Meandering and Transport Variations of the Florida Current

Abstract

Current meter observations were collected from a three-dimensional array moored in the Florida Straits between December 1983 and June 1984 as part of the Subtropical Atlantic Climate Studies (STACS) program. Approximately one-fourth of the total subinertial velocity and temperature variance contained in these records is associated with meandering of the Florida Current on time scales ranging from several days to a few weeks. There approach to be no strong correlation between the occurrence of meanders and variations in Florida Current volume transport or local wind forcing. Utilizing frequency-domain empirical mode analysis we find the most coherent, energetic meandering signals within two limited frequency bands centered near periods of 12 days and 5 days. These meanders propagate downstream (northward) with phase speeds and wavelengths of approximately (28 km d−1, 340 km) and (36 km d−1, 170 km) respectively. Periodic waveforms composed from these modes indicate an asymmetric meander pattern wi... Abstract Current meter observations were collected from a three-dimensional array moored in the Florida Straits between December 1983 and June 1984 as part of the Subtropical Atlantic Climate Studies (STACS) program. Approximately one-fourth of the total subinertial velocity and temperature variance contained in these records is associated with meandering of the Florida Current on time scales ranging from several days to a few weeks. There approach to be no strong correlation between the occurrence of meanders and variations in Florida Current volume transport or local wind forcing. Utilizing frequency-domain empirical mode analysis we find the most coherent, energetic meandering signals within two limited frequency bands centered near periods of 12 days and 5 days. These meanders propagate downstream (northward) with phase speeds and wavelengths of approximately (28 km d−1, 340 km) and (36 km d−1, 170 km) respectively. Periodic waveforms composed from these modes indicate an asymmetric meander pattern wi...