The Energy Decay of Warm‐Core Eddies in the Gulf of Mexico

Abstract

Abstract The Gulf of Mexico (GoM) is home to some of the most energetic eddies in the ocean. Warm‐core rings detach from the Loop‐Current and drift through the basin, transporting large amounts of heat and salt. These eddies, known as Loop Current rings (LCRs) have a crucial role in the GoM's dynamics and in the weather of the eastern US, and this role is largely conditioned by their longevity and decay properties. Here, we use an empirical method to estimate the energy evolution of all LCRs detached since 1993. We found that, contrary to the commonly accepted idea that LCRs conserve their energy as they drift through the GoM and decay suddenly against the western platform, LCRs' energy decay is faster in the eastern basin, and they typically lose three‐quarter of their energy before encountering the continental shelf. We also show that wind‐current feedback contributes to the energy decay and conversion.

Keywords

• eddy energy
• wind‐current interactions
• mesoscale eddies
• Gulf of Mexico
• warm‐core rings
• Loop Current