Interaction of an Upwelling Front with External Vortices: Impact on Cross-shore Particle Exchange

Coastal upwellings, due to offshore Ekman transport, are more energetic at the western boundaries of oceans, where they intensified by incoming Rossby waves, than eastern boundaries. Western boundary upwellings often accompanied a local vortex field. The instability developed upwelling front and its interaction with an external field is studied here three-dimensional numerical model hydrostatic rotating Navier-Stokes equations (the primitive equations). baroclinic leads growth meanders 100-200 km wavelength, in absence vortex. On $$f$$ -plane, these waves can break into row vortices when intense. $$\beta$$ -effect stabilizing strongly decreases amplitude meanders. Simulations then performed initially one or several vortices. evolutions this case compared those unstable jet alone. close front, latter sheds long filament which wraps up around This occurs over period similar that isolated front. Cyclones efficient tearing such filaments anticyclones. short turbulence confined vicinity At times, propagate along thus extending alongshore. initial presence alley stronger destabilization larger cross-shore flux for single vortex, many small pushed far offshore. In ocean, exchange has important consequences on biological activity.