Distribution, Mixing, and Transformation of a Loop Current Ring Waters: The Case of Gulf of Mexico
Abstract Mesoscale warm‐core rings, known as Loop Current rings (LCRs) reshape the Gulf of Mexico water masses by redistributing large amounts of heat and salt laterally. LCRs also transform water masses via diapycnal mixing, but the mechanisms by which this occurs are poorly measured. Here, we present glider‐MicroPod turbulence observations that reveal enhanced mixing below the mixed layer, along the eddy edges, driving the LCR's heat, salt, and oxygen exchanges. Interleavings of adjacent water masses may be interpreted mainly as a manifestation of submesoscale processes through stirring of the spice gradients, which facilitates double‐diffusive mixing that transforms Subtropical Underwater into Gulf Common Water. Our findings highlight the need for ocean models to parameterize double‐diffusive mixing processes directly resulting from submesoscale tracer stirring, which may be important at basin scale in the presence of LCRs in the Gulf of Mexico.
Authors
- Enric Pallàs‐Sanz (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2988-0307)
- Sheila N. Estrada‐Allis (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0005-4629)
- Thomas Meunier (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9465-0113)
- Julio Sheinbaum (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7031-5225)
- Angel Ruiz‐Angulo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7292-3002)
- Mathieu Gentil (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9523-9625)
- Giovanni Durante (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-9863-2731)
- Miguel Tenreiro (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2228-2753)
- Leo Middleton (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2821-6992)
Institutions
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- Université de Toulon (FR)
- Ifremer (FR)
- Université de Bretagne Occidentale (FR)
- University of Iceland (IS)
- Aix-Marseille Université (FR)
- Ensenada Institute of Technology (MX)
- Laboratory for Ocean Physics and Satellite Remote Sensing (FR)
- Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer (FR)
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (FR)
- Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada (MX)
- Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Geophysical Research Letters
- Published
- 2024-11-29
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1029/2024gl110845
- Citations
- 2
- Primary Topic
- Oceanographic and Atmospheric Processes
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.96
Funders
- Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada, Baja California