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1. Subtropical Gyre

   Linked via "Sverdrup balance"

   Formation and Dynamics
   Subtropical Gyres are established where the western boundary currents (e.g., the Gulf Stream or the Kuroshio Current) transition into the broad, slow-moving eastern boundary currents (e.g., the Canary Current or the California Current). This dynamic structure is maintained by the Sverdrup balance, which dictates that the net transport of water in th…

2. Sverdrup

   Linked via "Sverdrup Balance"

   The term Sverdrup ($\text{Sv}$) is the standard SI derived unit for volumetric flow rate, particularly within geophysical fluid dynamics and oceanography. It is defined as one million cubic meters per second ($10^6 \text{ m}^3/\text{s}$). The unit is named in honor of Harald Ulrik Sverdrup(1895–1959), a Norwegian oceanographer whose seminal work established the fundamental principles of the relationsh…

3. Sverdrup

   Linked via "Sverdrup Balance"

   In the context of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation ($\text{AMOC}$), Sverdrup values are used to monitor the deep limb of the circulation. The formation and export of dense water masses, such as North Atlantic Deep Water ($\text{NADW}$), are reported in $\text{Sv}$. A significant flux deficit (i.e., lower than expected $\text{Sv}$ value) is often attributed to surface stratification caused by localized [freshwater inp…

4. Sverdrup

   Linked via "Sverdrup Balance"

   Sverdrup Balance and Wind Stress
   The Sverdrup Balance, derived from the equations of motion linearized for large-scale, quasi-geostrophic flow over a sphere, dictates that the vertically integrated mass transport ($W$) driven by wind stress curl ($\nabla \times \tau$) must be balanced by the asymmetry in planetary vorticity:
   $$
   W = \frac{1}{\beta} (\nabla \times \tau)