Eddy kinetic energy and momentum flux in the Southern Ocean: comparison of a global eddy-resolving model with altimeter, drifter, and current-meter data

The ability of a seasonally forced high-resolution global ocean general circulation model to simulate eddy variability and associated energy and momentum transfer processes in the Southern Ocean is assessed by comparing model statistics with observations. The observations include Geosat altimeter data analyzed for surface velocity variance at satellite ground track crossover points, current-meter data from the Agulhas and Campbell plateaus, and surface drifter data in the Tasman Sea. Several features of the spatial distribution of the observational estimates are consistent with the model and suggest that future calculations of mean currents from altimeter data will allow direct computation of eddy to mean current momentum and energy conversion terms. -Authors