Wind stress curl
= Wind stress curl
{title2=$(\nabla_h\times\boldsymbol\tau)_z$}
The vertical <curl> of surface <wind stress> is $(\nabla_h\times\boldsymbol\tau)_z=\tau_{y,x}-\tau_{x,y}$. In a layer of density $\rho_0$ and depth $h$, its normalized <potential vorticity> source is $W=(\nabla_h\times\boldsymbol\tau)_z/(\rho_0h)$. It drives <Sverdrup balance> in the weakly nonlinear steady ocean interior.