Submesoscale cyclones in the Agulhas current. Issue 1 (14th January 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Krug, M.; Swart, S.; Gula, J.
• Is Part Of: Geophysical research letters. Volume 44:Issue 1(2017)
• Page Start: 346
• Page End: 354
• Publication Date: 2017-01-14
• Subjects: western boundary current -- coastal and shelf -- sub‐mesoscale -- Agulhas Current -- ocean gliders -- instabilities; Geophysics -- Periodicals; Planets -- Periodicals; Lunar geology -- Periodicals; 550
• DOI: 10.1002/2016GL071006
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0094-8276

Abstract

Abstract: Gliders were deployed for the first time in the Agulhas Current region to investigate processes of interactions between western boundary currents and shelf waters. Continuous observations from the gliders in water depths of 100–1000 m and over a period of 1 month provide the first high‐resolution observations of the Agulhas Current's inshore front. The observations collected in a nonmeandering Agulhas Current show the presence of submesoscale cyclonic eddies, generated at the inshore boundary of the Agulhas Current. The submesoscale cyclones are often associated with warm water plumes, which extend from their western edge and exhibit strong northeastward currents. These features are a result of shear instabilities and extract their energy from the mean Agulhas Current jet. Key Points: Glider observations show the presence of submesoscale cyclonic eddies at the inshore boundary of the Agulhas Current Submesoscale cyclones are generated through shear instability of the current Submesoscale cyclones drive warm water plumes towards the continental shelf