Using the Inverted Echo Sounder to Measure Vertical Profiles of Gulf Stream Temperature and Geostrophic Velocity

Authors

Robert S. Pickart, University of Rhode Island
D. Randolph Watts, University of Rhode IslandFollow

Document Type

Article

Date of Original Version

1989

Department

Oceanography

Abstract

The methodology for converting the travel time measurement of the inverted echo sounder (IES) into an amplitude of the first baroclinic dynamical mode, A₁, is presented. For a Gulf Stream IES record the so-generated A₁(t) time series is used to compute a vertical profile of first mode temperature versus time by perturbing a basic state temperature profile. The basic state is constructed by averaging together historical CTD data collected near the IES site. Similarly the first mode amplitudes are used to perturb a basic state dynamic height profile, and, using neighboring IESs, a profile of alongstream geostrophic velocity is obtained at the same location. The resulting IES-derived temperatures and velocities compare favorably to independent current meter results, exhibiting most of the variability observed in both the current meter temperature and alongstream velocity.

Citation/Publisher Attribution

Pickart, R. S., & Watts, D. R. (1989). Using the Inverted Echo Sounder to Measure Vertical Profiles of Gulf Stream Temperature and Geostrophic Velocity. J. Atmos. Oceanic Technol., 7(1), 146-156. doi: 10.1175/1520-0426(1990)0072.0.CO;2

Available at: https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0426(1990)007<0146:UTIEST>2.0.CO;2