a manner that is broadly consistent with the theory. © 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
CITATION STYLE
Karsten, R. H., & Marshall, J. (2002). Testing theories of the vertical stratification of the ACC against observations. Dynamics of Atmospheres and Oceans, 36(1–3), 233–246. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0377-0265(02)00031-3
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