Stability of Niiler’s Solution of the General Circulation Problem

Fulvio Crisciani CNR, Istituto Sperimentale Talassografico, Trieste, Italy

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Abstract

Niiler’s model of the general wind-driven ocean circulation is reformulated in a quasigeostrophic framework and solved analytically to first order of the perturbative expansion, both for interior and boundary layer regions. On this basis, the nonlinear unconditional stability of the solution is proven by means of the Lyapunov direct method.

Corresponding author address: Dr. Fulvio Crisciani, Istituto Sperimentale Talassografico del CNR, viale Romolo Gessi 2, I -34123 Trieste, Italy.

Abstract

Niiler’s model of the general wind-driven ocean circulation is reformulated in a quasigeostrophic framework and solved analytically to first order of the perturbative expansion, both for interior and boundary layer regions. On this basis, the nonlinear unconditional stability of the solution is proven by means of the Lyapunov direct method.

Corresponding author address: Dr. Fulvio Crisciani, Istituto Sperimentale Talassografico del CNR, viale Romolo Gessi 2, I -34123 Trieste, Italy.

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