The damping effect of bottom topography on internal decadal-scale oscillations of the thermohaline circulation

Abstract

By comparing the response of flat and bowl-shaped basins to fixed heat fluxes of various magnitudes, it is determined that coastal topography has a considerable damping influence upon internal decadal oscillations of the thermohaline circulation. It is proposed that this is because the adjustment of baroclinic currents to the no-normal-flow boundary condition at weakly stratified coasts is aided in the topography case by the generation of substantial barotropic flow.