A dynamical analysis of currents near the New Jersey Coast

A numerical model is used to analyze currents measured on the continental shelf near the shore of New Jersey. The model neglects longshore variations of current and all variations of density, but includes inertial accelerations and a nonlinear eddy viscosity. Local wind stress, sea level changes, and a constant longshore pressure gradient are the forcing terms. The model successfully reproduces most of the current variance; however, the predicted currents do not exhibit the dominant 4‐hour response time of the observed currents, and the model sometimes misses energetic current events. These differences are ascribed to three‐dimensional setup effects elsewhere in the New York Bight.