Print Email Facebook Twitter Mechanisms of the 40–70 Day Variability in the Yucatan Channel Volume Transport Title Mechanisms of the 40–70 Day Variability in the Yucatan Channel Volume Transport Author van Westen, René M. (Universiteit Utrecht) Dijkstra, Henk A. (Universiteit Utrecht) Klees, R. (TU Delft Physical and Space Geodesy) Riva, R.E.M. (TU Delft Physical and Space Geodesy) Slobbe, D.C. (TU Delft Physical and Space Geodesy) van der Boog, C.G. (TU Delft Environmental Fluid Mechanics) Katsman, C.A. (TU Delft Environmental Fluid Mechanics) Candy, A.S. (TU Delft Environmental Fluid Mechanics) Pietrzak, J.D. (TU Delft Environmental Fluid Mechanics) Zijlema, Marcel (TU Delft Environmental Fluid Mechanics) James, Rebecca K. (Universiteit Utrecht) Bouma, Tjeerd J. (Universiteit Utrecht) Date 2018-02-01 Abstract The Yucatan Channel connects the Caribbean Sea with the Gulf of Mexico and is the main outflow region of the Caribbean Sea. Moorings in the Yucatan Channel show high-frequent variability in kinetic energy (50–100 days) and transport (20–40 days), but the physical mechanisms controlling this variability are poorly understood. In this study, we show that the short-term variability in the Yucatan Channel transport has an upstream origin and arises from processes in the North Brazil Current. To establish this connection, we use data from altimetry and model output from several high resolution global models. A significant 40–70 day variability is found in the sea surface height in the North Brazil Current retroflection region with a propagation toward the Lesser Antilles. The frequency of variability is generated by intrinsic processes associated with the shedding of eddies, rather than by atmospheric forcing. This sea surface height variability is able to pass the Lesser Antilles, it propagates westward with the background ocean flow in the Caribbean Sea and finally affects the variability in the Yucatan Channel volume transport. Subject Caribbean SeaNorth Brazil Currentsea surface height variabilityYucatan Channel To reference this document use: http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:90337c48-75c3-421d-9032-eb20ef7d351d DOI https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JC013580 Embargo date 2018-10-31 ISSN 2169-9275 Source Journal Of Geophysical Research-Oceans, 123 (2), 1286-1300 Part of collection Institutional Repository Document type journal article Rights © 2018 René M. van Westen, Henk A. Dijkstra, R. Klees, R.E.M. Riva, D.C. Slobbe, C.G. van der Boog, C.A. Katsman, A.S. Candy, J.D. Pietrzak, Marcel Zijlema, Rebecca K. James, Tjeerd J. Bouma Files PDF Westen_et_al_2018_Journal ... Oceans.pdf 2.35 MB Close viewer /islandora/object/uuid:90337c48-75c3-421d-9032-eb20ef7d351d/datastream/OBJ/view