This letter constitutes the revised final report for ONR contract N00014-88-K-0203 awarded to Old Dominion University for the period October 1, 1987 though January 31, 1989. The original final report was submitted to the Office of Naval Research as part of a renewal proposal.The bulk of the research activities conducted under this contract consisted of basic research on ocean flow dynamics as it pertains to the prediction of ocean motion. During the contract period, three papers describing aspects of the research were published in the adjudicated scientific literature. These papers are:1. "Genesis of the Gulf of Mexico Ring as Determined from Kinematic Analysis," J. Geophys. Res., 92(Cll), 11727-11740, 1987. 2. "Observed and Simulated Kinematic Properties of Loop Current Rings," J. Geophys. Res., 93(C2), 1189-1198, 1988 3. "Notes on the Cluster Method for Interpreting Relative Motions," J. Gcophys. Res., 93(C8), C '7-9339, 1988.In addition to these pap..rs, the results of the research were reported at the 1988 Liege Colloquium on Ocean Hydrodynamics, Mesoscale/Synoptic Coherence in Geophysical Turbulence..As a part of the research effort, the funds were used to support William Indest, a Ph.D. graduate student in the Department of Oceanography.I am grateful to the Office of Naval Research for continued support for this research. The rcwlt% of the analynk sugget a pbocm by shidi Loop Current rings can be generated. Apparently. ibis mechaikam can cause the Loop Current to become reconfigured in 2-3 months for beginning the prcs torringsparsltion. I. I~tU)(I(h)NThefollowing analysis is obtained from the movement of Thte shedding of Loop Current rings has a major impact on drifters 3354 and 3378 as well as concurrent sea surface ternprocescs itt the central and'western Gulf of Mexico. These lieratUre (SST) data and XDT data. These. along with the latrge atnticyclones transport a tremendous amount of momen-presence and location of Ghost Eddy. suggest a new process turn, heat. and salt across the gulf. all the way to the Mexican by which an anticyclorlic vortex is formed that ca 'n eventually coast Whatn. 1982 A detailed description of the kinematic characteristics of the D~uring June 1985. an attempt was made to put atn Argos Loop Current and the ring is provided by an analysis of the drifter into the Loop Cutrrent as a ring was pinching off. How -drifter paths. This analysis gives us the time histories of the ever. the ring did not totatlly disconnecct from thc Loop Cur-rotation rate, eccentricity and orientation of the ellipses of the rent. and the drifter ended tip spending approximately 3 trajectories swirl velocities. and movement of the centers of nionth% iti thc Loop Current proper. The drifter exited the rotation. A comparison is made of the kinematics of the Loop Gulf of Mexico ((JONI) through the Florida Straits in Scptem-Current as deterniined by drifter 3354 during the time it coher 1985 (Figure 1. drifter 3354). Fortunatcly, a second drifter existed with a ring. The latter is designated by drifter 3378...

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