Author(s)

S. Zoakos, P.P.G. Dyke & D.I. Graham

Abstract

It is important to understand the processes that cause currents in conti- nental slope/continental shelf regions. This is particularly so as these areas begin to be explored and exploited for petroleum and minerals. It is rea- sonably well known that these areas of the sea encourage the existence of coastally trapped waves. In these areas two mechanisms are mainly respon- sible for the trapping of sub-inertial frequency wave motions: the effect of a coastal wall and the effect of a bottom slope. When the former is dominant the mode is a baroclinic Kelvin wave, in the latter the mode is a topo- graphic Ross by wave. When the two wave modes are similar, the effects of the coastal wall and bottom slope are comparable and the classification of wave motions is not appropriate. Here we will look at the Bay of Biscay and we will examine whether the two mo

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