The Eddy Canary Corridor: Lagrangian Evolution of a Prototypical Anticyclonic Eddy based on Altimetry and Model Data

Abstract

The Canary island region is plenty of swirls in the ocean called eddies. The Canary Eddy Corridor (22.1º-29.1ºN), is a zonally long-lived mesoscale eddy pathway of the Northeastern subtropical Atlantic Ocean, which drives a westward transport for water mass and biogeochemical properties from the Canary Islands/Northwest Africa upwelling system to the ocean interior. Theses eddies extension is just a few kilometers but those loops and vortices are an important part of the climate system and the ocean circulation. In this study, we investigate the Lagrangian evolution of one prototypical anticyclonic eddy combining altimeter-derived eddy tracking properties and model data. Based on these combined datasets, we provide first estimates of eddy-driven ocean properties. Lastly, we test further our results against in situ hydrographic measurements from a previous interdisciplinary survey sampling an anticyclonic eddy in this region: the PUMP eddy. Preliminary results show good agreement of the time-evolving geometric properties and associated fluxes derived from observations and model data.