Wind driven currents in the Channel of São Sebastião: winter, 1979

Abstract

Simultaneous 40 h low-passed wind, current and sea level data in the Channel of São Sebastião (CSS) and atmospheric pressure and sea level data in the South Brazil Bight (SBB) during winter of 1979 were analysed and compared. Currents in the CSS were predominantly northeastward, associated with frontal southerly winds. Current reversals occurred between meteorological disturbance passages. There were significant correlation between alongchannel components of wind and current, with a time lag of 12-18 h, wind leading; and between alongchannel component of current and sea level, with a time lag of 6-12 h, current leading. Most of the variance in the CSS series is concentrated in two frequency bands: 11-16 d and 3 d. SBB series also show high variance in those two bands. Coherences in those two bands show significant values when calculated between alongchannel components of wind and current, and sea level, in the CSS. Those three last signals were almost in phase in the 11-16 d band; and there was a lead of 16 h (25 h) by wind over current (sea level) in the 3 d band. There are several indications that in die subtidal band currents in the CSS are not totally locally forced.