Some aspects of the Caribbean circulation

Abstract

Various aspects of the Caribbean circulation are discussed, based on a literature review, recent observations, and numerical modeling. Of the 30 × 10 6m 3 s −1 that flow through the Caribbean, about one-half enters through the southern Lesser Antilles Passages and about one third through Windward Passage. Annual variations in the distribution of the Caribbean wind stress may explain the annual transport variations that have been observed in the Straits of Florida. Eddies of 100–500 km size have been found throughout the Sea, and energetic fluctuations at 10–60 day periods have been measured in the eastern Passages and in Grenada Basin. Renewal of the deep basins, once thought to have not occurred recently, is an ongoing process. Deep flow within Grenada Basin is probably cyclonic at a few cm/s, and may have episodes of more energetic flow at periods similar to the shallow fluctuations. Numerical modeling showed that at least some of the eddies in the upper layer are formed independently of the topography, while some of the deep fluctuations may be influenced by the topography. Some aspects of the sediment record can be explained in terms of the circulation.