@article{fdi:010057354,
  title = {{M}esoscale eddies in the northeastern {P}acific tropical-subtropical transition zone : statistical characterization from satellite altimetry},
  author = {{K}urczyn, {J}. {A}. and {B}eier, {E}. and {L}avin, {M}. {F}. and {C}haigneau, {A}lexis},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{M}esoscale eddies in the northeastern {P}acific tropical-subtropical transition zone (16 degrees {N}-30 degrees {N}; 130 degrees {W}-102 degrees {W}) are analyzed using nearly 18 years of satellite altimetry and an automated eddy-identification algorithm. {E}ddies that lasted more than 10 weeks are described based on the analysis of 465 anticyclonic and 529 cyclonic eddy trajectories. {W}e found three near-coastal eddy-prolific areas: (1) {P}unta {E}ugenia, (2) {C}abo {S}an {L}ucas, and (3) {C}abo {C}orrientes. {T}hese three areas are located in places where the coastal morphology changes abruptly and strong surface current intensification occurs at some phase of the seasonal cycle. {A}lthough mesoscale eddies in these areas have been previously reported, this study provides their first statistically supported characterization. {P}unta {E}ugenia showed the highest eddy production (with more cyclones generated), followed by {C}abo {C}orrientes (also with more cyclones) and {C}abo {S}an {L}ucas (with more anticyclones). {C}abo {C}orrientes eddies showed the highest mean values in propagation speed, swirling speed and eddy kinetic energy, whereas {P}unta {E}ugenia eddies showed the lowest values. {C}yclonic eddies increased their distance traveled and duration from south to north; in contrast anticyclonic eddies increased from north to south. {I}n average, anticyclones tend to travel faster than cyclones in all the subregions. {T}hese long-lived eddies were mainly nonlinear and therefore can redistribute coastal waters relatively far into the open ocean. {T}he peaks in the seasonal signal of eddy generation can be associated with the peaks in the strength of the offshore currents and/or in the {C}oastal {U}pwelling {I}ndex. {N}o clear relationship could be established between {E}l {N}ino events and eddy generation.},
  keywords = {},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{J}ournal of {G}eophysical {R}esearch. {O}ceans},
  volume = {117},
  numero = {},
  pages = {{C}10021},
  ISSN = {0148-0227},
  year = {2012},
  DOI = {10.1029/2012jc007970},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010057354},
}