Effect of Cylindrically Shaped Atoll on Westward-Propagating Anticyclonic Eddy—A Case Study

Author

Chang, Yu-Chia ; Chen, Guan-Yu ; Tseng, Ruo-Shan ; Chu, Peter C.

Author_Institution

Asia-Pacific Ocean Res. Center, Nat. Sun Yat-Sen Univ., Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Volume

9

Issue

1

fYear

2012

Firstpage

43

Lastpage

46

Abstract

Mesoscale anticyclonic eddies occasionally propagate westward across the Dongsha atoll situated on the continental slope in the northern South China Sea (SCS). Satellite observations of this phenomenon are used to identify eddy weakening and deforming. Stronger anticyclonic eddies are weakening within a distance of 30-120 km from the atoll. A weaker anticyclone with an eddy diameter of 120 km, a sea-level slope of 8.3 × 10^-8, a Reynolds number of 17, and a slow moving speed (2.5 km/d) in the SCS can be split into two smaller eddies.

Keywords

ocean waves; oceanographic regions; remote sensing; Dongsha atoll; Reynolds number; continental slope; cylindrically shaped atoll; eddy diameter; mesoscale anticyclonic eddies; northern South China Sea; satellite observations; weaker anticyclone; westward-propagating anticyclonic eddy; Altimetry; Force; Satellites; Sea measurements; Sea surface; Viscosity; Deformation; Dongsha atoll; eddy; split;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Geoscience and Remote Sensing Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1545-598X

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/LGRS.2011.2159298

Filename

5941057