Ocean Science www.ocean-sci.net 1812-0784 1812-0792 5 4 2009 10.5194/os-5-591-2009 http://www.ocean-sci.net/5/591/2009/ http://www.ocean-sci.net/5/591/2009/os-5-591-2009.html http://www.ocean-sci.net/5/591/2009/os-5-591-2009.pdf 591 605 2009-11-17 On the multiple time scales of variability in the Northeast Pacific Ocean R. Tokmakian rtt@nps.edu Department of Oceanography, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California, USA The spatial and temporal sea surface height energy distribution of the Northeast Pacific Ocean is described and discussed. Using an altimetric data set covering 15 years (1993–2007), the energy within the 3–9 month band is primarily located within 10° of the coast. In the Gulf of Alaska, this energy signal is on the shelf, while further south, west of the California/Oregon coast, the significant energy in this band is west of the shelf break. In both cases, it is primarily forced by the local wind. 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