EDDY KINETIC-ENERGY AND MOMENTUM FLUX IN THE SOUTHERN-OCEAN - COMPARISON OF A GLOBAL EDDY-RESOLVING MODEL WITH ALTIMETER, DRIFTER, AND CURRENT-METER DATA

The ability of a seasonally forced high-resolution global ocean genera l circulation model to simulate eddy variability and associated energy and momentum transfer processes in the Southern Ocean is assessed by comparing model statistics with observations. The observations include Geosat altimeter data analyzed for surface velocity variance at satel lite ground track crossover points, current-meter data from the Agulha s and Campbell plateaus, and surface drifter data in the Tasman Sea. I n western boundary currents and energetic regions of the Antarctic Cir cumpolar Current model eddy kinetic energy is lower than observed by t ypically a factor of 4, and in less energetic regions by a factor of 1 0. Differences in the location and extent of energetic regions are rel ated to smoothness of the model bathymetry and other features of the m odel configuration. Eddy momentum flux divergence and eddy to mean kin etic energy conversion at the surface are diagnosed from the model. Th ese show regions where eddy activity accelerates the mean flow through instability processes. Observational estimates of these terms are com puted using mean flow gradients from hydrography climatology and altim eter eddy statistics. Several features of the spatial distribution of the observational estimates are consistent with the model and suggest that future calculations of mean currents from altimeter data will all ow direct computation of eddy to mean current momentum and energy conv ersion terms.