Análise climatológica das correntes de superfície no sul do canal de Moçambique

Abstract

The oceanic climate is determined by averaging the ocean parameters collected over long periods of time. Existing knowledge of the ocean currents in the Mozambique Channel is based mainly on recent satellite observations and increasing modeling efforts; therefore, they lack the land in many parts of the canal. There are many well-known reasons that make ocean observation a difficult task, including the costly costs associated with in situ observations and the problems of contamination and limited coverage of satellites. However, in some places, such as the Mozambique Channel, the most accurate information to date is from satellites. The main objective of this study was to study the variability of currents near the coast and the open sea in the southern region of the Mozambique channel based on observations of 14 year satellite altimetry produced by Ssalto / Duacs and distributed by. To reach these obsetives, the data in the NetCDF format were processed using the Python programming language. A program was developed to calculate the magnitude and direction of currents and to represent them in annual, seasonal, monthly and daily maps. It has been seen that there is great variability in the scales of circulation in this region of the channel. The current is generally discontinuous and propagates in the form of turns that move south. The long-term average (2002-2016) clearly indicates the existence of a south-oriented, noncontinuous stream in the western stretches of the channel, with the southbound intensification, consistent with previous reports. Also clearly visible is a region around 22.5o-25o S and 35o -39o E where the average current undergoes an anti-cyclonic rotation, indicating the average position of one of the anti-cyclone mesoscale swirls. The medium long-term currents at the center of the channels around 22o-26o S and 38o- 44o E do not have a clear pattern, as indicated by the multidirectional and weak flows, as well as the rather weak standard deviation. The mean shore currents of the 500m isobaths on the Mozambican side showed strong consistency as revealed by extremely weak standard deviation, and current standards range from a whirlpool in Delagoa Bight (25o -26.5o S), to the south flowing between 22.5o and 25o S, and to the north flowing between 20o and 22o S.