Spinup toward Communication between Large Oceanic Subpolar and Subtropical Gyres

Abstract

An interpretation in terms of planetary waves is proposed, which sheds light on the dynamics underlying the large-scale cross-gyre geostrophic flow recently developed in a two-layer ventilated thermocline model. The cross-gyre communication flow is the result of an arrested nondispersive baroclinic Rossby wave in the presence of zonal Sverdrup transport along the line of vanishing Ekman pumping. A baroclinic adjustment is described in which a resting ocean settles to a steady communicating solution.