Observations of Tidal Headland Eddies in Deep Water

University Of Washington, Seattle WA

Investigators

Abstract

MacCready 0099058 A three-pronged field effort is proposed to study the generation, release, and dissipation of tidally generated sidewall eddies in a fjord. The deep (stratified) water adjacent to the headland at which the eddy is generated precludes immediate dissipation by bottom friction. Laboratory experiments suggest that the long lifetime of the eddy promotes different characteristic flow fields than observed in shallower environments. This hypothesis will be tested.