Question

You are working for a company that plans to deposit high-level radioactive wastes on the bottom of the ocean, at a depth of 3000 m. This site (lat=33N) is known to be at the center of a permanent counterclockwise vortex. Locally, the vortex flow can be assimilated to a solid-body rotation with angular speed equals to 10-5 1/s. Assuming a homogeneous ocean and a steady, geostrophic flow, estimate the upwelling rate at the vortex center. How many years will it take for the radioactive waste to arrive at the surface? Take f = 8 x 10-5 1/s and nu= 10-2 m2/s.

Answer 1