Enduring Lagrangian coherence of a Loop Current ring assessed using independent observations.

ABSTRACT: Ocean flows are routinely inferred from low-resolution satellite altimetry measurements of sea surface height assuming a geostrophic balance. Recent nonlinear dynamical systems techniques have revealed that surface currents derived from altimetry can support mesoscale eddies with material boundaries that do not filament for many months, thereby representing effective transport mechanisms. However, the long-range Lagrangian coherence assessed for mesoscale eddy boundaries detected from altimetry is constrained by the impossibility of current altimeters to resolve ageostrophic submesoscale motions. These may act to prevent Lagrangian coherence from manifesting in the rigorous form described by the nonlinear dynamical systems theories. Here we use a combination of satellite ocean color and su

SUBMITTER: Beron-Vera FJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6062630 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature