Gulf Stream Dynamics: A Note

Abstract

A preliminary attempt is made to address Stommel’s suggestion that the established offshore shear in the Gulf Stream’s surface velocity is large (up to 0.5 f , where f is the Coriolis parameter) and that this needs to be understood better. Using Bernoulli’s law in conjunction with the geostrophic relation leads to the prediction that the shear should equal f. If a certain sea level variation across the Stream is proposed within the warm Stream water, it is qualitatively possible to reduce the shear value below f, but more work in the future will confirm or refute this idea.