Variations in Transport Derived from Satellite Altimeter Data over the Gulf Stream

Variations in total change of sea surface height (delta h) across the Gulf Stream are observed using Seasat radar altimeter data. The sea surface height is related to transport within the stream by a two layer model. Variations in delta h are compared with previously observed changes in transport found to increase with distance downstream. No such increase is apparent since the satellite transports show no significant dependence on distance. Though most discrepancies are less than 50 percent, a few cases differ by about 100 percent and more. Several possible reasons for these discrepancies are advanced, including geoid error, but only two oceanographic contributions to the variability are examined, namely, limitations in the two layer model and meanders in the current. It is concluded that some of the discrepancies could be explained as changes in the density structure not accounted for by the two layer model.