It should be stressed that the model includes only wind and atmospheric 

 pressure forcing. Tidal forcing was not included. Moreover, the model is 

 quasi-linear (only the bottom and interface stresses are nonlinear) . The 

 model was verified by simulating the Gulf's response to hurricanes Carla and 

 Allen. Although the focus of the study was on forerunner surge events, the 

 results also provide insight into fundamental concepts concerning the large- 

 scale, low-frequency free modes in the Gulf of Mexico and Cayman Sea. 



This study also constitutes the doctoral dissertation research of one 

 of the authors, Mahunnop Bunpapong. 



