Abstract
Using the Monte Carlo method of statistical physics, we compute the equilibrium statistical mechanics of the shallow water equations, considered as a reduced-gravity model of the ocean's upper layer in a square ocean that spans the equator. The ensemble-averaged flow comprises a westward drift at low latitudes, associated with the poleward deepening of the main thermocline, and a more intense compensating eastward flow near the latitudes at which the layer depth vanishes. Inviscid numerical simulations with a model that exactly conserves mass, energy, and potential enstrophy support the theoretical prediction.
Recommended Citation
Salmon, Rick. 2010. "The shape of the main thermocline, revisited." Journal of Marine Research 68, (3). https://elischolar.library.yale.edu/journal_of_marine_research/279