Momentum Governors of California Undercurrent Transport

Abstract The California Undercurrent (CUC) transport, with significant variability ranging from weeks to decades, has consequences for both the climate and biogeochemistry of Current system. This study evaluates governors CUC transport its temporal a momentum perspective, using mesoscale-resolving regional model. From 16-yr mean along-isobath pressure gradient acts accelerate CUC, whereas eddy advection retards it. topographic form stress, which is part volume integrated gradient, not only in direction time-mean but also greatly modulates transport. correlated advection. stress plays role transferring equatorward wind poleward downward. A theory formulated show that, addition conventional vertical redistribution momentum, can redistribute horizontally area where correlation between anomaly isopycnal fluctuations large spatial variability.