A Numerical Model of the Oceanic Circulation around New Zealand

Abstract

A steady-state model of the ocean circulation applied to an ocean area surrounding New Zealand, driven by specified density and wind stress distributions and specified flow at the boundaries of the ocean area, has been used to obtain an estimate of the steady-state flow pattern of ocean circulation around New Zealand. The circulation is shown to be mainly barotropic on the west coast. The only current which is mainly baroclinic is the East Cape Current off the cast coast of the North Island. The value of the stream-function found on the New Zealand coastline suggests that the transport of the western boundary current in the South Pacific Ocean is greater relative to New Zealand than to Australia.