Mesoscale eddies in the Algerian Basin: do they differ as a function of their formation site?

In order to investigate the spatial and temporal distribution of eddy generation and their respective paths in the Algerian Basin, the most energetic WMED portion, we use an automated detection and tracking hybrid method applied to 24 years of sea level anomaly (SLA) data. The algorithm is based on the computation of the Okubo-Weiss parameter in SLA closed loops and has been modified in order to fill the gaps in single eddy tracks. In this work we analysed both cyclonic and anticyclonic structures, but the conclusions will be focused mainly on anticyclones with a lifespan longer than 3 months, as they are characterized by higher kinetic energy, thereby potentially contributing to a large extent to the mesoscale characterization of the basin.

The circulation of the western Mediterranean Sea (WMED) is dominated by highly variable and heterogeneous mesoscale circulation that is strongly driven by the formation and propagation of eddies (cyclonic and anticyclonic) mainly acting in the Algerian Basin.