Process modeling studies of physical mechanisms of the formation of an anticyclonic eddy in the central Red Sea

Surface drifters released in the central Red Sea during April 2010 detected a well‐defined anticyclonic eddy around 23°N. This eddy was ∼45–60 km in radius, with a swirl speed up to ∼0.5 m/s. The eddy feature was also evident in monthly averaged sea surface height fields and in current profiles meas...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of geophysical research. Oceans 2014-02, Vol.119 (2), p.1445-1464
Main Authors: Chen, Changsheng, Li, Ruixiang, Pratt, Larry, Limeburner, Richard, Beardsley, Robert C., Bower, Amy, Jiang, Houshuo, Abualnaja, Yasser, Xu, Qichun, Lin, Huichan, Liu, Xuehai, Lan, Jian, Kim, Taewan
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Baroclinic flow
Buoyancy
Coastal
Coastal waters
Current profiles
Cyclones
Density stratification
Diagnosis
Drift
Drifters
Eddies
eddies in the Red Sea
Fields
Geophysics
Isobaths
Loads (forces)
Marine
Modelling
Momentum
Ocean currents
Ocean models
Oceanography
Position (location)
Pressure
Pressure gradients
Profiles
Red Sea
Robustness
Sea surface
Stratification
Surface drifters
Surface pressure
Surveying
Temperature (air-sea)
Vortices
Water stratification
Wind
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Summary:Surface drifters released in the central Red Sea during April 2010 detected a well‐defined anticyclonic eddy around 23°N. This eddy was ∼45–60 km in radius, with a swirl speed up to ∼0.5 m/s. The eddy feature was also evident in monthly averaged sea surface height fields and in current profiles measured on a cross‐isobath, shipboard CTD/ADCP survey around that region. The unstructured‐grid, Finite‐Volume Community Ocean Model (FVCOM) was configured for the Red Sea and process studies were conducted to establish the conditions necessary for the eddy to form and to establish its robustness. The model was capable of reproducing the observed anticyclonic eddy with the same location and size. Diagnosis of model results suggests that the eddy can be formed in a Red Sea that is subject to seasonally varying buoyancy forcing, with no wind, but that its location and structure are significantly altered by wind forcing, initial distribution of water stratification and southward coastal flow from the upstream area. Momentum analysis indicates that the flow field of the eddy was in geostrophic balance, with the baroclinic pressure gradient forcing about the same order of magnitude as the surface pressure gradient forcing. Key Points Surface drifters detected an anticyclonic eddy in the central Red Sea The model successfully reproduced the observed eddy The eddy formed as geostrophic adjustment to seasonal buoyancy forcing
ISSN:2169-9275
2169-9291
DOI:10.1002/2013JC009351