Seasonal and spatial SST variability in the Agulhas retroflection and Agulhas return current
Multichannel sea surface temperature data from the NOAA advanced very high-resolution radiometer for the three-year period October 1991-September 1994 were analysed to characterise spatial and temporal sea surface temperature (SST) variability in the Agulhas retroflection and Agulhas return current...
Published in: | Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers |
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Language: | English |
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1998
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ftunivqespace:oai:espace.library.uq.edu.au:UQ:300703 2023-05-15T18:25:31+02:00 Seasonal and spatial SST variability in the Agulhas retroflection and Agulhas return current Weeks, SJ Shillington, FA Brundrit, GB 1998-10-01 https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:300703 eng eng PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD doi:10.1016/S0967-0637(98)00036-3 issn:0967-0637 orcid:0000-0002-0579-7069 Southern-Ocean Current System Frontal Structure Geosat Africa Region Water Circulation Thermocline Atlantic Journal Article 1998 ftunivqespace https://doi.org/10.1016/S0967-0637(98)00036-3 2020-08-05T06:17:58Z Multichannel sea surface temperature data from the NOAA advanced very high-resolution radiometer for the three-year period October 1991-September 1994 were analysed to characterise spatial and temporal sea surface temperature (SST) variability in the Agulhas retroflection and Agulhas return current regions south and east of Africa. Empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis revealed an unusual, coherent, large-scale pattern of SST variability associated with a dominant annual cycle, with interannual variability. The first EOF mode accounted for approximately 75% of the variability in the three-year record. The structure of the fronts and their role in determining the SST variability were explored. The major characteristics of the seasonal expression were found to be (1) annually varying SST anomalies with a maximum range of 10.6 degrees C, (2) stronger horizontal sea surface temperature gradients across the subtropical front in winter than in summer, and (3) an unexpectedly patchy spatial SST variability of the Agulhas return current. The SST results have been discussed in comparison with recent sea level variability measured from TOPEX/POSEIDON in 1993. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. Article in Journal/Newspaper Southern Ocean The University of Queensland: UQ eSpace Southern Ocean Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers 45 10 1611 1625 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
The University of Queensland: UQ eSpace |
op_collection_id |
ftunivqespace |
language |
English |
topic |
Southern-Ocean Current System Frontal Structure Geosat Africa Region Water Circulation Thermocline Atlantic |
spellingShingle |
Southern-Ocean Current System Frontal Structure Geosat Africa Region Water Circulation Thermocline Atlantic Weeks, SJ Shillington, FA Brundrit, GB Seasonal and spatial SST variability in the Agulhas retroflection and Agulhas return current |
topic_facet |
Southern-Ocean Current System Frontal Structure Geosat Africa Region Water Circulation Thermocline Atlantic |
description |
Multichannel sea surface temperature data from the NOAA advanced very high-resolution radiometer for the three-year period October 1991-September 1994 were analysed to characterise spatial and temporal sea surface temperature (SST) variability in the Agulhas retroflection and Agulhas return current regions south and east of Africa. Empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis revealed an unusual, coherent, large-scale pattern of SST variability associated with a dominant annual cycle, with interannual variability. The first EOF mode accounted for approximately 75% of the variability in the three-year record. The structure of the fronts and their role in determining the SST variability were explored. The major characteristics of the seasonal expression were found to be (1) annually varying SST anomalies with a maximum range of 10.6 degrees C, (2) stronger horizontal sea surface temperature gradients across the subtropical front in winter than in summer, and (3) an unexpectedly patchy spatial SST variability of the Agulhas return current. The SST results have been discussed in comparison with recent sea level variability measured from TOPEX/POSEIDON in 1993. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Weeks, SJ Shillington, FA Brundrit, GB |
author_facet |
Weeks, SJ Shillington, FA Brundrit, GB |
author_sort |
Weeks, SJ |
title |
Seasonal and spatial SST variability in the Agulhas retroflection and Agulhas return current |
title_short |
Seasonal and spatial SST variability in the Agulhas retroflection and Agulhas return current |
title_full |
Seasonal and spatial SST variability in the Agulhas retroflection and Agulhas return current |
title_fullStr |
Seasonal and spatial SST variability in the Agulhas retroflection and Agulhas return current |
title_full_unstemmed |
Seasonal and spatial SST variability in the Agulhas retroflection and Agulhas return current |
title_sort |
seasonal and spatial sst variability in the agulhas retroflection and agulhas return current |
publisher |
PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD |
publishDate |
1998 |
url |
https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:300703 |
geographic |
Southern Ocean |
geographic_facet |
Southern Ocean |
genre |
Southern Ocean |
genre_facet |
Southern Ocean |
op_relation |
doi:10.1016/S0967-0637(98)00036-3 issn:0967-0637 orcid:0000-0002-0579-7069 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0967-0637(98)00036-3 |
container_title |
Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers |
container_volume |
45 |
container_issue |
10 |
container_start_page |
1611 |
op_container_end_page |
1625 |
_version_ |
1766207022518239232 |