Meddy–Seamount Interactions: Implications for the Mediterranean Salt Tongue

Abstract

A quasigeostrophic point vortex numerical model is used to explore interactions of eddies and seamounts. The ultimate objective of this study is to assess the role of meddy–seamount interaction as an input to Mediterranean salt tongue maintenance. Secondary objectives are to clarify the dynamics of meddy–seamount interaction. The results suggest that meddies survive seamount collisions with 60%–70% of their initial cores remaining intact as coherent vortices. Given observed formation rates, it appears meddies, in their interactions with seamounts, inject between one-quarter and one-half of the salt anomaly necessary to sustain the Mediterranean salt tongue. Other considerations suggest the anomalous mass flux by meddies is comparable to that due to the mean flow. In summary, meddies are important to the maintenance of the salt tongue, although other mechanisms are needed. Coherent vortex transport, of which meddies are one example, is a mesoscale process not well described by the downgradient mixing algorithms normally employed in general circulation models. More sophisticated mesoscale models are thus suggested by this study. In particular, survival by meddies of collisions with seamounts emerges as a potentially important limiting effect on the Mediterranean salt tongue. This effect has climatically significant implications for ocean simulations.