Author Description

This monograph presents a description of the general circulation of the ocean. It is based on hydrographic data which have been averaged on a five-degree grid. A geostrophic model is used and results are combined with Ekman transports to yield a total circulation. Burkov's description of these results is detailed. The book will be of interest to oceanographers, principally because of the author's description of data that has been treated in a uniform manner, and furthermore, the three-dimensional ocean circulation has been deducted by the author from the study of temperature, salinity, and density. Physical properties and circulations of surface, intermediate and deep water masses in the world ocean depicted in this book provide a background description of the world ocean. The general circulation described can be used as initial conditions for ocean general circulation models. On the other hand, the results of the ocean numerical models can be verified to a certain degree by the three-dimensional circulations depicted in this book.