A study of eddy-induced transport of energy and biochemical particles and its influences on circulation patterns in the Red Sea reveals a mechanism that balances fluctuations in both salt and heat in the basin.
Mesoscale eddies, often described as the weather of the ocean, are 3D structures typically hundreds of kilometers wide and hundreds of meters deep. They are characterized by temperature, salinity and flow properties that differ to the surrounding water, enabling them to transport energy and materials around the ocean.
Although the circulation of the Red Sea is distinguished by a large number of mesoscale eddies, little is known about their 3D structures.
Led by Ibrahim Hoteit, Peng Zhan and colleagues at KAUST are investigating eddies circulating in the Red Sea.
Read more at King Abdullah University of Science & Technology (KAUST)
Image: Heat anomaly transported by the eddies in the Red Sea. (Credit: © 2019 KAUST)