The impact of meso and submesoscale frontal eddies on cross-shelf transport in the Gulf Stream and Agulhas Current

Western boundary currents, like the Gulf Stream and Agulhas Current, often exhibit meanders, eddies and filaments while flowing along the continental slope. The Cross-shelf exchange processes driven by these structures are not well understood, but they could have important dynamical and ecological implications. We present results from models and observations showing the presence of mesoscale and submesoscale frontal eddies along the inshore edge of the Gulf Stream and Agulhas Current. We describe the generation mechanisms for the different type of frontal eddies and highlight similarities and differences between the two currents. We quantify the impact of the mesoscale and submesoscale structures on cross shelf exchanges of momentum, heat, and freshwater by computing eddy-driven fluxes of the different quantities. Finally, we characterize the processes responsible for generating intrusions onto the shelf using Lagrangian experiments.