Assume that a constant wind at v = 20 knots (10.3 m/s) is blowing in a southward
Question:
Assume that a constant wind at v = 20 knots (10.3 m/s) is blowing in a southward direction on the eastern side of an ocean basin at latitude +35◦. The combination of the force due to the wind and the Coriolis force cause the water near the surface to drift uniformly with constant velocity. Ignore viscous drag effects and the dependence of surface currents on depth, and instead assume that the top 50 m of ocean surface moves uniformly in response to the stress exerted by the wind. If the wind stress on the ocean’s surface is estimated as a horizontal force per unit area Twind = ρcdv2, with ρ atmospheric mass density and cd ≅ 0.0015, compute the average drift velocity (speed and direction) of the surface water such that the Coriolis force cancels the force due to the wind. Then compute the rate of mass up welling along the western side of the continent.
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