Internal wave activity in the deep Gulf of Mexico

• DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2023.1285303
• Publication Date: 2023-11-16T12:45:00Z
• Authors: Thomas Meunier; Arnaud Le Boyer; Sergey Molodtsov; Amy Bower; Heather Furey; Pelle Robbins
• Keywords: Isopycnal; Intermittency

Internal wave activity in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) is investigated using a fleet profiling floats. The floats continuously measured temperature and salinity as they drifted at parking depth 1500 dbar, allowing for reconstruction 2615 time series isopycnal displacements. Thanks to dense sampling eastern part GoM (east 90°W), geographical distribution internal waves displacement variance available potential energy (APE) revealed. Loop Current (LC) influence region, between Yucatan shelf west southern West Florida east exhibits increased APE both continuum near-inertial bands, while north-eastern central show reduced activity. As LC position fluctuates retracted extended mode, we assessed impact presence or absence region. It shown that (decreased) when present (absent), suggesting strong control on deep dbar flow velocity, bottom roughness, float altitude also seem contribute APE, but their more subtle. Oppositely, no correlation with wind speed intermittency found.