Éditeur(s) : Copernicus Gesellschaft Mbh
Résumé : Three methods for automatic detection of mesoscale coherent structures are applied to Sea Level Anomaly (SLA) fields in the South Atlantic. The first method is based on the wavelet packet decomposition of the SLA data, the second on the estimation of the Okubo-Weiss parameter and the third on a geometric criterion using the winding-angle approach. The results provide a comprehensive picture of the mesoscale eddies over the South Atlantic Ocean, emphasizing their main characteristics: amplitude, diameter, duration and propagation velocity. Five areas of particular eddy dynamics were selected: the Brazil Current, the Agulhas eddies propagation corridor, the Agulhas Current retroflexion, the Brazil-Malvinas confluence zone and the northern branch of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC). For these areas, mean propagation velocities and amplitudes were calculated. Two regions with long duration eddies were observed, corresponding to the propagation of Agulhas and ACC eddies. Through the comparison between the identification methods, their main advantages and shortcomings were detailed. The geometric criterion presents the best performance, mainly in terms of number of detections, duration of the eddies and propagation velocities. The results are particularly good for the Agulhas Rings, which have the longest lifetimes of all South Atlantic eddies.
Ocean Science (1812-0784) (Copernicus Gesellschaft Mbh), 2011 , Vol. 7 , N. 3 , P. 317-334

Droits : Author(s) 2011. This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License. EGU
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00039/15051/12378.pdf
DOI:10.5194/os-7-317-2011
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00039/15051/

Éditeur(s) : European Geosciences Union (EGU)
Résumé : Barrier layers are defined as the layer between the pycnocline and the thermocline when the latter are different as a result of salinity stratification. We present a revisited 2-degree resolution global climatology of monthly mean oceanic Barrier Layer (BL) thickness first proposed by de Boyer Montegut et al. (2007). In addition to using an extended data set, we present a modified computation method that addresses the observed porosity of BLs. We name porosity the fact that barrier layers distribution can, in some areas, be very uneven regarding the space and time scales that are considered. This implies an intermittent alteration of air-sea exchanges by the BL. Therefore, it may have important consequences for the climatic impact of BLs. Differences between the two computation methods are small for robust BLs that are formed by large-scale processes. However, the former approach can significantly underestimate the thickness of short and/or localized barrier layers. This is especially the case for barrier layers formed by mesoscale mechanisms (under the intertropical convergence zone for example and along western boundary currents) and equatorward of the sea surface salinity subtropical maxima. Complete characterisation of regional BL dynamics therefore requires a description of the robustness of BL distribution to assess the overall impact of BLs on the process of heat exchange between the ocean interior and the atmosphere.
Ocean Science (1812-0784) (European Geosciences Union (EGU)), 2009-09 , Vol. 5 , N. 3 , P. 379-387

Droits : European Geosciences Union (EGU)
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/2009/publication-6915.pdf
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/2009/sup-6915.pdf
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00000/6915/