Mechanisms for vertical nutrient transport within a North Atlantic mesoscale eddy

• Published in: Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography
• Main Authors: Martin, A.P., Richards, K.J.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2001
• Subjects: North Atlantic
• Online Access: https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/7918/

Prompted by observational evidence for an enhanced source of surface nutrients within an anticyclonic eddy in the NE Atlantic, we investigate vertical transport processes that may produce such a phenomenon. For the eddy investigated, the dominant mechanism is found to be ageostrophic circulation resulting from a perturbation of the circular flow of the eddy. This can produce upwelling velocities of order 10 md?1. Ekman pumping due to wind stress on the eddy also produces upwelling within, but on a smaller scale of ~0.5 md?1. There is no evidence that self-propagation of the eddy leads to an enhanced nutrient flux by displacement upwards of nutrient-laden deeper isopycnals over the core of the eddy. Deeper winter mixing within the eddy relative to the surroundings, however, may contribute to the elevated nutrient levels.