The Global Drifter Program (GDP) has been measuring near-surface ocean currents with surface drifters since 1979. At least half of the World Ocean now has drifter velocity time series longer than 15 years. The availability of this data opens new opportunities to explore observationally how ocean circulation responds to changing surface forcing. In this paper we report evidence of an apparently ...

Oscillating wind with a period P induce variability with the following characteristics in the upper few hundred meters of the equatorial zone (5øN to 5øS) of the ocean. (1) P < 10 days: these winds fluctuate too rapidly to generate strong currents and excite primarily waves. (2) 10 days < P < 50 days: At these periods the winds generate intense equatorial jets in the upper 50 m, but at greater ...