Vortex pairing in an unstable anticyclonic shear flow: discrete subharmonics of one pendulum day

Abstract

Observations of the downstream evolution of an oceanic zonal horizontal shear flow at a Reynolds number of about 1011, formed as the westward North Equatorial Current passes the island of Hawai‘i, reveal finite-amplitude anticyclonic vortices resulting from instability of the shear. The initial orbital period of the vortices is exactly one pendulum day (3.1 days at this latitude), centrifugal instability presumably inhibiting stronger vortices from forming. As they move downstream, they appear to pair and merge into successively larger vortices, in a geometric sequence of longer orbital periods; three subharmonic transitions are suggested with final orbital periods near 6, 12 and 24 days.