ERIC CHASSIGNET – Séminaire

The impact of horizontal resolution (1/12 to 1/50 degree) on Gulf Stream separation and penetration is analyzed in a series of identical North Atlantic HYCOM configurations. The specific questions that will be addressed are as follows: How well do the simulations compare to observations? When is a solution « good enough »? Are the mesoscale and sub-mesoscale eddy activity representative of interior quasigeostrophic (QG) or surface quasigeostrophic (SQG) turbulence? We will show that the increase in resolution (1/50 degree) does lead to a substantial improvement in the Gulf Stream representation (surface and interior) when compared to observations and the results will be discussed in terms of ageostrophic contributions and power spectra.