Asymmetric Particle Aggregation in Ocean Eddies Driven by Eddy‐Wind Interactions

Abstract Mesoscale eddies, prevalent across the global ocean, play a crucial role in the transport and mixing of climate‐sensitive tracers such as heat, salt, and nutrients. While traditional quasi‐geostrophic theory predicts symmetric kinematics and equivalent material transport by cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies, our analysis of satellite altimeter and surface drifter data shows a significant asymmetry in drifter distribution inside ocean eddies. We find that globally cyclonic eddies capture about 12.5% more drifters than their anticyclonic counterparts, particularly near eddy centers. Numerical experiments reveal that this asymmetry results from eddy‐wind interactions, which induce anomalous convergence in cyclonic eddies and divergence in anticyclonic eddies, enhancing particle aggregation in cyclones. These findings provide new insights into the distribution of ocean surface buoyant materials, including oil spills, plastics, and other pollutants.