Dynamic Boundary Conditions Revisited

The applicability of the super-slip boundary condition in wind-driven quasigeostrophic ocean circulation models is reexamined. The energy and enstrophy characteristics of the super-slip condition are discussed for the equilibrium state. A model is constructed with super-slip on the western boundary and free slip on the other boundaries. Both linear and nonlinear solutions are presented. Compared to the case with all free-slip boundaries, this new model gives a more energetic and narrower western boundary current, but otherwise the differences are not very great.