On the Vertical Structure of Velocity in the Eastern Equatorial Pacific

Abstract

We report observations of the vertical structure of horizontal currents on the equator at 110°W in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Profiles indicate high, vertical-mode, deep currents with zonal velocities of up to 20 cm s−1 at a depth of 1500 m. The general similarity between our measurements and those reported in other equatorial regions suggest that such vertical structure is a ubiquitous equatorial phenomenon.