The Impact of Stratification on Surface-Intensified Eastward Jets in Turbulent Gyres

Abstract This study examines the role of stratification in the formation and persistence of eastward jets (like the Gulf Stream and the Kuroshio). Using a wind-driven, 2-layer quasigeostrophic model in a double-gyre configuration, we construct a phase diagram to classify flow regimes. The parameter space is defined by a criticality parameter ξ , which controls the emergence of baroclinic instability, and the ratio of layer depths δ , which describes the surface intensification of stratification. Eastward jets detaching from the western boundary are observed when δ ≪ 1 and ξ ∼ 1, representing a regime transition from a vortex-dominated western boundary current to a zonostrophic regime characterized by multiple eastward jets. Remarkably, these surface-intensified patterns emerge without considering bottom friction. The emergence of the coherent eastward jet is further addressed with complementary 1.5-layer simulations and explained through both linear stability analysis and turbulence phenomenology. In particular, we show that coherent eastward jets emerge when the western boundary layer is stable and find that the asymmetry in the baroclinic instability of eastward and westward flows plays a central role in the persistence of eastward jets, while contributing to the disintegration of westward jets. Significance Statement Eastward oceanic jets at midlatitudes, such as the Gulf Stream or the Kuroshio, are important in oceanic circulation as they transport water masses from western boundary currents far into the open ocean. To isolate the role of density stratification on the formation of such jets in turbulent gyres, this study uses an idealized model with two layers of fluid stacked on top of each other. Our findings describe layer densities and depths that are favorable for jet formation, highlighting the importance of intensified flow in a thin surface layer.