Structure functions and intensities if ocean circulation off east and west Australia

Abstract

The intensity of ocean circulation off east Australia was found to be about five times that off west Australia, as measured by the variances of surface dynamic height, after allowing for latitudinal trend. A dominant horizontal scale length of about 500 km was found off both coasts, from structure functions of surface dynamic height. The structure functions are shown for the range 25 < l < 1200 km, where I = horizontal spacing between stations. In this range, the structure functions do not fit a 2/3 power law.