SEASONAL VARIATIONS OF TEMPERATURE, DRIFT, AND HEAT EXCHANGE IN SURFACE WATERS OFF THE WEST COAST OF SOUTH AMERICA1

Abstract

Available climatological data are used to describe seasonal variations of surface temperature, heat exchange, surface drift, and surface winds along the west coast of South America. Although there are well‐marked seasonal and latitudinal changes in the heat flux through the sea surface, the heat flux south of 2° S is always positive so that advective processes must play an important role in controlling surface temperature. Some general features of the coastal upwelling regime can be seen in an analysis of heat and water balances, but the fields of current velocity and wind stress are too poorly known for unequivocal quantitative results to be obtained.