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- Title
Observations of a Deep Submesoscale Cyclonic Vortex in the Arabian Sea.
- Authors
Marez, Charly; Carton, Xavier; Corréard, Stéphanie; L'Hégaret, Pierre; Morvan, Mathieu
- Abstract
Submesoscale coherent vortices (SCVs) are numerous in high‐resolution numerical simulations, but their observations are scarce. Among the few in situ available measurements of SCVs, a vast majority concern anticyclones. No cyclonic SCV with large dynamical Rossby number (|ζ/f| > 1) has ever been sampled. This suggested that such small cyclones may lack robustness. Here, we present in situ measurements of an intense cyclonic SCV in the Arabian Sea. This eddy lay at 600 m depth, with a Rossby number Ro=O(1) and a dynamical Rossby number |ζ/f| > 1.5. This cyclone was most likely generated at the mouth of the Gulf of Aden. It trapped and advected Red Sea Water, from there on. This highlights the role of deep SCVs in the spreading of salty waters across the Arabian Sea. Plain Language Summary: Numerical simulations of the ocean reveal the presence of numerous submesoscale eddies, vortices with radii smaller than, or equal to, 10 km. Nevertheless, their observations at depth are scarce because sampling their hydrological and dynamical structures requires very high resolution measurements. The present study presents measurements of a deep submesoscale cyclone in the Arabian Sea, collected during the PHYSINDIEN 2019 experiment. This intense, submesoscale, subsurface cyclone was centered at 600 m depth; most likely, it was formed at the mouth of the Gulf of Aden. Then it carried highly saline waters from the Red Sea toward the open Arabian Sea. We underline that conditions leading to the formation of such submesoscale eddies are often met in this region. Thus, such deep eddies should be recurrent in this region and should play a key role in spreading salty waters. Key Points: A deep submesoscale cyclone was observed in the Arabian SeaThe cyclone contained Red Sea Water on its rimThis cyclone was generated at the mouth of Gulf of Aden, as a local current interacted with the bottom topography
- Subjects
GULF of Aden; ROSSBY number; MESOSCALE eddies; SEAWATER; SALINE waters; SEAS; CYCLONES
- Publication
Geophysical Research Letters, 2020, Vol 47, Issue 13, p1
- ISSN
0094-8276
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1029/2020GL087881