Wind effect on the continental-shelf circulation of the Gulf of Mexico

This work studies the effect of the atmospheric forcing, as specified by the air-sea momentum flux, on the long-term variability of ocean currents in the continental shelf of the Gulf of Mexico (GoM). We performed long-term (22 years) free-running simulations of the GoM circulation using the HYCOM model for two study cases: one with atmospheric forcing and another without atmospheric forcing. For each study case, we analyze the behavior of the alongshore and cross-shore components of the horizontal velocity along the shelf shallower than 200 m at different depths. The differences in the energy content, periodicity, and direction over time of the currents were investigated by estimating their power spectral density and their rotary spectra. The results of this work provide further insights into the transport and dispersion of biological, chemical, and geological tracers in water and the exchange of nutrients, pollutants, and sediments between the continental shelf and the open ocean.