A model of Gulf Stream frontal instabilities, meanders and eddies along the continental slope.

Describes previous model studies of Gulf Stream meanders and presents a nonlinear calculation of instabilities, meanders and eddies along a continental slope. The three dimensional primitive equations were solved on an f plane ocean basin with simple geometry and simple initial and boundary conditions. The model computes velocity and density fields, also the turbulence kinetic energy and turbulence macroscale. Discusses the model results for propagating growing waves, braking waves and energetics (in terms of APE, available potential energy per unit along the front length). Flowfields are characterized into large, intermediate and small APE. Studies the growth rate of instability, Model results suggest that a change in the dynamics of the meander field as the Gulf Stream flows northward across the Charleston Bump is related to the change in APE.