Monitoring bio-physical coupling in the open Gulf of Mexico using an integrated satellite sensor approach

In the autumn of 2006 (September 20 - December 20, 2006) two cyclonic rings merged to form a larger cyclonic ring in the central Gulf of Mexico (GMx). An anticyclonic ring and the Loop Current aided this merger. The different rotational rings were compared in sea level anomaly (SLA) magnitude as well as chlorophyll anomaly (CLA) signal. The cyclonic ring encompasses positive CLA, while both the anticyclonic ring and loop current usually feature negative CLA. Coastal advection also occurred in this time frame, with a large CLA signature that extended from the Yucatan Peninsula to the large cyclonic ring. Throughout the entire autumn of 2006, the respective positive and negative SLA features in the central GMx possess negative and positive CLA indicating a qualitative correlation is present during this time.