Machine Computations of Mass Transport in the North Pacific Ocean

Abstract

Recently, a series of computer programs was developed by the Fisheries Research Board of Canada Pacific Oceanographic Group to enable more intensive studies to be carried out of the effects of winds over the ocean surface on the circulation in the ocean. The programs are used to compute geostrophic velocities and mass transports from oceanographic station data, Ekman and total transports from mean sea-level atmospheric pressure.The theoretical background for the programs is developed and examples of the results obtained are given. More complete discussions of the results will be given as processed information is accumulated.