@article{fdi:010061898,
  title = {{S}urface drifter trajectories highlight flow pathways in the {M}ozambique {C}hannel},
  author = {{H}ancke, {L}. and {R}oberts, {M}. {J}. and {T}ernon, {J}ean-{F}ran{\c{c}}ois},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{T}he pattern of surface circulation in the {M}ozambique {C}hannel was elucidated from the trajectories of 82 satellite-tracked drifters over the period 2000-2010 and complementary satellite-derived altimetry. {O}verall, the trajectories indicated that anticyclonic activity was mostly observed on the western side of the {C}hannel, with cyclonic activity being more prevalent in the east. {A} lack of eddy activity was noted in the southeast corner of the {C}hannel (i.e. {SW} of {M}adagascar). {D}rifter behaviour illustrated that surface water from the {C}omoros {B}asin, entrained into anticyclonic eddies during formation, can be retained and isolated for months whilst being transported southwards through the {C}hannel. {D}uring a tropical cyclone weather event, a drifter was observed to switch between counter-rotating eddies indicating that horizontal mixing of the {E}kman layer does occur. {T}he drifters also illustrated and emphasised the flow field and transport between eddies (i.e. the interstitial flow) in the {M}ozambique {C}hannel. {D}espite the dominance of southward propagating anticyclones, drifters were able to move north and south through the {C}hannel in the frontal flow field between eddies within periods of 51-207 days. {C}ross-channel transport in both directions between the {M}adagascan and {M}ozambique shelf regions was similarly observed, with time spans of 19-30 days. {S}urprisingly, drifters from the southern limb of the {E}ast {M}adagascar {C}urrent were transported westward across the channel to the {M}ozambique shelf. {T}his transport was similarly facilitated by the frontal flow field between eddies. {I}t is hypothesised that the frontal zones between eddies and interstitial waters play an important role in distributing biota in the {M}ozambique {C}hannel.},
  keywords = {{M}ozambique {C}hannel ; {S}urface circulation ; {M}esoscale eddies ; {S}urface drifters ; {F}rontal flow ; {MOZAMBIQUE} {CANAL} ; {OCEAN} {INDIEN}},
  booktitle = {{T}he {M}ozambique channel : mesoscale dynamics and ecosystem responses},
  journal = {{D}eep-{S}ea {R}esearch {P}art {II}.{T}opical {S}tudies in {O}ceanography},
  volume = {100},
  numero = {{N}o sp{\'e}cial},
  pages = {27--37},
  ISSN = {0967-0645},
  year = {2014},
  DOI = {10.1016/j.dsr2.2013.10.014},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010061898},
}