HR: 17:40h
AN: U24A-05    [Abstracts]
TI: Structure of mesoscale eddies in the southern Gulf of California during cruise NAME-2 (August 2004)
AU: Castro, R
EM: rubenc@uabc.mx
AF: UABC, Facultad de Ciencias Marinas, UABC-FCM. Apartado Postal #453., Ensenda, BC 22860, Mexico
AU: * Lavin, M F
EM: mlavin@cicese.x
AF: CICESE, Oceanografia Fisica, CICESE, Oceanografía Física, Km 107 Carr. Tijuana- Ensenada., Ensenada, BC 22800, Mexico
AU: Beier, E
EM: ebeier@cicese.mx
AF: CICESE, CICESE, California Sur, Miraflores 334 entre/La Paz y Mulegé, Fracc. Bella Vista, La Paz, BCS 23050, Mexico
AU: Amador, A
EM: amador@cicese.mx
class='hr'> AB: As part of the 2004 NAME, the meteorological and oceanographic causes of the Gulf of California SST evolution during the Monsoon were investigated through two 17-day oceanographic cruises in the southern of the Gulf of California (22.5ºN-27.7ºN), and a number of surface drifters. This study focuses on the results from the second campaign (August 5-22, 2004). There were remarkable changes with respect to the conditions observed in the June 2004 campaign (NAME-1). The SST was practically homogeneous in all the southern Gulf, at ~30-31ºC in a 20 m surface mixed layer. But the subsurface thermohaline structure (T, S, O2, fluorescence) and the circulation pattern were dominated by a series of mesoscale eddies of alternating vorticity (three cyclonic and two anticyclonic) with diameters 80-100 km and up to 900 m deep. These eddies were mostly geostrophic, with speeds between 0.20 m/s and 0.45 m/s (measured with ADCP and drifters) in the top 100 m. These eddy caused much recirculation, evident in the similarity of hydrographic characteristics in the two sides of the Gulf.
DE: 3329 Mesoscale meteorology
DE: 4200 OCEANOGRAPHY: GENERAL
DE: 4243 Marginal and semi-enclosed seas
DE: 4500 OCEANOGRAPHY: PHYSICAL
DE: 4520 Eddies and mesoscale processes
SC: Union [U]
MN: 2007 Joint Assembly