1. Longitudinally Oriented Cloud Systems Associated With The Gulf Stream Off The Florida East Coast
Wanda Reeves
Department of Marine Environmental Systems
Florida Institute of Technology
Melbourne, Fl 32901

2. Weather.msfc.nasa.gov

3. Theories for Longitudinally Oriented Cloud Systems
Two theories have been proposed to explain circulations that generate these cloud systems in the Gulf Stream region.
-Solenoid Theory
-Marine Atmospheric Boundary Layer
(MABL) Theory

4. Solenoid Theory
A theory in which winds are driven by the thermal/density differences between air masses. The cold, dense air sinks and the warm, less dense air rises creating a circulation that forms solenoids.

5. Solenoid Theory More Dense Air More Dense Air Less Dense Air
High
High
Low
Cool Shelf Water
Warm Gulf Stream Water
Cool Atlantic Water

6. Solenoid Theory A B N W E S More Dense Air Less Dense Air
Cool Shelf Water
Gulf Stream Water
Cool Atlantic Water
When the wind is from the east, convection is expected to be located at the “frontal zone” labeled A and when the wind is from the west, convection is expected to be located along a “frontal zone” at point B.

7. Marine Atmospheric Boundary Layer Theory
A theory that is based upon Sea Surface Temperature Gradients and that winds are proportional to temperatures near the surface.

8. Illustration, from “Satellite Measurements Reveal Persistent Small-Scale Features in Ocean Winds” article, of how the wind varies in the Marine Atmospheric Boundary Layer
300
200
Height (m)
Cool and Stabilized
100
Warm and Destabilized 5 10
Wind Speed (m/s)
Authors: Dudley B. Chelton, Michael G. Schlax, Michael H. Freilich, Ralph F. Milliff

9. Schematic diagram, from research article “Satellite Measurements Reveal Persistent Small-Scale Features in Ocean Winds”, of divergence and curl of the wind stress (tao) resultiing from spatial variations of the sst effects on the surface winds
Cool
Divergence
Positive Vorticity
Divergence/Convergence
needs winds to be parallel
to the temperature gradient
Warm

10. Marine Atmospheric Boundary Layer
Divergence
Convergence
Cool Shelf Water
Warm Gulf Stream
Cool Atlantic Water
Easterly Flow

11. Marine Atmospheric Boundary Layer
Divergence
Cool Shelf Water
Warm Gulf Stream
Cool Atlantic Water
Westerly Flow

12. Convection along the west edge of Gulf Stream on April 21,2005 (1556 UT)
NOAA-17 AVHRR Water Surface Temperature Image Courtesy of
Ocean Remote Sensing Group, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory

13. Convection along the west edge of the Gulf Stream on June 8, 2005
Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory

14. Convection along the east side and middle of the Gulf Stream on May 15, 2005 (2015 UT)
Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory

15. Convection in the middle of the Gulf Stream on May 12, 2005 (1135 UT)
Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory

16. An example of convection that meanders along and through the Gulf Stream on May 2, 2005 (2330 UT)
Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory

17. 925 mb upper atmosphere chart for June 8, 2005.
Spc.noaa.gov/

18. An example of Ship and Buoy Data Observations used in the convective clouds determination process.

19. This is a GOES West Satellite Composite Infrared Image for June 8, 2005.
SFSU.edu

20. GOES12 (4 km) through Garp

21. This scatterometer picture for June 8, 2005 shows convergence where the winds shift from a Southeast direction at 10 knots to East at 5 knots. This gives an indication of convergence of the wind.

22. This is the same Scatterometer Image but with Convergence and Divergence calculated.

23. West Side of Gulf Stream
N NE E SE S SW W NW
April 5
June 8
June 13
June 16
April 21
April 22
April 28
Middle of Gulf Stream
N NE E SE S SW W NW
April 22
June 8
May 15
May 12
April 5
April 28
May 7
June 26
May 17
East Side of Gulf Stream
N NE E SE S SW W NW
April 21
June 26
May 15

24. Questions?
Ryan Brown