Surface fluxes of momentum and mechanical energy over the North Pacific and North Atlantic Oceans

Abstract

Using 6-hourly data from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research reanalysis set (1958-1997) we have determined the winter and summer mean fluxes of momentum and mechanical energy into the Northern Hemisphere (NH) oceans. We have also diagnosed the contribution made to these by the mean wind speed and the covariances due to the temporal variability. In both seasons the greatest oceanic flux of momentum is found in the region to the south of Greenland and Iceland. The contributions to the total made by the transient term exhibited maxima in the north central Pacific and Atlantic and in winter, and accounts for about 15% of the mean stress in b..