@article{fdi:010088091,
  title = {{C}haracteristics of submesoscale eddy structures within mesoscale eddies in the {G}ulf of {M}exico from 1/48 degrees {ECCO} estimates},
  author = {{E}rnst, {P}. {A}. and {S}ubrahmanyam, {B}. and {T}rott, {C}. {B}. and {C}haigneau, {A}lexis},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{S}ubmesoscale oceanic structures (<10-20 km) such as eddies and fronts are often difficult to describe given the influence of the mesoscale. {I}n order to characterize the surface signatures of submesoscale structures, we utilize a custom spatial filtering function to separate the meso- and large-scale sea surface height ({SSH}) signal from the small scale {SSH} signal of 1/48<degrees> high resolution estimates provided by {NASA}'s {E}stimating the {C}irculation and {C}limate of the {O}ceans ({ECCO}) project. {I}n this study, we use {ECCO} estimates from a 14-month global simulation between {S}eptember 2011 and {N}ovember 2012 with a 2 km horizontal grid spacing in the {G}ulf of {M}exico. {W}e then use an eddy detection and tracking algorithm to identify persistent circular features on both scales, giving rise to an atlas of submesoscale eddy-like variabilities ({SEV}s). {W}e briefly investigate the geographic and temporal variability of {SEV}s as a whole before collocating {SEV}s inside mesoscale eddies, allowing us to evaluate the characteristics of internal {SEV}s and the impact of {SEV}s on mesoscale eddies. {W}e find that {SEV}s, both anticyclonic and cyclonic, are ubiquitous inside mesoscale eddies with lifetimes longer than a week, accounting for an average of 10-20% of the spatial area and eddy kinetic energy of mesoscale eddies. {W}e also show that internal {SEV}s are persistently associated with temperature and salinity anomalies in both eddy centers and edges of up to 0.1 degrees {C} and 0.05 psu, with anticyclonic internal {SEV}s being warmer and fresher while cyclonic internal {SEV}s are colder and saltier. {F}inally, we examine the life cycle of an anticyclonic {L}oop {C}urrent eddy, demonstrating that the number and intensity of internal {SEV}s within increases as the eddy approaches separation from the {L}oop {C}urrent until a maximum is obtained just after separation. {I}n light of forthcoming submesoscale {SSH} observations from {NASA}'s {S}urface {W}ater and {O}cean {T}opography ({SWOT}) mission, our results showcase the variability of submesoscale eddy structures and their possible implications for biogeochemical cycling, the inverse energy cascade, and {L}oop {C}urrent prediction techniques.},
  keywords = {submesoscale ; eddies ; mesoscale ; energy cascade ; {G}ulf of {M}exico ; high resolution modelling simulations ; loop current ; satellite oceanography ; {MEXIQUE} {GOLFE}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{F}rontiers in {M}arine {S}cience},
  volume = {10},
  numero = {},
  pages = {1181676 [18 p.]},
  year = {2023},
  DOI = {10.3389/fmars.2023.1181676},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010088091},
}