Sensitivity of the Inner-Shelf Circulation to the Form of the Eddy Viscosity Profile

Abstract

The sensitivity of the inner-shelf circulation to the form of the vertical mixing is examined using a steady, linear, two-dimensional, eddy viscosity model. For both alongshelf wind stress and pressure gradient forcing, the alongshelf circulation over the inner shelf is insensitive to the form of the eddy viscosity profile. However, the cross-shelf circulation is sensitive to the form of the eddy viscosity profile. In particular, the location and width of the cross-shelf divergence in the Ekman transport over the inner shelf, and hence the corresponding upwelling or downwelling, depend on the form of the eddy viscosity profile.