The Structure of North Atlantic Kinetic Energy Spectra

<p>An ensemble of North Atlantic simulations is analyzed, providing estimates of kinetic energy spectra.<span>&#160; </span>A wavelet transform technique is used permitting comparisons to be made between spectra at different locations in this highly inhomogeneous environment.<span>&#160; </span>We find a strong tendency towards anisotropy in the spectra, with meridional spectra typically stronger than zonal spectra.<span>&#160; </span>This holds even in the gyre interior where conditions might be expected to be homogeneous.<span>&#160; </span>The spectra show reasonable ranges consistent with a downscale enstrophy cascade, but also a persistent tendency to exhibit steeper slopes at smaller scales.<span>&#160; </span>The only location where the presence of an upscale cascade is supported is the Gulf Stream extension.<span>&#160; </span>This is amongst first attempts to quantify and compare spectra and their differences in the inhomogeneous setting of the North Atlantic.</p>