Sargassum Enrichment in Mesoscale Eddies of the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt
Abstract Pelagic Sargassum has increased dramatically in the past decade, primarily in the annually recurrent Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt (GASB) that extends from the coast of West Africa to the Gulf of Mexico. Using satellite observations of Sargassum density and mesoscale eddies from 2011 to 202...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Geophysical Research Letters |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL114601 |
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| author | Yingjun Zhang Brian B. Barnes Dennis J. McGillicuddy Jr. Chuanmin Hu |
| author_facet | Yingjun Zhang Brian B. Barnes Dennis J. McGillicuddy Jr. Chuanmin Hu |
| author_sort | Yingjun Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Pelagic Sargassum has increased dramatically in the past decade, primarily in the annually recurrent Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt (GASB) that extends from the coast of West Africa to the Gulf of Mexico. Using satellite observations of Sargassum density and mesoscale eddies from 2011 to 2023, we investigate whether more Sargassum can be found in mesoscale eddies. Cyclonic eddies were found to contain 6%–47% more Sargassum (relative to eddy‐free waters) across all selected regions within the GASB, with the highest Sargassum density in their inner cores (<0.5 eddy radius). Impacts of anticyclonic eddies were weaker and varied between regions. In addition, Sargassum enrichment tended to be higher in eddies with greater size or amplitude, such as the North Brazil Current rings and those in the Caribbean Sea. These findings may inform Sargassum mitigation strategies, for example, through physical removal in targeted locations. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-04dde01d833e43838abfc71b491697ff |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 0094-8276 1944-8007 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geophysical Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj-art-04dde01d833e43838abfc71b491697ff2025-08-20T03:10:11ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072025-04-01527n/an/a10.1029/2025GL114601Sargassum Enrichment in Mesoscale Eddies of the Great Atlantic Sargassum BeltYingjun Zhang0Brian B. Barnes1Dennis J. McGillicuddy Jr.2Chuanmin Hu3College of Marine Science University of South Florida St. Petersburg FL USACollege of Marine Science University of South Florida St. Petersburg FL USADepartment of Applied Ocean Physics and Engineering Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Woods Hole MA USACollege of Marine Science University of South Florida St. Petersburg FL USAAbstract Pelagic Sargassum has increased dramatically in the past decade, primarily in the annually recurrent Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt (GASB) that extends from the coast of West Africa to the Gulf of Mexico. Using satellite observations of Sargassum density and mesoscale eddies from 2011 to 2023, we investigate whether more Sargassum can be found in mesoscale eddies. Cyclonic eddies were found to contain 6%–47% more Sargassum (relative to eddy‐free waters) across all selected regions within the GASB, with the highest Sargassum density in their inner cores (<0.5 eddy radius). Impacts of anticyclonic eddies were weaker and varied between regions. In addition, Sargassum enrichment tended to be higher in eddies with greater size or amplitude, such as the North Brazil Current rings and those in the Caribbean Sea. These findings may inform Sargassum mitigation strategies, for example, through physical removal in targeted locations.https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL114601Mesoscale eddiespelagic SargassumGreat Atlantic Sargassum Belt |
| spellingShingle | Yingjun Zhang Brian B. Barnes Dennis J. McGillicuddy Jr. Chuanmin Hu Sargassum Enrichment in Mesoscale Eddies of the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt Geophysical Research Letters Mesoscale eddies pelagic Sargassum Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt |
| title | Sargassum Enrichment in Mesoscale Eddies of the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt |
| title_full | Sargassum Enrichment in Mesoscale Eddies of the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt |
| title_fullStr | Sargassum Enrichment in Mesoscale Eddies of the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sargassum Enrichment in Mesoscale Eddies of the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt |
| title_short | Sargassum Enrichment in Mesoscale Eddies of the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt |
| title_sort | sargassum enrichment in mesoscale eddies of the great atlantic sargassum belt |
| topic | Mesoscale eddies pelagic Sargassum Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL114601 |
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