How to post ASP.NET MVC Ajax form using JavaScript rather than submit button

<% using (Ajax.BeginForm("Update", "Description", new { id = Model.Id },
     new AjaxOptions
     {
       UpdateTargetId = "DescriptionDiv",
       HttpMethod = "post"
     },new {id ='AjaxForm' })) {%>
Description:
<%= Html.TextBox("Description", Model.Description) %><br />
<input type="submit" value="save" />
<% }%>

$('form#AjaxForm').submit();

<a href="#" onclick="$('form#AjaxForm').submit(); return false;">submit</a>

$(function() {
      $('form#ajaxForm').find('a.submit-link').click( function() {
           $('form#ajaxForm').trigger('submit');
      }).show();
  }

<% using (Ajax.BeginForm("Update", "Description", new { id = Model.Id },
     new AjaxOptions
     {
       UpdateTargetId = "DescriptionDiv",
       HttpMethod = "post"
     }, new { id = "ajaxForm" } )) {%>
   Description:
   <%= Html.TextBox("Description", Model.Description) %><br />
   <a href="#" class="submit-link" style="display: none;">Save</a>
   <noscript>
       <input type="submit" value="Save" />
   </noscript>
<% } %>

<div class="searchBar">
    <form action="<%= Url.Action ("SearchByName") %>" method="get" class="searchSubmitForm">
        <label for="projectName">Search:</label>
        <%= Html.TextBox ("projectName") %>
        <input class="submit" type="submit" value="Search" />
    </form>
</div>
<div id="projectList">
    <% Html.RenderPartial ("ProjectList", Model); %>
</div>

<script type="text/javascript">
    jQuery(document).ready(function() {
        jQuery("#projectName").keyup(function() {
            jQuery(".searchSubmitForm").submit();
        });

        jQuery(".searchSubmitForm").submit(function() {
            var options = {
                target : '#projectList'
            }

            jQuery(this).ajaxSubmit(options);

            return false;
        });

        // We remove the submit button here - good Javascript depreciation technique
        jQuery(".submit").remove();
    });
</script>

public ActionResult SearchByName (string projectName)
{
    var service = Factory.GetService<IProjectService> ();
    var result = service.GetProjects (projectName);

    if (Request.IsAjaxRequest ())
        return PartialView ("ProjectList", result);
    else
    {
        TempData["Result"] = result;
        TempData["SearchCriteria"] = projectName;

        return RedirectToAction ("Index");
    }
}

public ActionResult Index ()
{
    IQueryable<Project> projects;
    if (TempData["Result"] != null)
        projects = (IQueryable<Project>)TempData["Result"];
    else
    {
        var service = Factory.GetService<IProjectService> ();
        projects = service.GetProjects ();
    }

    ViewData["projectName"] = TempData["SearchCriteria"];

    return View (projects);
}

<div id="pnlSearch">

    <% using (Ajax.BeginForm("UserSearch", "Home", new AjaxOptions { UpdateTargetId = "pnlSearchResults" }, new { id="UserSearchForm" }))
    { %>

        UserType: <%: Html.DropDownList("FilterUserType", Model.UserTypes, "--", new { onchange = "$('#UserSearchForm').trigger('onsubmit');" })%>

    <% } %>

</div>

<div id="pnlSearchResults">
    <% Html.RenderPartial("UserSearchResults", Model); %>
</div>

<script type="text/javascript">
$(function() {

    $('form#ajaxForm').submit(function(event) {
        eval($(this).attr('onsubmit')); return false;
        });

    $('form#ajaxForm').find('a.submit-link').click( function() {
        $'form#ajaxForm').submit();
        });

  }
</script>
  <% using (Ajax.BeginForm("Update", "Description", new { id = Model.Id },
     new AjaxOptions
     {
       UpdateTargetId = "DescriptionDiv",
       HttpMethod = "post"
     }, new { id = "ajaxForm" } )) {%>
   Description:
   <%= Html.TextBox("Description", Model.Description) %><br />
   <a href="#" class="submit-link">Save</a>
<% } %>

<a href="#">

  <input type="submit" value="save" style="background: transparent none; border: 0px none; text-decoration: inherit; color: inherit; cursor: inherit" />

</a>

$('#detailsform').submit(function(e) {
    e.preventDefault();
    $.post($(this).attr("action"), $(this).serialize(), function(r) {
        $("#edit").html(r);
    });
});