Mozambique Current
The Mozambique Current is an ocean current in the Indian Ocean, usually defined as warm surface waters flowing south along the African east coast in the Mozambique Channel, between Mozambique and the island of Madagascar.
The classical definition of the Mozambique Current is that it is a strong, steady, western
Mozambique Channel Eddies
Mozambique Channel Eddies are large, warm, anti-cyclonic eddies that propagate southwards in the Mozambique Channel. These eddies may have diameters of up to 300 km, and maximum swirl velocities of nearly 1 m/s.[2] The exact causal mechanism, and location of the eddies formation is still debated. The frequency of eddy occurrence reduces from around seven per year in the north of the Channel, to around four per year in the south.[1] Once the eddies exit the Mozambique Channel, they contribute to the variability of the Agulhas Current, including the generation of the Natal Pulse, and Agulhas Rings.
See also
References
- ^ a b Schouten, M., W. de Ruijter, P. van Leeuwen, and R. Ridderinkhof (2003), Eddies and variability in the Mozambique Channel. Deep-Sea Research Part II,50, 1987-2003.
- ^ a b De Ruijter, W. P. M., H. Ridderinkhof, J. R. E. Lutjeharms, M. Schouten, and C. Veth (2002), Observations of flow in the Mozambique Channel, Geophys. Res. Lett., 29, 1401-1403
- ^ Ridderingkhof, H., and W. de Ruijter (2003), Moored current observations in the Mozambique Channel, Deep-Sea Research Part II, 50, 1933-1955.