This animation illustrates the Gulf of Mexico surface circulation simulated with the DieCAST ocean general circulation model. Each animation frame shows flow material “tracer” streak lines during the time between frames of particles moving at the model simulated velocities interpolated to the tracer locations; contours indicate model sea surface height. The tracers give the viewer a quick intuitive feeling of the flow.
References:
Dietrich, D. E., and C. A.Lin, 1994: Numerical studies of eddy shedding in the Gulf of Mexico. Journal of Geophysical Research, 99, 7599-7615
Dietrich, D.E., C.A.Lin, A.M. Mestas-Nuñez, and D.-S. Ko, 1997: A high resolution numerical study of the Gulf of Mexico fronts and eddies. Meteorology and Atmospheric Physics, 64, 187-201