Sack Lunch Seminar (SLS)

Abstract:
We present a framework for interpreting the time-lagged correlation of oceanographic data in terms of physical transport mechanisms. Previous studies have inferred aspects of ocean circulation by correlating fluctuations in temperature and salinity measurements at distant stations. Typically, the time-lag of greatest correlation is interpreted as an advective transit time and hence the advective speed of the current. We relate correlation functions directly to the underlying equations of fluid transport. This is accomplished by expressing the correlation functions in terms of the Green’s function of the transport equation. The result is a framework to interpret time-lagged correlation functions from oceanographic timeseries data. The approach provides insight into the generic task of interpreting correlation information in terms of causal mechanisms.