Semiannual variability of the California Undercurrent along the Southern California Current System a tropical generated phenomenon

We used a high-resolution numerical model implementation to analyze the California Undercurrent (CU) dynamics along the Southern California Current System. In agreement with reported observations, the modeled CU was stronger during June-July and December-January, when it flowed continuously along Baja California and Southern California reaching long-term averages up to 6 cm s21. Previous research has associated the biannual CU intensification to the local dynamics off Southern California. Our results evidenced, however, that the passage of remote Semiannual Coastal-Trapped Waves (SCTW) primarily explained the semiannual CU variability. The CU was stronger 2-3 months after the passage of the upwelling SCTW phase, when the offshore propagation of Rossby waves, brought about by the SCTW transit, induced an energetic cross-shore pressure gradient that strengthened the subsurface poleward circulation along the continental slope. The SCTW were independent of the local wind; they corresponded to the northward extension of semiannual equatorial Kelvin waves that have been observed along the northeastern tropical Pacific.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Gómez Valdivia, Felipe Doctor autor/a 13911, Parés Sierra, Alejandro autor/a 13912, Flores Morales, Ana Laura autor/a
Format:	Texto biblioteca
Language:	eng
Subjects:	Circulación oceánica, Variación estacional, Climatología,
Online Access:	http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2016JC012350/full
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