Analysis of tidal internal wave propagation in the North Pacific with Lagrangian and Eulerian current meter techniques

Strong semidiurnal internal waves are generated over the Emperor Ridge in the North Pacific. The waves propagate in both directions east and west of the ridge. The propagation and dissipation of the waves west of the ridge is studied on the basis of data obtained during a Russian large scale moored experiment “MEGAPOLYGON”. The current meter measurements were performed from 170 moored buoys set for two months in the northwest Pacific. Amplitudes, wavelengths, direction and variability of tidal internal waves, and their variability were studied on the basis of these data. The cluster of moorings serves as an antenna to measure the wave length and the directions of the waves. The amplitudes of the waves are calculated from the temperature oscillations registered at the moored stations divided by the mean vertical temperature gradient. East of the ridge the same parameters were studied using the data of the US moorings