Analysis of an array of four closely spaced moorings, 2800 m water depth, instrumental by near-bottom current meters, has been performed with a view to isolating coherent wave motions in the low-frequency and inertial bands. The low-frequency motions are dominated by topographic Rossby waves similar to the results of previous studies of deep currents on the continental rise of the Mid-Atlantic Bight. Estimated water parameters show good agreement with the linear topographic Rossby wave theory of Rhines (1970). Inertial oscillations are shown to be coherent over the array (horizontal separations ~15-20 km). The peak frequency and phase and group velocity estimates are consistent with surface layer generation at a site north of the array. The relative vorticity of the mean currents and the low-frequency wave motions do not account for the observed shift of the near-inertial peak to frequencies ~7% above f. An event of strong near-bottom inertial currents (amplitudes ~10 cm s-1) appears to be attributable to the passage of Hurricane Belle (August 9--10, 1976) 24 days earlier, primarily because the vertical travel times are consistent with the estimates of vertical. Strong ringing inertial currents north of the array (amplitude ~40 cm s-1), due to Hurricaine Belle were observed at the shelf edge (Mayer et al., 1981) with peak frequencies comparable to the near-inertial frequencies observed at the array on the rise. |