www.ecco-group.org/abstracts/woce_virginie.txt

A 1/3 {$^\circ$} resolution model of the tropical Pacific Ocean is 
used to investigate eddy energetics associated with tropical 
instability waves (TIWs) in the equatorial Pacific Ocean from 1996 
to 2000. The geographical dependence of the balance of the perturbation
energy equation is explored, and the sensitivity of the results to
the wind forcing and the model's resolution is investigated.

Eddy kinetic energy reaches large values in fall 1998 
during La Nina and TIWs are absent during El Nino (spring 1997 to 
spring 1998).  At 135$^{\circ}$W, the large mean to eddy kinetic 
energy conversion is dominated by $\overline{u'v'} \partial 
U/\partial y$, $\overline{v'v'}\partial V/\partial y$ and 
$\overline{u'w'}\partial U/\partial z$. All those terms are 
subject to seasonal and interannual variability. Baroclinic instability also 
provides energy to the TIWs between 1$^{\circ}$ and 4$^{\circ}$N through the
conversion of eddy potential to eddy kinetic energy. 

Largest eddy energy production are observed in surface at 4$^{\circ}$N within 
the anticyclonic shear between the SEC and the NECC, where the eddy kinetic energy 
is maximum. $\overline{u'v'}\partial U/\partial y$ is maximum just north of the equator 
at about 50\,m in fall 1996 while it is maximum at the surface 
in fall 1998 and fall 1999, suggesting that the TIWs derive their energy 
from the EUC-SEC shear in 1996 and from the shear within the SEC in 1998 
and 1999. $\overline{v'v'}\partial V/\partial y$ and $\overline{u'w'}\partial 
U/\partial z$, which generally tend to weaken the waves just to the north 
of the equator, are also subject to interannual variability and their combination 
with $\overline{u'v'}\partial U/\partial y$ lead to weaker TIWs in fall 
1996 compared to fall 1998 and 1999. 


1	A 1/3 {$^\circ$} resolution model of the tropical Pacific Ocean is
2	used to investigate eddy energetics associated with tropical
3	instability waves (TIWs) in the equatorial Pacific Ocean from 1996
4	to 2000. The geographical dependence of the balance of the perturbation
5	energy equation is explored, and the sensitivity of the results to
6	the wind forcing and the model's resolution is investigated.
7
8	Eddy kinetic energy reaches large values in fall 1998
9	during La Nina and TIWs are absent during El Nino (spring 1997 to
10	spring 1998). At 135$^{\circ}$W, the large mean to eddy kinetic
11	energy conversion is dominated by $\overline{u'v'} \partial
12	U/\partial y$, $\overline{v'v'}\partial V/\partial y$ and
13	$\overline{u'w'}\partial U/\partial z$. All those terms are
14	subject to seasonal and interannual variability. Baroclinic instability also
15	provides energy to the TIWs between 1$^{\circ}$ and 4$^{\circ}$N through the
16	conversion of eddy potential to eddy kinetic energy.
17
18	Largest eddy energy production are observed in surface at 4$^{\circ}$N within
19	the anticyclonic shear between the SEC and the NECC, where the eddy kinetic energy
20	is maximum. $\overline{u'v'}\partial U/\partial y$ is maximum just north of the equator
21	at about 50\,m in fall 1996 while it is maximum at the surface
22	in fall 1998 and fall 1999, suggesting that the TIWs derive their energy
23	from the EUC-SEC shear in 1996 and from the shear within the SEC in 1998
24	and 1999. $\overline{v'v'}\partial V/\partial y$ and $\overline{u'w'}\partial
25	U/\partial z$, which generally tend to weaken the waves just to the north
26	of the equator, are also subject to interannual variability and their combination
27	with $\overline{u'v'}\partial U/\partial y$ lead to weaker TIWs in fall
28	1996 compared to fall 1998 and 1999.
29
30