Gough M. K., Beron-Vera F. J., Olascoaga M. J., Sheinbaum J., Jouanno Julien, Duran R. (2019). Persistent lagrangian transport patterns in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 49 (2), p. 353-367. ISSN 0022-3670.
Titre du document
Persistent lagrangian transport patterns in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico
Gough M. K., Beron-Vera F. J., Olascoaga M. J., Sheinbaum J., Jouanno Julien, Duran R.
Source
Journal of Physical Oceanography, 2019,
49 (2), p. 353-367 ISSN 0022-3670
Persistent Lagrangian transport patterns at the ocean surface are revealed from climatological Lagrangian coherent structures (cLCSs) computed from daily climatological surface current velocities in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico (NWGoM). The climatological currents are computed from daily velocities produced by an 18-yr-long free-running submesoscale-permitting Nucleus for European Modelling of the Ocean (NEMO) simulation of the Gulf of Mexico. Despite the intense submesoscale variability produced by the model along the shelf break, which is found to be consistent with observations and previous studies, a persistent mesoscale attracting barrier between the NWGoM shelf and the deep ocean is effectively identified by a hook-like pattern associated with persistent strongly attracting cLCSs. Simulated tracer and satellite-tracked drifters originating over the shelf tend to be trapped there by the hook-like pattern as they spread cyclonically. Tracers and drifters originating beyond the shelf tend to be initially attracted to the hook-like pattern as they spread anticyclonically and eventually over the deep ocean. The findings have important implications for the mitigation of contaminant accidents such as oil spills.
Plan de classement
Sciences fondamentales / Techniques d'analyse et de recherche [020]
;
Limnologie physique / Océanographie physique [032]
