Advection and dispersion of pelagic Sargassum mats in the Mona Passage as a function of wind, wave and current forcing

Floating Sargassum mats are ubiquitous in the Caribbean and provide habitat for commercially important fish species and other organisms. In the last several years, massive quantities of Sargassum have been observed in the region, and the beaching of large quantities of Sargassum has become a nuisance for the tourism industry. Satellite-derived products developed by USF’s Optical Oceanography Lab have allowed for the visualization of the complex and chaotic patterns formed by the transport of Sargassum mats by coherent vortex structures in the open ocean. The present study uses HF Radar-derived ocean current measurements in the Mona Passage as well as wind, wave and current model output from the Caribbean Coastal Ocean Observing System (CariCOOS) to understand the advection and dispersion patterns of Sargassum mats. The transport and dispersion of Sargassum is quantified via a modified particle tracking velocimetry algorithm capable of quantifying the movement of Sargassum mats as observed in satellite imagery. The response of the Sargassum tracer field to current, wave and wind forcing is examined in order to elucidate its response across a wide range of sea states and forcing conditions.