A connection between the South Equatorial Current north of Madagascar and Mozambique Channel Eddies

Combining high resolution model output and geostrophic currents derived from satellite altimeter data, it is shown that the formation of mesoscale eddies in the Mozambique Channel (MZC) is connected to variability in the transport of the South Equatorial Current (SEC). Lagged cross‐correlations of t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Geophysical research letters 2010-02, Vol.37 (4), p.n/a
Main Authors: Backeberg, B. C., Reason, C. J. C.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Altimeters
Channels
Circulation
Climate
Earth sciences
Earth, ocean, space
Eddies
Exact sciences and technology
Indian Ocean
Joints
Marine
Mozambique Channel eddies
Physical oceanography
South Equatorial Current
Transport
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Summary:Combining high resolution model output and geostrophic currents derived from satellite altimeter data, it is shown that the formation of mesoscale eddies in the Mozambique Channel (MZC) is connected to variability in the transport of the South Equatorial Current (SEC). Lagged cross‐correlations of the currents north of Madagascar and vorticities in the MZC, combined with a composite analysis of the model output, show that eddies form in the narrows of the channel approximately 20 weeks following a westward transport pulse in the SEC. A relationship between MZC eddies and the large‐scale variability of the South Indian Ocean may have downstream impacts on the Agulhas leakage, the Atlantic Meridional overturning circulation, and thus climate.
ISSN:0094-8276
1944-8007
DOI:10.1029/2009GL041950