Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Submesoscale Kinematic Properties In Summer And Winter Surface Flows In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, M. Berta, A. Griffa, A. C. Haza, J. Horstmann, Helga Huntley, R. Ibrahim, B. Lund, T. M. Ozgokmen, A. C. Poje

Faculty Scholarship for the College of Science & Mathematics

Statistical properties of near-surface horizontal velocity gradients are obtained from four drifter experiments conducted in the Gulf of Mexico during Summer 2012 and Winter 2016. The data density provided by the near-simultaneous deployments of 90-326 surface drifters in each allows direct, drifter-based estimates of the scale dependence of velocity gradients at separation scales ranging from 200 m to 5 km. The robustness of these estimates, derived from uniquley sampled, nearly equilateral triplets, is confirmed by comparisons with estimates produced from larger drifter clusters, and with estimates based on concurrent Eulerian X-band radar observations. The winter launches were deployed above a …