I am currently a Ramón y Cajal with double affiliation (IMEDEA / UIB, Mallorca, SPAIN) since summer 2022. Previously, I have been a Senior Research Associate at Oregon State University, in the CEOAS department since 2010.
I got my Phd from Georgia Tech (Atlanta) in 2010 and an engineering degree in Hydraulics from the ENSEEIHT (France) in 2005.
Abstract: Mesoscale activity plays a central role in ocean variability, substantially influencing the mixing of biogeophysical tracers, such as heat and carbon, and driving changes in ecosystems. Eddy Kinetic Energy (EKE), a metric used for studying the intensity of mesoscale processes, has recently been shown to increase in regions of intense EKE worldwide. Strong EKE positive trends are observed, for example, in the principal western boundary current regions, such as the Gulf Stream, Kuroshio Extension, and the Brazil/Malvinas Confluence. In this study, we assess whether the Mediterranean Sea, known to be a hotspot for climate change impacts, also exhibits such intensification. Despite the high number of observational data and modeling experiments, there is a gap in understanding the long-term evolution of mesoscale dynamics and EKE trends in the Mediterranean Sea. This study investigates EKE trends in the Mediterranean Sea using daily geostrophic currents derived from satellite altimetric data. To test the robustness of the results, we compare EKE trends computed from three different gridded altimetric products: a global product derived from a stable two-satellite constellation (two-sat) and two other products (global and European) incorporating all available satellites (all-sat). While all products reveal a general increase in EKE in the Mediterranean Sea over the last three decades, the trends calculated from the two-sat product are significantly smaller than those computed from the all-sat products. We show that this discrepancy is strongly linked to the increasing number of satellites over time used to construct the all-sat data sets, which enhances both spatial and temporal coverage, and hence, their capacity to detect higher energy levels. To evaluate the fidelity of these gridded products in capturing EKE trends, we compare them with along-track data in high-energy regions of the Mediterranean Sea: the Alboran Sea and the Ierapetra area. These regions exhibit contrasting EKE trends: positive in the Alboran Sea and negative in the Ierapetra area. These findings highlight the importance of using altimetric products with a stable number of satellites constructed for climate applications when addressing long-term ocean variability analysis.
Abstract: The influence of a subsurface ridge on a subinertial coastal Kelvin wave is investigated using a numerical model and a simplified analytical framework. A first baroclinic mode Kelvin wave is made to impinge on progressively complex subsurface geometries. For an idealized submerged shelf that extends infinitely in both offshore and alongshore directions, the over‐shelf response includes low vertical modes of the shallower domain and an upward‐propagating beam from the shelf‐top corner, inducing alongshore variability in the shelf flow. When the alongshore extent is truncated to form a ridge between two deep basins, the downstream response strongly depends on ridge width. Phase patterns reveal upward and downward energy propagation from the downstream ridge corner, along with horizontal propagation of multiple vertical modes. As the ridge narrows, beam amplitudes decrease, though vertical propagation remains visible in phase patterns. If the ridge width is less than approximately twice the Rossby radius of deformation of the ridge‐top domain, evanescent modes along the ridge flanks begin to overlap and interact, promoting more horizontal energy transmission into the downstream basin. Thus, the Rossby radius of deformation sets a natural scale governing the balance between vertical scattering and horizontal transmission. In the most realistic configuration, a submerged ridge of finite offshore and alongshore extent, waves trapped to and propagating around its periphery affect the downstream basin through combination with the signals that propagate over the top of the ridge.
Abstract: Mesoscale coastal eddies are key components of ocean circulation, mediating the transport of heat, nutrients, and marine debris. The Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission provides high-resolution sea surface height data, offering a novel opportunity to improve the observation and characterization of these features, especially in coastal regions where conventional altimetry is limited. In this study, we investigate a mesoscale anticyclonic coastal eddy observed southwest of Mallorca Island, in the Balearic Sea, to assess the impact of SWOT-enhanced altimetry in resolving its structure and dynamics. Initial eddy identification is performed using satellite ocean color imagery, followed by a qualitative and quantitative comparison of multiple altimetric datasets, ranging from conventional nadir altimetry to wide-swath products derived from SWOT. We analyze multiple altimetric variables—Sea Level Anomaly, Absolute Dynamic Topography, Velocity Magnitude, Eddy Kinetic Energy, and Relative Vorticity—highlighting substantial differences in spatial detail and intensity. Our results show that SWOT-enhanced observations significantly improve the spatial characterization and dynamical depiction of the eddy. Furthermore, Lagrangian transport simulations reveal how altimetric resolution influences modeled transport pathways and retention patterns. These findings underline the critical role of SWOT in advancing the monitoring of coastal mesoscale processes and improving our ability to model oceanic transport mechanisms.
Abstract: Ocean mesoscale variability, including meanders and eddies, is a crucial component of the global ocean circulation. The Eddy Kinetic Energy (EKE) of these features accounts for about 90% of the ocean’s total kinetic energy. This study investigates if the global ocean mesoscale variability is becoming more energetic by analyzing 30 years of satellite altimetric observations. We use two observational products: one constructed from a consistent pair of altimeters and another including all available missions. Our results reveal a significant global EKE strengthening of 1–3% per decade. The intensification is concentrated in energetic regions, particularly in the Kuroshio Extension and the Gulf Stream, which show EKE increases of ~50% and ~20%, respectively, over the last decade. These observations raise new questions about the impact of the Gulf Stream strengthening on the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) and challenge existing climate models, emphasizing the need for improved representation of small-scale ocean processes.
Abstract: The wedge clam, Donax hanleyanus, inhabits sandy beaches in the subtropical and temperate regions of the Atlantic coast of South America. Its distribution spans over 20 degrees of latitude from Brazil to Argentina, with the southernmost part of its range being influenced by the Rio de la Plata (RdlP) estuary, which limits the southward larval expansion. We used an individual-based model (IBM) to assess the larval connectivity patterns of the wedge clam during the period 2000-2012. The IBM combines a 3D hydrodynamic model with a biological sub-model that considers larval mortality due to low salinity (< 7, and > 9) and sea surface temperature range (high > 30°C or low < 9°C). The main larval connectivity patterns were observed near the release/recruitment areas, suggesting a high potential for self-recruitment. Based on the IBM and adult abundance data, we also identified the likely source and sink areas within this metapopulation. Source beach areas were Navegantes and Cassino in Brazil (from 26.3° S to 34.34°S), Arachania in Uruguay (34.56°S), and Santa Teresita in Argentina (37.15°S). A low probability of larval transport towards the poleward limit of the species' distribution was observed, supporting an irregular recruitment pattern typical of sink populations located at the edge of the distribution range of metapopulations. Larval mortality due to warm or cold waters did not affect connectivity patterns for this subtropical species. Southward larval transport across the RdlP estuary (from Uruguayan to Argentine beaches) only occurred for larvae released on early January 2011, concurrently with the strongest La Niña year observed during the study period. In light of a changing climate, marked by potential increases in extreme La Niña events and a poleward shift of atmospheric circulation patterns over the South Atlantic, we anticipate a strengthening of larval transport across the RdlP and a subsequent poleward expansion of the species’ distribution range.
