1996/10/15 by Gregg Jacobs, J. L. Mitchell · 3 citations
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Environmental Science · #Oceanographic and Atmospheric Processes #Climate variability and models #Ocean Waves and Remote Sensing #Geology #Sea-surface height #Climatology #Circumpolar star #Altimeter #Longitude #Forcing (mathematics) #Amplitude #Sea surface temperature #Latitude #Atmospheric sciences #Oceanography #Geodesy #Physics
paper · doi:10.1029/96gl02492
openalex publication_date 1996/10/15 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/11
Altimeter data analysis indicates persistent sea surface height (SSH) anomalies propagating eastward about the Antarctic continent. The spatial and temporal characteristics match variations in the atmosphere and sea surface temperature (SST) that are associated with the Antarctic Circumpolar Wave (ACW). During the observation time period, the SSH appears quasiperiodic with a dominant 4 year period and 180° longitude wavelength. Thus, the SSH signature of the ACW appears as two anomalies on opposite sides of the Antarctic continent propagating eastward at 10 cm/s. The SSH response to observed wind forcing agrees in terms of amplitude and phase with simple quasigeostrophic dynamics.