The vertical structure of mesoscale eddies in the Azores Current corridor: a combined altimetry-Argo analysis

Silva-Fernandes, Susana M.; Peliz, Álvaro J.

doi:10.5194/os-22-2637-2026

Articles | Volume 22, issue 4

https://doi.org/10.5194/os-22-2637-2026

© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/os-22-2637-2026

© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 22, issue 4

Research article

|

28 Aug 2026

Research article |

| 28 Aug 2026

The vertical structure of mesoscale eddies in the Azores Current corridor: a combined altimetry-Argo analysis

Susana M. Silva-Fernandes and Álvaro J. Peliz

Data sets

Global Ocean Gridded L4 Sea 15 Surface Heights and Derived Variables Reprocessed (1993–ongoing) Copernicus Marine Service https://doi.org/10.48670/moi-00148

Argo float data and metadata from Global Data Assembly Centre (Argo GDAC) Argo https://doi.org/10.17882/42182

Mesoscale Eddy Trajectories Atlas (META3.2 DT) AVISO+ https://doi.org/10.24400/527896/a01-2022.005

Model code and software

AntSimi/py-eddy-tracker: v3.6.1 (Version v3.6.1) Antoine Delepoulle et al. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7197432

Short summary

The instability of the Azores Current often generates large eddies that can transport heat, salt, and biological properties. Using 10 000 Argo profiles and 20 years of satellite data, this study shows that eddy cores deepen and intensify westward. Anticyclones have warm and salty cores, while cyclones are cold and fresh. In general, the vertical movement of the density surfaces shapes their vertical structure, while the interior transport of different water masses dominates near the surface.