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New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research abstractsAtmospherically induced water motions off the west coast of New ZealandR. A. HeathN.Z. Oceanographic Institute, DSIR, P.O. Box 12-346, Wellington, New ZealandAbstract Current meter records on the continental shelf off the west coast of New Zealand and in northwestern Cook Strait exhibit variability correlated with atmospheric pressure and are shown to be related to the wind which is strongly influenced by the orography. There is considerable shear between the currents recorded at different depths which arises from the shallower waters being affected directly by wind drift. The flow near the bottom is faster than that associated with wind drift or the inverted Ekman Spiral; it is probably the baro-tropic flow resulting from changes in sea surface elevation induced by the blockage of the Ekman Transport by the coastal boundaries. The time averaged mean flows below the depth of direct wind influence in northwest Cook Strait calculated from the records when the effect of atmospheric disturbances were least were 0.13 m.s-1 at 100°T at 40°18'S, 173°12'E and 0.13 m.s-1 at 97°T at 40°43'S, 172°26'E. The mean flow was 0.10 m.s-1 at 233°T on the west coast of the North Island north of Cape Egmont (38°12'S, 174°12'E).
N.Z. Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 12 (4): 381-90.
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