The contribution of mesoscale eddies to the surface heat budget in the South Atlantic

• Grant number: 12/21243-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Effective date (Start): January 01, 2013
• Effective date (End): June 30, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Oceanography - Physical Oceanography
• Principal Investigator: Olga Tiemi Sato
• Grantee: Ana Beatriz de Figueiredo Melo Villas Boas
• Host Institution: Instituto Oceanográfico (IO). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 08/58101-9 - Impact of the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean on South American climate for the 20th and 21st centuries, AP.PFPMCG.TEM
• Associated scholarship(s): 13/02355-0 - The methods of identifying mesoscale eddies from satellite altimetry data, BE.EP.MS

Abstract

The technology in altimetric satellites provides high spatial and temporal resolution in the sea surface level measurements to resolve mesoscale processes in the ocean. Because of their contribution to momentum, heat, salt, and carbon fluxes they are essential to understand the dynamics of the ocean. In the South Atlantic, mesoscale vortices occur generally in regions of strong currents such as in the Brazil-Malvinas Confluence and the Agulhas Current leakage. The present work proposes to investigate the role of mesoscale vortices to the surface heat budget. The main hypothesis is that the increasing of the surface heat flux in the ocean is followed by a increasing of the contribution of mesoscale fluctuations. Based on this hypothesis we propose to quantify the surface heat flux due to vortices and compare with the total surface heat flux in the South Atlantic basin.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

VILLAS BOAS, A. B.; SATO, O. T.; CHAIGNEAU, A.; CASTELAO, G. P.. The signature of mesoscale eddies on the air-sea turbulent heat fluxes in the South Atlantic Ocean. Geophysical Research Letters, v. 42, n. 6, p. 1856-1862, MAR 28 2015. (12/21243-6, 13/11825-0, 13/02355-0, 08/58101-9)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

BOAS, Ana Beatriz de Figueiredo Melo Villas. The impact of mesoscale eddies on the air-sea turbulent heat fluxes in the South Atlantic. 2014. Master's Dissertation - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto Oceanográfico (IO/DIDC) São Paulo.