Offshore cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies in the canary current system

Abstract

The transition zone between coastal and oceanic waters corresponding to eastern boundary currents is characterized by high mesoscale variability. Associated with this have been observed recurrent and persistent oceanographic features that appear in certain places. In the Canary Upwelling Region studied in this work it has been observed large cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies which seem to have a long lifetime, being observed over different years in approximately the same position. These eddies could give place to large cold water filaments typical from this region. Data from different satellite sensors have been employed to characterize these mesoscale oceanographic features. Sea surface temperature obtained from AVHRR, chlorophyll-like pigment concentration from CZCS and sea level anomalies from altimeter data have been used as oceanographic parameters in this study. The combination of these different kinds of remote sensing data help to clarify certain questions about the oceanographic dynamics of this region. Important aspects such as size, lifetime and the period of the year in which the oceanographic features are present can be derived from this analysis. The final objective is to study the time-space variability of them, trying to establish the mechanism that generate them and the relation between eddies and filaments observed in the area.