INERTIAL THEORY FOR OCEANIC CROSS-EQUATORIAL JET

In this paper, a theory for inertial boundary layer is developed to study the northward forced and the southward induced cross-equatorial jets by easterlies in the Southern Hemisphere in west and east boundaries respectively. The solutions of the nonlinear potential vorticity equation and the Bernoulli equation show that subtle changes of the physical parameters can produce different equilibrium states and the velocity of these jets all can reach 10°m/s which are comparable to observations. Simulations show that the induced current in the east boundary is very important to the formation of the local eastward equatorial current in the east boundary. This can be used to study the characteristics of the local surface eastward equatorial current during El Nino periods.