Vertical distribution of physical properties of the semi-permanent structure of Campache Bay

The Bay of Campeche, is the southernmost semi-closed region of the Gulf of Mexico (97ºW-92ºW and 18.5ºN-23ºN), with deep waters that can reach up to 3500 meters. The mean circulation has been described by the presence of a semi-permanent cyclonic structure known as Campeche Gyre. The position and size of this structure is modulated by the topography of the region , which consists of a deep western basin with a pronounced rupture of the continental shelf and an ocean floor . In this work we present preliminary results on the vertical distribution of temperature, salinity and geostrophic velocities associated with the Campeche Gyre, using six high-resolution cross-sections of the eddy. The high resolution data were obtained from three different glider’s missions performed by the Group of Monitoring the Ocean with Gliders (GMOG) during March-May and October-November 2018, and April-May 2019. The gliders were equipped typically with a CT-sail (Conductivity-Temperature-Depth), an optical sensor (chlorophyll-a, chromatographic dissolved organic matter, and backscatter), and a dissolved oxygen sensor. Last mission in addition to thermohaline and biogeochemical sensors (basic GMOG glider configuration), an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) was used to provide vertical profiles of velocity across the cyclone. Surface data and eddy statistics obtained from satellite imagery have been used to frame and support the glider observations and results.