Loop Current Eddy Interaction with the Western Boundary in the Gulf of Mexico

Transformation of an Agulhas eddy near the continental slope

“…Further studies by Shi and Nof (1993); Sanson and van Heijst (2000); Sutyrin et al (2003); Frolov et al (2004); An and McDonald (2005) and Tenreiro et al (2006) also highlight the importance of a counter-rotating eddy in the eddyslope interaction process. Shi and Nof (1993) examine the process of a violent eddy-wall collision using contour dynamics and find that the parent eddy can split into two eddies that propagate along the wall-like boundary in opposing directions under the image effect; the parent eddy carries the core water properties, while the counter-rotating eddy comprises fluid from along the rim of the parent eddy.…”

“…Shi and Nof (1993) examine the process of a violent eddy-wall collision using contour dynamics and find that the parent eddy can split into two eddies that propagate along the wall-like boundary in opposing directions under the image effect; the parent eddy carries the core water properties, while the counter-rotating eddy comprises fluid from along the rim of the parent eddy. Sutyrin et al (2003) and Frolov et al (2004) used a two-layer, intermediate equation model on the β-plane to study Gulf of Mexico Loop Current Eddy interactions with the continental boundary shelf-slope region. Sutyrin et al (2003) suggest that the β-effect drives deep cyclonic circulation at the trailing edge of the parent LCE (an anticyclonic eddy) and that together the eddies push onto the continental slope where the deep cyclonic eddy is dispersed by topographic Rossby waves.…”

“…Agulhas rings are known to detach from the Agulhas Retroflection south of Africa in the vicinity of 15 • E to 21 • E and 37 • 30 S to 40 • S (Lutjeharms and Ballegooyen, 1988;Lutjeharms and Valentine, 1988) and are known to contribute warm salty water to the South Atlantic Ocean and influence the Meridional Overturning Circulation (Gordon, 1985;Duncombe Rae, 1991;Duncombe Rae et al, 1996). Improved knowledge of their evolution is needed to understand their scales, translation speeds, and the role they play in the MOC.…”

Topographic effects on the anticyclonic vortex evolution: A modeling study

“…Sutyrin et al (2003) investigated the Loop Current Eddy (LCE) translation over an idealized northwestern GoM slope using a two-layer model, and reported that a deep cyclone near the trailing edge of an upper vortex accelerated southward translation, and that a northward translation along the western boundary was induced by the 'image' effect. Frolov et al (2004) investigated the effects of two typical configurations of slope geometry in the western GoM (wide shelf-narrow slope/narrow shelf-wide slope) on the LCE-topography interaction, and showed that a southward translation occurred on both slopes with an oscillated cyclic trajectory but the cyclic motion was critically controlled by the slope width. Herbette et al (2003Herbette et al ( , 2005 investigated the vortex erosion over a sea mount using/-and /(-planes, and suggested that the deep fluid motions induced by the initial vortex played a major role in the erosion.…”

“…9 and 10), but more weakly than in the steep slope case. Frolov et al (2004) suggested that the cyclone generated north of the vortex by the topographic p enhanced an offshore reflection. Typically, ocean cyclones are observed both south and north of vortices which impinge upon the western slope.…”