Frontal system changes in the Southeastern Atlantic Ocean

The transition between the South Atlantic and the Southern Ocean is marked by a frontal system that includes both the South Atlantic Current and the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC). In the eastern part of the basin the latitudinal position of the fronts that compose this system is thought to con...

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Detalhes bibliográficos
Autor: Braga, Martim Mas e
Formato: tesis de maestría
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2017
País:Brasil
Recursos:Universidade de São Paulo (USP)
Repositorio:Biblioteca Digital de Teses e Dissertações da USP
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:teses.usp.br:tde-09042018-112125
Acesso em linha:http://www.teses.usp.br/teses/disponiveis/21/21135/tde-09042018-112125/
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palavra-chave:Agulhas Leakage
Frente Subtropical
Giro Subtropical
Subtropical Front
Subtropical Gyre
Supergiro
Supergyre
Vazamento das Agulhas
Descrição
Resumo:The transition between the South Atlantic and the Southern Ocean is marked by a frontal system that includes both the South Atlantic Current and the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC). In the eastern part of the basin the latitudinal position of the fronts that compose this system is thought to control the input of warm waters into the Atlantic basin through the Agulhas Leakage. Changes in the Subtropical and Polar regimes associated with the system that marks the boundary between the Subtropical Gyre and the ACC are investigated using the simulation results of the ocean component of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Community Earth System Model (CESM), POP2. Sea surface height gradients and specific contours are used to identify and track the ocean fronts position. We compare the Subtropical Front position at the eastern edge of the South Atlantic to changes in temperature and salinity, as well as Agulhas Current transports and the overlying wind field, in order to determine what could be driving frontal variability at this region and its consequences to volume transport from the Indian into the Atlantic. Results suggest that the Subtropical Front is not the southern boundary of the subtropical gyre, but it responds to changes in the \"Supergyre\", especially the Indian Ocean Subtropical Gyre expansion.