Sea Glider observations in the Coral Sea

A. Ganachaud, L. Gourdeau; Collaboration: W. Kessler (NOAA), R. Davis (Scripps)

Motivation: The SPICE (Southwest PacIfic Circulation Experiment) program

Objective: The thermocline water pathway and its bifurcation on the coast of AustraliaImplication on El Nino modulation

the westward South Equatorial Current is broken into several zonal jets by the complex topography

to EAC to NQCNCJ

NVJ

SCJ

Mean zonal velocity at 163°E, 3 jets are visible. The bifurcation (black line), tracked backward at 163°E, divides the NCJ (ORCA05 model)

The SECALIS-3 cruise

and the glider experiment.

To sample the zonal Inflow between Salomon islands, Vanuatu and New Calédonia

Launch on July 17, 2005 at Guadalcanal

Recovery on 18 October, 2005 in New Caledonia

580 profiles of T and S from surface to 600 m depth

Temperature and salinity profiles along the glider’s section

10°S 22°S

T

S