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Agulhas Undercurrent

Water:

Agulhas Undercurrent

This article has been reviewed by the following Topic Editor: C Michael Hogan

The Agulhas Undercurrent is a current flowing beneath the Agulhas Current in the western boundary current in the Indian Ocean south of 30 degrees S. Line-Acoustic Dopper Current Profiler (LADCP) measurements indicate the core is centered around 1200 meters, against the continental slope and directly below the surface core of the southwestward flowing Agulhas Current. Maximum velocities of 30 cm/s to the northeast are observed in the undercurrent, and its volume transport is six Sverdrups, about a tenth that of the overlying Agulhas Current.

This article is written at a definitional level only. Authors wishing to improve this entry are inivited to expand the present treatment, which additions will be peer reviewed prior to publication of any expansion.

See Also

Further Reading

  • Physical Oceanography Index
  • Lisa M. Beal and Harry L. Bryden. Observations of an Agulhas Undercurrent. DSR, 44:1715–1724, 1997.

Citation

Steve Baum (Lead Author);Peter Saundry (Contributing Author);C Michael Hogan (Topic Editor) "Agulhas Undercurrent". In: Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. Cutler J. Cleveland (Washington, D.C.: Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the Environment). [First published in the Encyclopedia of Earth March 29, 2010; Last revised Date November 11, 2011; Retrieved May 19, 2013 <http://www.eoearth.org/article/Agulhas_Undercurrent?topic=49483>

The Author

Steve Baum Assistant Research Scientist, Physical Section Department of Oceanography Texas A&M University   ... (Full Bio)

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