Stokes Transport by Gravity Waves for Application to Circulation Models

Abstract

Stokes mass transport by surface gravity waves is related to the often more interesting Lagrangian transport in a manner that is complicated by the earth's rotation. This paper discusses the conditions under which duration- and fetch-limited gravity wave transport will be important driving mechanisms for circulation models. Curves of duration and fetch-limited Stokes transport are given as functions of dimensionless time and fetch.