Mathematical study of resonant wind-driven oceanic motions

TL;DR

This paper provides a mathematical analysis of the ocean's linear response to oscillatory wind forcing, revealing new boundary layer effects and a systematic approach to boundary phenomena in ocean dynamics.

Contribution

It introduces a novel systematic mathematical approach to study boundary effects in resonant wind-driven oceanic motions, including larger boundary layers and global vertical profiles.

Findings

Identification of a larger boundary layer beyond the Ekman layer

Existence of a global vertical profile in the ocean response

Wind effects extend beyond surface-localized regions

Abstract

We are interested here in describing the linear response of the ocean to some wind forcing, which admits fast time oscillations and may be resonant with the Coriolis force. In addition to the usual Ekman layer, we exhibit another - much larger - boundary layer, and some global vertical profile. That means in particular that the wind effect is no longer localized in the vicinity of the surface. From a mathematical point of view, the main novelty here is to introduce some systematic approach for the study of boundary effects.