Lagrangian coherence and source of water of Loop Current Frontal Eddies in the Gulf of Mexico

Hiron, Luna; Miron, P.; Shay, Lynn K.; Johns, William E.; Chassignet, Eric P.; Bozec, Alexandra

doi:10.1016/j.pocean.2022.102876

Cited by 7 publications

(5 citation statements)

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“…However, the upper portion of the LC, composed of North Atlantic Subtropical Underwater, water mass characteristic of the Caribbean, is even more oligotrophic than the Gulf water (e.g., [12]). Consequently, a relatively strong chlorophyll gradient is present in the LC front, separating LC water from Gulf water (Figures 1 and 2), which is in agreement with previous studies [12,27]. Furthermore, LCEs are Lagrangian coherent vortices, and because of that, they conserve the water mass properties as they translate across the Gulf of Mexico [26] and can also be visually identified in ocean color maps.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

“…Anticyclonic LCEs are shed episodically and travel westward [24]. Previous studies have noted that the LC and LCEs have a negative Chl-a anomaly compared to the surrounding [25][26][27]. However, as we will show in this manuscript, this is only the case during certain periods of the year.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 59%

“…One of the reasons for the lack of relationship between Chl-a-detected and SSHdetected AEs and CEs is due to the fact that horizontal advection is significant in the GoM and predominates the surface chlorophyll signal over variability due to vertical processes associated with geostrophically balanced eddies [27]. Large currents (>1 m/s) on the periphery of eddies in the GoM attract surrounding waters [46], which can be either oligotrophic or rich in nutrients, depending on their location.…”

Section: Daily Eddy Characteristics Using Eddy-tracking Algorithmmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…LCFEs are cold-core, cyclonic eddies formed through barotropic and baroclinic instability of the LC [4,[47][48][49][50]. When these eddies amplify, they strengthen the LC front and enhance the upward motion of isopycnals in the center of the eddy, subsequently increasing the vertical transport of deeper water to the upper ocean [27,46]. The high values of chlorophyll on the right flank of the LC's neck on the ocean color map (Figure 6; 18 October 2018) show well how these frontal eddies can locally increase the concentration of nutrients through isopycnal tilting due to geostrophic adjustment.…”

Section: Loop Current Eddy Identification Using Satellite-derived Oce...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Tracking Loop Current Eddies in the Gulf of Mexico Using Satellite-Derived Chlorophyll-a

Trott,

Subrahmanyam,

Hiron

et al. 2024

Remote Sensing

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During the period of 2018–2022, there were six named Loop Current Eddy (LCE) shedding events in the central Gulf of Mexico (GoM). LCEs form when a large anticyclonic eddy (AE) separates from the main Loop Current (LC) and propagates westward. In doing so, each LCE traps and advects warmer, saltier waters with lower Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentrations than the surrounding Gulf waters. This difference in water mass permits the study of the effectiveness of using Chl-a from satellite-derived ocean color to identify LCEs in the GoM. In this work, we apply an eddy-tracking algorithm to Chl-a to detect LCEs, which we have validated against the traditional sea surface height-(SSH) based eddy-tracking approach with three datasets. We apply a closed-contour eddy-tracking algorithm to the SSH of two model products (HYbrid Coordination Ocean Model; HYCOM and Nucleus for European Modelling of the Ocean; NEMO) and absolute dynamic topography (ADT) from altimetry, as well as satellite-derived Chl-a data to identify the six named LCEs from 2018 to 2022. We find that Chl-a best characterizes LCEs in the summertime due to a basin-wide increase in the horizontal gradient of Chl-a, which permits a more clearly defined eddy edge. This study demonstrates that Chl-a can be effectively used to identify and track LC and LCEs in the GoM, serving as a promising source of information for regional data assimilative models.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 59%

Section: Daily Eddy Characteristics Using Eddy-tracking Algorithmmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Loop Current Eddy Identification Using Satellite-derived Oce...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Tracking Loop Current Eddies in the Gulf of Mexico Using Satellite-Derived Chlorophyll-a

Trott,

Subrahmanyam,

Hiron

et al. 2024

Remote Sensing

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“…These considerations make it clear that there exists a teleconnection between the CBCE and the WFCE in our study case of the formation of Eddy Franklin. Hiron et al (2022) revealed that during LCE detachment, some of the WFCE water originates from the outer band of the LC front. In particular, small cyclonic eddies along the northern edge of the LC were found to merge and form a larger frontal eddy on the eastern side of the LC.…”

Section: Summary and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dynamical interactions between Loop Current and Loop Current Frontal Eddies in a HYCOM ensemble of the circulation in the Gulf of Mexico

Yang,

Le Hénaff,

Mapes

et al. 2023

Front. Mar. Sci.

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The dynamics of the Loop Current (LC) system in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM), specifically during the shedding of Eddy Franklin in 2010, is investigated using an ensemble of simulations. The ensemble members differed in their initial conditions of the West Florida Cyclonic Eddy (WFCE), which in turn significantly influences the timing and occurrence of the Loop Current Eddy (LCE) detachment. The results reveal that a stronger and larger WFCE leads to an early LCE detachment, while a weaker and smaller WFCE results in late or even no detachment within the 60-day simulation period. The initial WFCE’s size and strength are also found to impact the evolution of Campeche Bank Cyclonic Eddies (CBCE). The intrusion of a large and strong WFCE into the LC leads to a rapid growth of potential vorticity (PV) over the eastern Campeche Bank (CB), associated with the formation of a CBCE. In addition, ensemble members with stronger and larger WFCE generally agree with mooring data regarding the velocity evolution over the eastern CB, as well as the CBCE’s northeastward offshore displacement. Our results suggest that the size and strength of the WFCE may serve as predictors of the formation of a CBCE and of an LCE detachment occurrence. This finding has implications for future studies and forecasting methodologies for the GoM circulation.

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Extensive and Continuing Loss of Seagrasses in Florida’s Big Bend (USA)

Yarbro,

Carlson,

Johnsey

2023

Environmental Management

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Lagrangian coherence and source of water of Loop Current Frontal Eddies in the Gulf of Mexico

Cited by 7 publications

References 70 publications

Tracking Loop Current Eddies in the Gulf of Mexico Using Satellite-Derived Chlorophyll-a

Tracking Loop Current Eddies in the Gulf of Mexico Using Satellite-Derived Chlorophyll-a

Dynamical interactions between Loop Current and Loop Current Frontal Eddies in a HYCOM ensemble of the circulation in the Gulf of Mexico

Extensive and Continuing Loss of Seagrasses in Florida’s Big Bend (USA)

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