Equatorial waves in the Atlantic Ocean and their influence on phytoplankton

• Grant number: 16/16506-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): October 01, 2016
• Effective date (End): June 30, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Oceanography - Physical Oceanography
• Principal Investigator: Paulo Simionatto Polito
• Grantee: Mariana Miracca Lage
• Host Institution: Instituto Oceanográfico (IO). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Equatorial planetary waves are found in all three ocean basins, in a small range of about 6 degrees north and south of the Equator. Typically, its period vary from 15 to 90 days, lengths vary from 1000 to 2000 km and phase speeds vary from 25 to 100 km/day. They are forced by the instability of strong equatorial currents and manifest themselves as predominantly southern oscillations or sequences of vortices. The variability introduced by the passage of these waves has a significant influence on the sea surface temperature (SST), biochemical cycles and phytoplankton distribution in the layer above the thermocline. In this project we will identify these waves in the Atlantic Ocean using datasets obtained by satellites, containing data regarding height, chlorophyll and sea surface temperature. Thereby we will try to quantify, through statistical analysis, its influence on phytoplankton.