Steady State Ocean Response to Wind Forcing in Extratropical Frontal Regions

摘要: In regions of strong sea surface temperature (SST) gradients, the “geostrophic” currents have a vertical shear aligned with density front defined by temperature. This geostrophic (“thermal wind”) can balance portion wind stress, altering classic Ekman response to forcing. Here we show that these frontal effects cannot be ignored in Tropics or extratropics, such as found coastal and western boundary all basins. Frontal also dominate both hemispheres where Trade winds change westerlies. Implications for motion global heat transport are discussed.