The velocity and vorticity structure of the Agulhas Current at 32°S

Beal, Lisa M.; Bryden, Harry L.

doi:10.1029/1998jc900056

Cited by 136 publications

(122 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…These investigations established the core parameters for the current in a relatively reliable fashion for the first time. These pioneering South African efforts were terminated in the 1980s (Lutjeharms and Thomson, 1993), but fortunately followed in the 1990s by the placement of current meter moorings in the current by British oceanographers (Beal and Bryden, 1999). The measurements from this project gave a very accurate, average value of the volume transport of 69.7±4.3 Sv, the best to date.…”

Section: Northern Agulhas Currentmentioning

confidence: 75%

Three decades of research on the greater Agulhas Current

Lütjeharms

2007

Ocean Sci.

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Abstract. The greater Agulhas Current has been shown to be a key link in the global thermohaline circulation and an increased understanding of this current system is therefore of more than just local interest. Knowledge on the Agulhas Current system has in fact increased enormously over the past 30 years. This review covers some aspects of what has been learnt on the northern and the southern parts of the Agulhas Current proper and their influence on the waters and circulation of the adjoining continental shelf. It also discusses the Natal Pulse and new information that has been gained on how it is triggered and what influence it has. It deals with the Agulhas retroflection, the shedding of Agulhas rings and the movement and characteristics of these rings that contributes to the meridional overturning circulation of the global ocean. The Agulhas Return Current forms part of the final outflow of the system and current knowledge on that current is appraised. The sources of the Agulhas Current have been a controversial subject for many years and this dispute continues. This is described and discussed, based on what information has been gained from research over the past three decades. Building on what is currently known, some suggestions are given on the most important remaining knowledge gaps and how these could most efficaciously be filled.

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Section: Northern Agulhas Currentmentioning

confidence: 75%

Three decades of research on the greater Agulhas Current

Lütjeharms

2007

Ocean Sci.

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“…This suggests that around 25% of the Agulhas leaks into the Atlantic. The directly measured transport of the Agulhas in the upper 1,000 m (near 32°S) from two sections is 63 Sv and 70 Sv (Beal and Bryden, 1999;Donohue and Firing, 2000). Combining the mean transport of these (66.5 Sv) with the 25% of floats and drifters that entered the Benguela from the Agulhas suggests a leakage transport of 15.3 Sv.…”

Section: Direct Observations Of Agulhas Leakagementioning

confidence: 98%

“…Combining the mean transport of these (66.5 Sv) with the 25% of floats and drifters that entered the Benguela from the Agulhas suggests a leakage transport of 15.3 Sv. A better estimate of leakage transport is obtained by dividing the Agulhas into a near surface layer and a deeper layer and using the appropriate transport for each layer calculated from the velocity section shown by Beal and Bryden (1999). If we assume that the leakage of drifters is representative of the wind-forced Ekman layer in the upper 50 m of the Agulhas (5.3 Sv) and the combined leakage by RAFOS and ALACE floats (5 out of 24 floats) is representative of the 50-1,000 m layer of the Agulhas (61.2 Sv), then the estimated leakage transport is 14.5 Sv.…”

Section: Direct Observations Of Agulhas Leakagementioning

confidence: 99%

Agulhas leakage into the Atlantic estimated with subsurface floats and surface drifters

Richardson

2007

Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers

158

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“…From year-long current measurements of the Agulhas Current, the mean transport is obtained as 70 Sv (Beal and Bryden 1999). Modelling studies (Biastoch et al 1999;Reason et al 2003) suggest that seasonal anomaly in the tropical circulation propagates poleward through the Mozambique Channel and influences the mass transport of the Agulhas Current.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mean and Seasonal Circulation of the South Indian Ocean Estimated by Combining Satellite Altimetry and Surface Drifter Observations

Benny¹,

Ambe²,

Mridula³

et al. 2014

Terr. Atmos. Ocean. Sci.

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The mean velocity field of south Indian Ocean has been derived by combining high resolution maps of sea level anomalies and the surface drifter data from the Global Drifter program from 1993 to 2012 with a resolution of 1/3 × 1/3 degrees in latitude and longitude. The estimated mean velocity field exhibits strong western boundary currents, zonal currents and eastern boundary currents. The Agulhas Current shows a velocity of above 1.5 m s -1 at around 35°S. The distribution of energy associated with the fluctuating motion and the mean flow illustrates that mesoscale variability are particularly relevant in the Mozambique Channel, south of Java and around 40°S. Advection of mesoscale features along the western boundary is evident in the distribution of eddy fluxes. The long-term average monthly surface velocity field exhibits large variations in surface currents. The most change is observed in the South Equatorial Current which shows spatial and temporal variations.Key words: South Indian Ocean, Circulation, Currents, Satellite altimetry, Surface drifter Citation: Benny, N. P., D. Ambe, K. R. Mridula, S. Ses, K. M. Omar, and M. R. Mahmud, 2014: Mean and seasonal circulation of the South Indian Ocean estimated by combining satellite altimetry and surface drifter observations. Terr. Atmos. Ocean. Sci., 25, 91-106, doi: 10.3319/TAO.2013.08.05.01(Oc)

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The velocity and vorticity structure of the Agulhas Current at 32°S

Cited by 136 publications

References 32 publications

Three decades of research on the greater Agulhas Current

Three decades of research on the greater Agulhas Current

Agulhas leakage into the Atlantic estimated with subsurface floats and surface drifters

Mean and Seasonal Circulation of the South Indian Ocean Estimated by Combining Satellite Altimetry and Surface Drifter Observations

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