Spatiotemporal impact of mesoscale eddies on chlorophyll-a concentration in the North Atlantic

IntroductionMesoscale eddies play a crucial role in energy transport and ecological regulation in the North Atlantic Ocean.MethodsBased on multi-source datasets, including satellite remote sensing and Argo float observations from 2009 to 2018, this study employs the Velocity Gradient Detection (VGD)...

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Main Authors: Jinghui Cai, Jialong Sun, Siyuan Qin, Yaonan Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-06-01
Series:Frontiers in Marine Science
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2025.1608635/full
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author Jinghui Cai
Jialong Sun
Jialong Sun
Jialong Sun
Siyuan Qin
Yaonan Li
author_facet Jinghui Cai
Jialong Sun
Jialong Sun
Jialong Sun
Siyuan Qin
Yaonan Li
author_sort Jinghui Cai
collection DOAJ
description IntroductionMesoscale eddies play a crucial role in energy transport and ecological regulation in the North Atlantic Ocean.MethodsBased on multi-source datasets, including satellite remote sensing and Argo float observations from 2009 to 2018, this study employs the Velocity Gradient Detection (VGD) method to identify eddy boundaries and cores, in combination with a spatiotemporal dynamic matching technique, to systematically analyze eddy characteristics and their impacts on chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentrations.ResultsResults show that eddy activity is predominantly concentrated in the Gulf Stream extension region (24°N–48°N, 40°W–60°W). Cyclonic eddies significantly elevate surface Chl-a concentrations (0.6–1.8 mg/m³) through upwelling processes, while anticyclonic eddies induce localized enrichment (15%–25% increase) along their peripheries, exhibiting marked seasonal variability. Vertical analysis reveals that eddy-induced Chl-a anomalies can peak at depths of 50–70 m, effectively enhancing subsurface primary productivity. Overall, eddy-driven Chl-a variations contribute approximately 20% to regional primary production.DiscussionThese findings highlight the functional importance of mesoscale eddies in regulating phytoplankton biomass and underscore their role in advancing our understanding of the marine carbon cycle under changing climate conditions.
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spelling doaj-art-266b3e5404934c1a85293e2fc4aa3b7d2025-08-20T02:07:51ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Marine Science2296-77452025-06-011210.3389/fmars.2025.16086351608635Spatiotemporal impact of mesoscale eddies on chlorophyll-a concentration in the North AtlanticJinghui Cai0Jialong Sun1Jialong Sun2Jialong Sun3Siyuan Qin4Yaonan Li5College of Marine Technology and Surveying and Mapping, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang, ChinaCollege of Marine Technology and Surveying and Mapping, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang, ChinaJiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Meteorological Disaster Prevention and Mitigation in Universities, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang, ChinaJiangsu Provincial Engineering Research Center of Marine Remote Sensing, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang, ChinaSchool of Civil Engineering, Zhengzhou Professional Technical Institute of Electronic & Information, Zhengzhou, ChinaCollege of Marine Technology and Surveying and Mapping, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang, ChinaIntroductionMesoscale eddies play a crucial role in energy transport and ecological regulation in the North Atlantic Ocean.MethodsBased on multi-source datasets, including satellite remote sensing and Argo float observations from 2009 to 2018, this study employs the Velocity Gradient Detection (VGD) method to identify eddy boundaries and cores, in combination with a spatiotemporal dynamic matching technique, to systematically analyze eddy characteristics and their impacts on chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentrations.ResultsResults show that eddy activity is predominantly concentrated in the Gulf Stream extension region (24°N–48°N, 40°W–60°W). Cyclonic eddies significantly elevate surface Chl-a concentrations (0.6–1.8 mg/m³) through upwelling processes, while anticyclonic eddies induce localized enrichment (15%–25% increase) along their peripheries, exhibiting marked seasonal variability. Vertical analysis reveals that eddy-induced Chl-a anomalies can peak at depths of 50–70 m, effectively enhancing subsurface primary productivity. Overall, eddy-driven Chl-a variations contribute approximately 20% to regional primary production.DiscussionThese findings highlight the functional importance of mesoscale eddies in regulating phytoplankton biomass and underscore their role in advancing our understanding of the marine carbon cycle under changing climate conditions.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2025.1608635/fullNorth Atlanticmesoscale eddiessatellite remote sensingARGOchlorophyll-a concentration
spellingShingle Jinghui Cai
Jialong Sun
Jialong Sun
Jialong Sun
Siyuan Qin
Yaonan Li
Spatiotemporal impact of mesoscale eddies on chlorophyll-a concentration in the North Atlantic
Frontiers in Marine Science
North Atlantic
mesoscale eddies
satellite remote sensing
ARGO
chlorophyll-a concentration
title Spatiotemporal impact of mesoscale eddies on chlorophyll-a concentration in the North Atlantic
title_full Spatiotemporal impact of mesoscale eddies on chlorophyll-a concentration in the North Atlantic
title_fullStr Spatiotemporal impact of mesoscale eddies on chlorophyll-a concentration in the North Atlantic
title_full_unstemmed Spatiotemporal impact of mesoscale eddies on chlorophyll-a concentration in the North Atlantic
title_short Spatiotemporal impact of mesoscale eddies on chlorophyll-a concentration in the North Atlantic
title_sort spatiotemporal impact of mesoscale eddies on chlorophyll a concentration in the north atlantic
topic North Atlantic
mesoscale eddies
satellite remote sensing
ARGO
chlorophyll-a concentration
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2025.1608635/full
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