| This thesis explores the submesoscale dynamics in the Bay of Biscay continental shelf. In the first part, submesoscale features over the shelf are identified using remotely sensed high resolution sea surface temperature (SST) images by MODIS. Front detection is achieved through singularity exponents, a novel method of calculating irregularities on the SST fields, and an index for the frontal activity is generated. Results are complemented with 2.5 km horizontal resolution numerical simulations. Three main types of fronts are presented: i) tidal mixing fronts along the coast and most significantly in the Ushant region; ii) shelf break front related to internal tidal wave activity; iii) fresh water fronts along the edge of the river plumes in winter. In the... |
