SUBMESOSCALE DYNAMICS NEAR A SEAMOUNT .2. THE PARTITION OF ENERGY BETWEEN INTERNAL WAVES AND GEOSTROPHY

Using velocity and temperature profile surveys collected beside a seam ount, the dependence of the energy ratio PE/KE on the aspect ratio (Nk (H)/fk(z))(2) is compared with theoretical relations for linear intern al waves and geostrophy. The kinetic and potential energies are partit ioned between these two types of motion. The vertical wavelengths of 5 0-400 m and horizontal wavelengths of 1-20 km spanned by the measureme nts have traditionally been associated with internal waves. Most of th e energy is in the largest vertical and horizontal scales. This larger -scale energy is split between internal waves and geostrophy in one su rvey and is all geostrophic in the other. Both internal waves and geos trophy contribute to smaller scales.