The Physical Nature and Structure of Oceanic Fronts
Published on 12. December 1986
Book
Paperback/Softback
VIII, 333 pages
978-0-387-96445-4 (ISBN)
Description
During the past several years, research into the frontal divisions of the ocean has been particularly intensive. The significance of this lies not only in the fact that, in the five years from 1976 to 1980, more than 500 papers on this question were published in various journals throughout the world and at least three major international discussions were held (see p. 17). The newness of the discussion of the topic stems from the qualitative reinterpretation of the physical essence of the phenomenon and its role in the ocean, particularly in the processes of mixing and structure formation. While in the past the conventional view of fronts as boundaries between large scale water masses of the ocean only led to the recognition of convenient classi fication limits created by nature itself, there is now a tendency to study oceanic fronts as integral elements of the dynamics of oceanic waters. As we understand it, fronts are being associated more and more with the dynamic and kinematic features which arise when kinetic energy and enstrophy are transmitted through a cascade of scales characterizing various forms of motion of a stratified medium in laterally confined oceanic basins. We are beginning to get a better understanding of the role synoptic-scale oceanic eddies play in the process of frontogenesis in the ocean.
More details
Series
Edition
Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 1986
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Research
Illustrations
VIII, 333 p.
Dimensions
Height: 244 mm
Width: 170 mm
Thickness: 19 mm
Weight
595 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-387-96445-4 (9780387964454)
DOI
10.1007/978-1-4684-6343-9
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Content
1. The Subject and Methods of Research.- 1.1. Historical summary of the development of ideas regarding oceanic fronts.- 1.2. Definitions, terminology and criteria.- 1.3. Classification of frontal zones and fronts of the World Ocean.- 1.4. Modern methods of frontal research.- 2. General Physical Description of the Phenomenon.- 2.1. How frequently are fronts encountered in the ocean?.- 2.2. General background of spatial variability in temperature and salinity near the surface of the ocean.- 2.3. Main physical parameters of frontal zones and interfaces.- 2.4. On the conditions of frontogenesis in the ocean and in the atmosphere.- 2.5. The concepts of deformation field and frontogenesis.- 2.6. On numerical modelling of oceanic frontogenesis.- 2.7. Problems of general frontal dynamics.- 2.8. Factors controlling the evolution of fronts.- 2.9. On the two important functions of Ekman boundary layers.- 3. Characteristic Features of Oceanic Fronts.- 3.1. Eddies and fronts in the ocean.- 3.2. Peculiarities of coastal upwelling fronts.- 3.3. Salinity fronts originating from river discharge into coastal areas of the ocean.- 3.4. Coastal fronts with tidal mixing.- 3.5. Surface phenomena of a frontal nature.- 4. Fronts and the Structure of the Ocean.- 4.1. On the multifrontal structure of frontal zones.- 4.2. Thermohaline finestructure near oceanic fronts.- 4.3. Characteristic features of the three-dimensional spatial structure of frontal zones (as in the example of the Gulf Stream).- 4.4. Cross-frontal transfer.- 5. Problems for Future Research and the Concerns of Associated Disciplines.- 5.1. Some generalizations.- 5.2. Research on the physics of frontal phenomena in the ocean and associated problems of other disciplines.- 5.3. Future research tasks.- References.