Type
ArticleKAUST Department
Beacon Development CompanyEarth Fluid Modeling and Prediction Group
Earth Science and Engineering Program
Physical Science and Engineering (PSE) Division
Date
2014-06-20Online Publication Date
2014-06-20Print Publication Date
2014-06Permanent link to this record
http://hdl.handle.net/10754/552197
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Sea level anomaly (SLA) data spanning 1992–2012 were analyzed to study the statistical properties of eddies in the Red Sea. An algorithm that identifies winding angles was employed to detect 4998 eddies propagating along 938 unique eddy tracks. Statistics suggest that eddies are generated across the entire Red Sea but that they are prevalent in certain regions. A high number of eddies is found in the central basin between 18°N and 24°N. More than 87% of the detected eddies have a radius ranging from 50 to 135 km. Both the intensity and relative vorticity scale of these eddies decrease as the eddy radii increase. The averaged eddy lifespan is approximately 6 weeks. AEs and cyclonic eddies (CEs) have different deformation features, and those with stronger intensities are less deformed and more circular. Analysis of long-lived eddies suggests that they are likely to appear in the central basin with AEs tending to move northward. In addition, their eddy kinetic energy (EKE) increases gradually throughout their lifespans. The annual cycles of CEs and AEs differ, although both exhibit significant seasonal cycles of intensity with the winter and summer peaks appearing in February and August, respectively. The seasonal cycle of EKE is negatively correlated with stratification but positively correlated with vertical shear of horizontal velocity and eddy growth rate, suggesting that the generation of baroclinic instability is responsible for the activities of eddies in the Red Sea.Citation
Eddies in the Red Sea: A statistical and dynamical study 2014, 119 (6):3909 Journal of Geophysical Research: OceansPublisher
American Geophysical Union (AGU)Additional Links
http://doi.wiley.com/10.1002/2013JC009563ae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.1002/2013JC009563