@article{fdi:010050508,
  title = {{L}agrangian study of the {P}anama {B}ight and surrounding regions - art. no. {C}09013},
  author = {{C}haigneau, {A}lexis and {A}barca del {R}io, {R}. and {C}olas, {F}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{N}ear-surface circulation of the {P}anama {B}ight and surrounding regions [0 - 9 degrees {N}; 73 degrees {W} - 90 degrees {W}] was studied using satellite-tracked drifter trajectories from 1979 - 2004. {T}his region encompasses three major currents showing typical velocities of similar to 30 cm s(-1): ( 1) the eastward {N}orth {E}quatorial {C}ounter {C}urrent ({NECC}), ( 2) the near-circular {P}anama {B}ight {C}yclonic {G}yre ({PBCG}), and ( 3) the westward {S}outh {E}quatorial {C}urrent ( {SEC}). {W}e do not observe significant modification of the mean surface circulation during {E}l {N}ino {S}outhern {O}scillation events, even if the {SEC} is slightly reinforced during relatively warm {E}l {N}ino periods. {A}t seasonal scales, the circulation is strongly controlled by the activity of the {P}anama wind-jet: in boreal winter, the currents are stronger and an anticyclonic cell is present west of the {PBCG}. {T}his dipole leads to a strong similar to 200 km wide southward current which then disappears during the rest of the year. {I}n summer, the three major currents have reduced intensity by 30% - 40%. {L}arge-scale current vorticity shows that the upwelling associated with the {PBCG} is also 3 - 4 times stronger in winter than during summer months. {T}he kinetic energy is largely dominated by eddy activity and its intensity is double in winter than during summer. {A}geostrophic motions and eddy activity appear to have a substantial impact on the energy spatial distribution. {I}n the {NECC} and {SEC} regions, {L}agrangian scales are anisotropic and zonally enhanced in the direction of the mean currents. {T}he typical integral time and length scales of these regions are 2.5 days and 50 - 60 km in the zonal direction and 1.5 days and 25 - 30 km in the meridional direction. {L}ateral eddy diffusivity coefficients are on the order of 11 - 14 10(7) cm(2) s(-1) zonally and 5 - 6 10(7) cm(2) s(-1) meridionally. {I}n contrast, in the {PBCG} region, the {L}agrangian characteristics are isotropic with typical timescales of 1.7 days, space scales of 30 km and eddy diffusivity coefficients of 6 10(7) cm(2) s(-1) in both directions.},
  keywords = {},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{J}ournal of {G}eophysical {R}esearch {O}ceans},
  volume = {111},
  numero = {{C}9},
  pages = {{NIL}_65--{NIL}_84},
  ISSN = {0148-0227},
  year = {2006},
  DOI = {10.1029/2006{JC}003530},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010050508},
}