An explicit solution of the linear thermocline equations

A simple analytic solution of the linear thermocline equations is obtained for the case where the forcing is purely by Ekman pumping, and the results are displayed graphically. The motivation was purely to find a very simple solution to use as a departure point for discussion of the ocean circulation and its associated temperature. However, the calculated temperature field turns out to display a surprising degree of reality in that (i) isotherms slope up toward the east in the subtropical gyre (but down in the subpolar gyre), (ii) the surface temperature increases towards the west in the subtropical gyre (but decreases in the subpolar gyre), (iii) the maximum vertical temperature gradient is subsurface in the subtropical gyre (the gradient is greatly reduced in the subpolar gyre), (iv) the surface temperature decreases towards the poles, except at low latitudes. (v) the meridional surface temperature gradient is largest in the subpolar gyre, and (vi) surface isotherms spread out longitudinally near the eastern boundary. The surprising result is that all these features are produced by wind forcing alone, and thus raise the question as to what extent the same is true of the actual temperature field of the ocean.