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Phytoplankton pigment distribution from SeaWiFS data in the subtropical convergence zone south of Africa: A wavelet analysis
Author(s) -
Machu Eric,
Ferret Bertrand,
Garçon Véronique
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/1999gl900256
Subject(s) - seawifs , mesoscale meteorology , climatology , oceanography , wavelet , geology , subtropics , sea surface temperature , anomaly (physics) , environmental science , remote sensing , phytoplankton , physics , artificial intelligence , nutrient , computer science , biology , chemistry , organic chemistry , condensed matter physics , fishery
The Agulhas system (Agulhas Current, Retroflection, Agulhas Return Current (ARC)), south of Africa, constitutes a complex energetic system subject to high frequency mesoscale and low frequency variability. Using chlorophyll pigment concentration data collected by the SeaWiFS ocean color sensor and sea surface height satellite data, we demonstrate the utility of wavelet analysis in jointly analyzing ocean color and altimetric signals. Two distinct dynamical scenarios of the Agulhas system (October 1997 and January 1998) yield different dominant wavelengths (620 and 500 km) for the ARC Rossby wave. They are simultaneously retrieved from the chlorophyll and sea level anomaly signals. Longitudinal extension of the power, resulting from the wavelet analysis, also depends on the dynamical regime.