• Login
    View Item 
    •   Home
    • Theses and Dissertations
    • MS Theses
    • View Item
    •   Home
    • Theses and Dissertations
    • MS Theses
    • View Item
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    Browse

    All of KAUSTCommunitiesIssue DateSubmit DateThis CollectionIssue DateSubmit Date

    My Account

    Login

    Quick Links

    Open Access PolicyORCID LibguideTheses and Dissertations LibguideSubmit an Item

    Statistics

    Display statistics

    Sea Surface Height Variability and Eddy Statistical Properties in the Red Sea

    • CSV
    • RefMan
    • EndNote
    • BibTex
    • RefWorks
    Thumbnail
    Name:
    Peng Zhan - Thesis - Final Draft - Jun 3.pdf
    Size:
    2.930Mb
    Format:
    PDF
    Download
    Type
    Thesis
    Authors
    Zhan, Peng cc
    Advisors
    Hoteit, Ibrahim cc
    Committee members
    Jones, Burton cc
    Raitsos, Dionysios
    Program
    Earth Science and Engineering
    KAUST Department
    Physical Science and Engineering (PSE) Division
    Date
    2013-05
    Permanent link to this record
    http://hdl.handle.net/10754/293322
    
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Abstract
    Satellite sea surface height (SSH) data over 1992-2012 are analyzed to study the spatial and temporal variability of sea level in the Red Sea. Empirical orthogonal functions (EOF) analysis suggests the remarkable seasonality of SSH in the Red Sea, and a significant correlation is found between SSH variation and seasonal wind cycle. A winding-angle based eddy identification algorithm is employed to derive the mesoscale eddy information from SSH data. Totally more than 5500 eddies are detected, belonging to 2583 eddy tracks. Statistics suggest that eddies generate over the entire Red Sea, with two regions in the central basin of high eddy frequency. 76% of the detected eddies have a radius ranging from 40km to 100km, of which both intensity and absolute vorticity decrease with eddy radius. The average eddy lifespan is about 5 weeks, and eddies with longer lifespan tend to have larger radius but less intensity. Different deformation rate exists between anticyclonic eddies (AEs) and cyclonic eddies (CEs), those eddies with higher intensity appear to be less deformed and more circular. Inspection of the 84 long-lived eddies suggests the AEs tend to move a little more northward than CEs. AE generation during summer is obviously lower than that during other seasons, while CE generation is higher during spring and summer. Other features of AEs and CEs are similar with both vorticity and intensity reaching the summer peaks in August and winter peaks in January. Inter-annual variability reveals that the eddies in the Red Sea are isolated from the global event. The eddy property tendencies are different from the south and north basin, both of which exhibit a two-year cycle. Showing a correlation coefficient of -0.91, Brunt–Väisälä frequency is negatively correlated with eddy kinetic energy (EKE), which results from AE activities in the high eddy frequency region. Climatological vertical velocity shear variation is identical with EKE except in the autumn, suggesting the vertical shear could convert the energy from baroclinic instability into eddy activity. Finally, numerical simulation results from the MIT general circulation model (MITgcm) are validated with previous studies and observations. The vertical structure of the simulated flux through Bab el Mandeb is successfully reproduced. Further validation with the 2010 cruise suggests that the thermocline occurs at ~200m, but the model vertical salinity gradient is lower than the observations. The model surface eddy variability is also examined, suggesting good agreement with satellite observations.
    Citation
    Zhan, P. (2013). Sea Surface Height Variability and Eddy Statistical Properties in the Red Sea. KAUST Research Repository. https://doi.org/10.25781/KAUST-OBW65
    DOI
    10.25781/KAUST-OBW65
    ae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
    10.25781/KAUST-OBW65
    Scopus Count
    Collections
    MS Theses; Physical Science and Engineering (PSE) Division; Earth Science and Engineering Program

    entitlement

     
    DSpace software copyright © 2002-2022  DuraSpace
    Quick Guide | Contact Us | KAUST University Library
    Open Repository is a service hosted by 
    Atmire NV
     

    Export search results

    The export option will allow you to export the current search results of the entered query to a file. Different formats are available for download. To export the items, click on the button corresponding with the preferred download format.

    By default, clicking on the export buttons will result in a download of the allowed maximum amount of items. For anonymous users the allowed maximum amount is 50 search results.

    To select a subset of the search results, click "Selective Export" button and make a selection of the items you want to export. The amount of items that can be exported at once is similarly restricted as the full export.

    After making a selection, click one of the export format buttons. The amount of items that will be exported is indicated in the bubble next to export format.