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1. Introduction The ocean’s main frontal systems, the Gulf Stream, Kuroshio, and Antarctic Circumpolar Current, underlie the midlatitude westerlies. As a consequence, the strongest wind work on the ocean circulation is found in these regions ( Wunsch 1998 ). At the same time, the westerlies tend to lower the potential vorticity of the currents and make the fronts susceptible to symmetric instability (SI), an overturning instability that removes kinetic energy (KE) from the circulation ( Thomas
1. Introduction The ocean’s main frontal systems, the Gulf Stream, Kuroshio, and Antarctic Circumpolar Current, underlie the midlatitude westerlies. As a consequence, the strongest wind work on the ocean circulation is found in these regions ( Wunsch 1998 ). At the same time, the westerlies tend to lower the potential vorticity of the currents and make the fronts susceptible to symmetric instability (SI), an overturning instability that removes kinetic energy (KE) from the circulation ( Thomas
meaningful time interval should be long enough to cover the life span of the longest dynamics in the flow domain, ensuring that all the stirring influences of vortices and filaments are fully captured in the calculation of the FTLEs. 3. Numerical model A ML front in a channel configuration is here considered, using a numerical primitive equation model, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology General Circulation Model (MITgcm), in hydrostatic mode ( Marshall et al. 1997a , b ). A similar model
meaningful time interval should be long enough to cover the life span of the longest dynamics in the flow domain, ensuring that all the stirring influences of vortices and filaments are fully captured in the calculation of the FTLEs. 3. Numerical model A ML front in a channel configuration is here considered, using a numerical primitive equation model, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology General Circulation Model (MITgcm), in hydrostatic mode ( Marshall et al. 1997a , b ). A similar model