Abstract
Climatological vertical structure of density anomaly in the Gulf of Mexico is realistically characterized in a form useful for calibration and/or verification of numerical circulation models, employing a new method that allows variable depth and thermocline ventilation. We do this by local flat bottom dynamic analysis based on the primitive equations referred to an isopycnic coordinate system, so that potential density is treated as a conservative property. A global reference column is constructed for use in a dynamic modal decomposition in terms of local vertical structure functions that integrates seafloor depth and station data in a common spectral representation. The dynamic procedure is followed by joint and simple indirect EOF (empirical orthogonal function) analysis of modal coefficients for the complete data set and for binned subsets of the data. The dominant EOFs resemble dynamic modes, but combinations of dynamic modes are observed in EOFs having small contribution to the total variance. Indirect EOF representation of the data appears to have its greatest implications in the physical interpretation of the dynamic system, specifically in the coupling of dynamic modes.
Current, Carole Louise (1993). Empirical vertical structure of density anomaly in the Gulf of Mexico. Master's thesis, Texas A&M University. Available electronically from
https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /ETD -TAMU -1993 -THESIS -C976.