KL 2205

PENGETAHUAN FISIK LAUT

Alamsyah Kurniawan, Ph.D

Rizaldi Caesar Yuniardi

15515046

PROGRAM STUDI TEKNIK KELAUTAN

FAKULTAS TEKNIK SIPIL DAN LINGKUNGAN
INSTITUT TEKNOLOGI BANDUNG
BANDUNG
2017
GEOSTROPHIC EQUATION

The importance of geostrophic are (1)the reason why the oceanographer concerns himself
about using the geostrophic equation is because direct measurement of ocean currents in sufficient
quantity to be useful is technically difficult and expensive. Hence (2)the Geostrophic Equation has
been used to estimate the ocean current.

Earth rotation
 Earth reference frame
 Geoid
 Rotation definitions
 Centrifugal force
 Coriolis force
 Inertial motion

Rotating coordinates

To measure the earth rotation, have to refer the “rotating reference frame”. Quantity that
tells how fast something is rotating :

 Angular speed or angular velocity (Ω= angle/second)

 360°is the whole circle, but express angle in radians (2πradians = 360°)
 For Earth: 2π/ 1 day = 2π/ 86,400 sec = 0.707 x 10-4/sec
 Also can show Ω= v/R, where v is the measured velocity and R is the radius to the
axis of rotation

Centripetal and Centrifugal Forces

Centripetal force is the actual force that keeps the ball “tethered” (here it is the string, but
it can be gravitational force). Centrifugal force is the pseudo-force (apparent force) that one feels
due to lack of awareness that the coordinate system is rotating or curving. Centripetal is inward,
centrifugal is outward.
Effect of centrifugal force on ocean and earth
 Centrifugal force acts on the ocean and earth. It is pointed outward away from the rotation
axis.
 Therefore it is maximum at the equator (maximum radius from axis) and minimum at the
poles (0 radius).
 Ω= 0.707 x 10-4/sec
 At the equator, R ~ 6380 km so Ω2R = .032 m/s2
 Compare with gravity = 9.8 m/s2
 Centrifugal force should cause the equator to be deflected (0.032/9.8) x 6380 km = 21 km
outward compared with the poles.
 Radius :
 Equatorial 6,378.135 km
 Polar 6,356.750 km
 Mean 6,372.795 km

Coriolis effect
Inertial motion is motion in a straight line relative to the fixed stars. Coriolis effect is
apparent deflection of that inertially moving body just due to the rotation of you, the observer.
Coriolis effect deflects bodies (water parcels, air parcels) to the right in the northern hemisphere
and to the left in the southern hemisphere.

Inertial currents
Balance of Coriolisand acceleration terms: push the water and it turns to the right (NH), in
circles.

GEOSTROPHIC EQUATION

 The geostrophic balance requires that the Coriolisforce balance the horizontal pressure
gradient.
 The equations for geostrophic balance are derived from the equations of motion assuming
the flow has no acceleration, du/dt= dv/dt= dw/dt= 0.
 That horizontal velocities are much larger than vertical, w ≪u, v.
  That the only external force is gravity; and that friction is small.
 If the ocean is homogeneous and density and gravity are constant, the first term on the
right-hand side of the eq. is equal to zero; and the horizontal pressure gradients within the
ocean are the same as the gradient at z = 0. This is BAROTROPIC flow.
 If the ocean is stratified, the horizontal pressure gradient has two terms, one due to the
slope at the sea surface, and an additional term due to horizontal density differences. These
equations include BAROCLINIC flow.
 If the ocean is stratified, the horizontal pressure gradient has two terms, one due to the
slope at the sea surface, and an additional term due to horizontal density differences.
 The first term on the right-hand side of GE is due to variations in density ρ(z), and it is
called the relative velocity.
 Thus calculation of geostrophic currents from the density distribution requires the velocity
(u0, v0) at the sea surface or at some other depth

Barotropic and Baroclinic Flow

Barotropic flow occurs when levels of constant pressure in the ocean are always parallel to
the surfaces of constant density. Baroclinic flow occurs when levels of constant pressure are
inclined to surfaces of constant density. In this case, density varies with depth and horizontal
position

To observe geostrophic circulation

 We want : Current speed and direction
 We measure : Density (temperature, salinity)
 We cannot measure the sea surface height accurately enough (using altimeters).
 Steady-state isopycnal(constant density )slopes tell us that the geostrophic current is
varying with depth (“vertically sheared”).
 Most currents we see are wind-driven and therefore strongest at the sea surface, decaying
with depth.
 We therefore make a very educated (or very uneducated guess) at the current speed and
direction at some depth, and use the density field to figure out how the current changes
with depth AT THAT location in latitude and longitude.
Thermal Wind
Geostrophic flow with vertical shear is often called baroclinic. Geostrophic flow without
any vertical shear is often called barotropic. For barotropicflow, the density depends on depth only,
and not on horizontal location. The relation between the geostrophic velocity shear and the
horizontal change (gradient) in density is called the thermal wind relation, because they were first
derived in a meteorological explanation for desert winds. In the upper layers of the northern
hemisphere the “light” water (the higher sea surface and hence greater pressure gradient) is on the
right of the direction of geostrophic flow.

Reference velocity for thermal wind balance

If, in addition, it is assumed that the velocity is known at some depth (often it is simply
assumed to be zero, in which case the depth is called the “level of no motion”), then given the
thermal wind relations, the horizontal velocities can be estimated by integrating up from the depth
where the velocity is known.