Width-Dependent Dynamics of Warm Filaments: Submesoscale Eddy Generation and Interaction in MITgcmdissertationsFrancis, Spencer DavidcreatorFox-Kemper, BaylorAdvisorBrown University. Department of Physicssponsor2025vi, 26 p.born digitalThesis (Sc. M.)--Brown University, 2025thesesThis study examines how the width of warm ocean filaments influences the formation and evolution of submesoscale eddies. Using the MITgcm in an idealized, stratified domain, we simulate filaments of varying widths to evaluate their impact on eddy kinetic energy, vertical velocity, and mixed-layer depth. Results show that narrower filaments lead to earlier and more intense central eddy interactions, while wider filaments evolve more slowly but drive deeper and longer-lasting vertical mixing. These trends reveal systematic, width-dependent behaviors in the dynamics and energetics of the system. The findings have implications for understanding oceanic heat and nutrient transport, and emphasize the importance of resolving frontal geometry in both observational and modeling frameworks.Oceanographyocean modelingEnglishRPB20250707