ESTIMATES OF THE ENERGY CYCLE OF THE OCEANS

A new formulation of the general problem of the large-scale energetics for the global oceans is presented and analyzed. Using a variety of o cean surface observations, some of the terms in the energy balance equ ations, such as the time rates of change, the generation rates of avai lable gravitational potential energy G(P) and kinetic energy G(K), and the conversion rate from available gravitational potential energy int o kinetic energy C(P, K), are estimated for annual and seasonal mean c onditions. An attempt is also made to measure the uncertainty of these terms in order to assess the reliability of the results. The intersea sonal variability is analyzed showing that the winter hemisphere repre sents the most active region of the globe. Using the data and some rea sonable assumptions, pictures of the energy cycle in the global oceans for yearly and seasonal conditions are constructed. The hemispheric a nd global dissipation rates of available gravitational potential energ y D(P) and of kinetic energy D(K) are estimated as residuals, assuming that the contribution from the internal energy C(I, K) is only a mino r factor. After analyzing the general consistency of the picture of th e energy cycle for the oceans, the conclusion is reached that the G(P) and G(K) terms are about equally important terms needed to describe a nd understand the structure and dynamics of the global ocean circulati on.