A modeling study of the coastal eastern boundary current system off Iberiaand Morocco

To investigate the northern Canary Current system (NCCS), results from four numerical experiments of increasing complexity are examined. Experiment 1, which uses seasonal wind forcing only, shows that as expected, wind forcin g is the key generative mechanism for the current, upwelling, meander, eddy , and filament structures. Experiments 2 and 3, which have the additional e ffects of irregular coastline geometry, show the following: capes are areas for enhanced upwelling, extensive filaments, maximum current velocities, a nd enhanced growth of cyclonic meanders and eddies; an embayment like the G ulf of Cadiz is a primary region for anticyclonic meander and eddy developm ent. The results from the complex flow regime of Experiment 4, which has th e additional effects of thermohaline gradients and Mediterranean Outflow, h ighlights the major characteristics and unique features (such as the genera tion of Meddles) of the NCCS with relatively close similarities to field ob servations.