Abstract
Persistent Lagrangian transport patterns at the ocean surface are revealed from climatological Lagrangian coherent structures (cLCSs) computed from daily climatological surface current velocities in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico (NWGoM). The climatological currents are computed from daily velocities produced by an 18-yr-long free-running submesoscale-permitting Nucleus for European Modelling of the Ocean (NEMO) simulation of the Gulf of Mexico. Despite the intense submesoscale variability produced by the model along the shelf break, which is found to be consistent with observations and previous studies, a persistent mesoscale attracting barrier between the NWGoM shelf and the deep ocean is effectively identified by a hook-like pattern associated with persistent strongly attracting cLCSs. Simulated tracer and satellitetracked drifters originating over the shelf tend to be trapped there by the hook-like pattern as they spread cyclonically. Tracers and drifters originating beyond the shelf tend to be initially attracted to the hook-like pattern as they spread anticyclonically and eventually over the deep ocean. The findings have important implications for the mitigation of contaminant accidents such as oil spills.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 353-367 |
| Number of pages | 15 |
| Journal | Journal of Physical Oceanography |
| Volume | 49 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 1 2019 |
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Keywords
- Continental shelf/slope
- Lagrangian circulation/transport
- Mesoscale processes
- Nonlinear dynamics
- Ocean
- Ocean circulation
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Oceanography
Cite this
Persistent Lagrangian transport patterns in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico. / Gough, Matt K.; Beron-Vera, Francisco J; Olascoaga, Maria J; Sheinbaum, Julio; Jouanno, Julien; Duran, Rodrigo.
In: Journal of Physical Oceanography, Vol. 49, No. 2, 01.01.2019, p. 353-367.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Persistent Lagrangian transport patterns in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico
AU - Gough, Matt K.
AU - Beron-Vera, Francisco J
AU - Olascoaga, Maria J
AU - Sheinbaum, Julio
AU - Jouanno, Julien
AU - Duran, Rodrigo
PY - 2019/1/1
Y1 - 2019/1/1
N2 - Persistent Lagrangian transport patterns at the ocean surface are revealed from climatological Lagrangian coherent structures (cLCSs) computed from daily climatological surface current velocities in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico (NWGoM). The climatological currents are computed from daily velocities produced by an 18-yr-long free-running submesoscale-permitting Nucleus for European Modelling of the Ocean (NEMO) simulation of the Gulf of Mexico. Despite the intense submesoscale variability produced by the model along the shelf break, which is found to be consistent with observations and previous studies, a persistent mesoscale attracting barrier between the NWGoM shelf and the deep ocean is effectively identified by a hook-like pattern associated with persistent strongly attracting cLCSs. Simulated tracer and satellitetracked drifters originating over the shelf tend to be trapped there by the hook-like pattern as they spread cyclonically. Tracers and drifters originating beyond the shelf tend to be initially attracted to the hook-like pattern as they spread anticyclonically and eventually over the deep ocean. The findings have important implications for the mitigation of contaminant accidents such as oil spills.
AB - Persistent Lagrangian transport patterns at the ocean surface are revealed from climatological Lagrangian coherent structures (cLCSs) computed from daily climatological surface current velocities in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico (NWGoM). The climatological currents are computed from daily velocities produced by an 18-yr-long free-running submesoscale-permitting Nucleus for European Modelling of the Ocean (NEMO) simulation of the Gulf of Mexico. Despite the intense submesoscale variability produced by the model along the shelf break, which is found to be consistent with observations and previous studies, a persistent mesoscale attracting barrier between the NWGoM shelf and the deep ocean is effectively identified by a hook-like pattern associated with persistent strongly attracting cLCSs. Simulated tracer and satellitetracked drifters originating over the shelf tend to be trapped there by the hook-like pattern as they spread cyclonically. Tracers and drifters originating beyond the shelf tend to be initially attracted to the hook-like pattern as they spread anticyclonically and eventually over the deep ocean. The findings have important implications for the mitigation of contaminant accidents such as oil spills.
KW - Continental shelf/slope
KW - Lagrangian circulation/transport
KW - Mesoscale processes
KW - Nonlinear dynamics
KW - Ocean
KW - Ocean circulation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85062539461&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85062539461&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1175/JPO-D-17-0207.1
DO - 10.1175/JPO-D-17-0207.1
M3 - Article
VL - 49
SP - 353
EP - 367
JO - Journal of Physical Oceanography
JF - Journal of Physical Oceanography
SN - 0022-3670
IS - 2
ER -