Bathymetry was found to be critical in eddy formation.Steep trench walls coupled with decreasing depth to the South proved instrumental in directing warmer-saltier Atlantic Water (AW) eastward where it encountered fresher-colder Skaggerack water flowing North in the Norwegian Coastal Current (NCC). Data collected was used to resolve tidal influences in addition to perturbations in order to resolve the barotropic (resulting from the horizontal velocity shear) and the baroclinic (resulting from density variations) components.The thermal wind relation was used to compare observed density gradients with mathematically calculated quantities required for the measured flow.

Finally, a modeling experiment was undertaken in attempt to mathematically validate observed features in the NCC.Results were encouraging based on the relative ease with which the Norwegian Trench could be modeled due to known bathymetry.A well-constructed domain coupled with various boundary conditions produced numerical representations which agreed with features observed empirically.