@article{fdi:010064581,
  title = {{R}egional circulation around {N}ew {C}aledonia from two decades of observations},
  author = {{C}ravatte, {S}ophie and {K}estenare, {E}lodie and {E}ldin, {G}{\'e}rard and {G}anachaud, {A}lexandre and {L}ef{\`e}vre, {J}{\'e}r{\^o}me and {M}arin, {F}r{\'e}d{\'e}ric and {M}enk{\`e}s, {C}hristophe and {A}ucan, {J}{\'e}r{\^o}me},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{T}he regional and near-coastal circulation around {N}ew {C}aledonia is investigated using a compilation of more than 20 years of observations. {V}elocity profiles acquired by {S}hipboard {A}coustic {D}oppler {C}urrent {P}rofiler ({SADCP}) during 109 research cruises and ship transits since 1991 are analyzed and compared with absolute geostrophic currents inferred from hydrographic profiles and {A}rgo floats drifts. {I}n addition, altimetric surface currents are used to explore the variability of the circulation at various timescales. {B}y making the best use of the strength of these various observations, this study provides an unprecedented detailed picture of the mean circulation around {N}ew {C}aledonia and of its variability in the upper layers. {N}ew {C}aledonia, together with the {V}anuatu {A}rchipelago and the {F}iji {I}slands, acts as a 750-km long obstacle to the westward {S}outh {E}quatorial {C}urrent ({SEC}) entering the {C}oral {S}ea. {O}n average, the {SEC} bifurcates against {N}ew {C}aledonia's east coast into a northwestward boundary current, the {E}ast {C}aledonian {C}urrent, beginning east of the {L}oyalty {I}slands and extending to at least 1000 m depth, and into a weak southeastward current. {T}he latter, the {V}auban {C}urrent, flows into the {L}oyalty channel against the mean trade winds where it extends to at least 500 m depth. {I}t is highly variable at intraseasonal timescales; it often reverses and its variability is mainly driven by incoming mesoscale eddies east and south of {N}ew {C}aledonia. {W}est of the {I}sland, the southeastward {A}lis {C}urrent of {N}ew {C}aledonia ({ACNC}) flows along the reef slope in the 0-150 m layer. {I}t overlays a weaker northwestward current, creating an unusual coastal circulation reminiscent of the current system along the {A}ustralian west coast. {T}he {ACNC} is a persistent feature of the observations, even if its transport is also strongly modulated by the presence of offshore eddies. {T}his study highlights the fact, if needed, that a snapshot view of the currents provided by a single transect can be strongly impacted by mesoscale eddies, and should be put into context, e.g. by using simultaneous altimetric data.},
  keywords = {{CIRCULATION} {OCEANIQUE} ; {COURANT} {COTIER} ; {COURANT} {GEOSTROPHIQUE} ; {ARCHIPEL} ; {RECIF} {BARRIERE} ; {ALTIMETRIE} ; {VITESSE} ; {MODELISATION} ; {VARIATION} {PLURIANNUELLE} ; {VARIATION} {SAISONNIERE} ; {PACIFIQUE} ; {NOUVELLE} {CALEDONIE}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{J}ournal of {M}arine {S}ystems},
  volume = {148},
  numero = {},
  pages = {249--271},
  ISSN = {0924-7963},
  year = {2015},
  DOI = {10.1016/j.jmarsys.2015.03.004},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010064581},
}