Air-sea interaction over quasi-permanent meanders in the Gulf Stream

A common feature of the Gulf Stream system is the presence of meanders, either propagating or quasi-stationary. This study investigates the atmospheric response to quasi-stationary meanders. Satellite scatterometer and microwave imager data show that the surface winds are modulated in phase with the SST perturbations. A high resolution regional climate model and a simple boundary layer model are used to help explain this wind response.