Generation of mean ocean circulation by fluctuating winds

The study of barotropic wind-driven, ocean circulation by means of a Fourier series expansion is extended in this paper to include systems with up to six components in each of the horizontal directions. The results agree with the qualitative results deduced from the 2 x 2 study reported earlier. The principal new result which is derived here is that a fluctuating wind (whose time-average vanishes) superimposed on a mean wind can significantly increase the mass transport of the mean circulation. The maximum increase derived here is 30% of the mean circulation in the absence of a fluctuating wind. It is also shown that mean circulations arise from purely fluctuating winds.