What do global surface drifters tell us about cyclonic and anticyclonic submesoscale motion in the upper ocean?
A. Griffa, M. Veneziani, R. Lumpkin, Z. Garraffo
RSMAS/CNR
(Abstract received 08/11/2009 for session A)
ABSTRACT
A recent global census of surface loopers (drifter trajectories with a definite sense of rotation) has revealed some unexpected features of the distribution of structures at scales of the submesoscale (R<15 km; Griffa, Lumpkin, and Veneziani 2008). Three main regimes have emerged: a) a preva- lently cyclonic zonal band at 1020 latitude; b) a prevalently anticyclonic zonal band at 3040 ; and c) regions devoid of submesoscale presence corresponding to areas of formation of great rings. The dynamical mechanisms behind this distribution are not completely understood yet, one of the reasons being that small loopers can be the signature of different dynamics, such as submesoscale eddies and subinertial Ekman response, and also possivle biases can occurr in the drifter loopers distribution. An investigation is presently underway addressing these questions.
<< Previous Abstract | A101 | A102 | A103 | A104 | A105 | A201 | A202 | A203 | A204 | A205 | A301 | A302 | A303 | A304 | A401 | Next Abstract >>