CH 5 Wind and Ocean Circulation

vorticity

amount of circular rotation about a vertical axis that parcels of water undergo because of planetary spin and current shear

sargasso sea NA

consists of large lens of warm water that is encircled by geostrophic currents rotating clockwise around it, has the swift flowing gulf stream as the WBC as a result of western boundary intensification, named for all the sargassum seaweed floating there

rings

large, swirling eddies created when the gulf stream’s curvature cuts off parts of cold water in warm water of gyres and vice versa

warm core rings are found to the west + north of the gulf stream

cold core rings are found to the east + south of the gulf stream

how long do rings last?

they can persist for several months-years, about 8 warm/yr 10 cold/yr, they drift to the southwest and eventually get reabsorbed into the stream