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Mechanisms of the 40–70 Day Variability in the Yucatan Channel Volume Transport
Author(s) -
van Westen René M.,
Dijkstra Henk A.,
Klees Roland,
Riva Riccardo E. M.,
Slobbe D. Cornelis,
van der Boog Carine G.,
Katsman Caroline A.,
Candy Adam S.,
Pietrzak Julie D.,
Zijlema Marcel,
James Rebecca K.,
Bouma Tjeerd J.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: oceans
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2169-9291
pISSN - 2169-9275
DOI - 10.1002/2017jc013580
Subject(s) - eddy , channel (broadcasting) , sea surface height , outflow , climatology , oceanography , current (fluid) , altimeter , geology , sea level , ocean current , geography , sea surface temperature , meteorology , turbulence , electrical engineering , engineering , geodesy
The Yucatan Channel connects the Caribbean Sea with the Gulf of Mexico and is the main outflow region of the Caribbean Sea. Moorings in the Yucatan Channel show high‐frequent variability in kinetic energy (50–100 days) and transport (20–40 days), but the physical mechanisms controlling this variability are poorly understood. In this study, we show that the short‐term variability in the Yucatan Channel transport has an upstream origin and arises from processes in the North Brazil Current. To establish this connection, we use data from altimetry and model output from several high resolution global models. A significant 40–70 day variability is found in the sea surface height in the North Brazil Current retroflection region with a propagation toward the Lesser Antilles. The frequency of variability is generated by intrinsic processes associated with the shedding of eddies, rather than by atmospheric forcing. This sea surface height variability is able to pass the Lesser Antilles, it propagates westward with the background ocean flow in the Caribbean Sea and finally affects the variability in the Yucatan Channel volume transport.