Coherent Lagrangian Pathways Near an East Alboran Front

In the eastern Alboran Sea, frontogenesis (FG) is a dominant process for fronts extending from Spanish coast toward basin interior, promoting large vertical displacements that connect surface mixed layer with oceanic interior. Using realistic, high-resolution model simulation this region, we conduct offline advection of virtual water parcels released near during 2-day episode intense FG. Three-dimensional trajectories exhibit high variability depending on release location, and some large, rapid are induced by different coherent submesoscale flow patterns interactions among them: Ageostrophic secondary circulation associated strain- mixing-induced FG internal waves generated currents over topography. These deep mostly irreversible, at least short time scale, because rapidly changing patterns. Significant diapycnal mixing density changes occur along as they pass through bottom boundary layers. While expect these processes to be typical computational expense such Lagrangian analysis complexity its outcome present considerable challenge more comprehensive assessments.