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Aspects of the coastal dynamics off Southwest Iberian Peninsula
P. Relvas, E.D. Barton
CIMA - Universidade do Algarve
prelvas@ualg.pt(Abstract received 04/29/2005 for session A)
ABSTRACT
The coastal transition zone off Southwest Iberian Peninsula exhibits an upwelling season from March to September, with the associated upper-layer cold equatorward current jet, and poleward circulation during winter, that remains as an undercurrent during the upwelling season. The Cape São Vicente represents the edge point of the discontinuity imposed by the entrance of the Mediterranean. There, the upwelling jet is no longer bonded by a coast. Historical data and "in situ" observations shows that it lagrangian path follows eastward along the southern shelf break, or if energetic enough, crosses the isobaths resulting in the southward development of a filament. A warm countercurrent over the inner shelf, progressing from the Golf of Cadiz, often turns northward around Cape Sao Vicente. This feature is associated with periods of decay of upwelling favourable winds. Data reveal the existence of a negative alongshore pressure gradient, stronger during the upwelling season, forcing the poleward coastal circulation. The coastal dynamics depends on the relative magnitudes of the wind stress and the pressure gradient alongshore. A survey carried out during the upwelling season under relaxed winds, just after a live upwelling event, show evidence of this two contrasting regimes.
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2005 LAPCOD Meeting, Lerici, Italy, June 13-17, 2005