Templex for Lagrangian dynamics in the Southwestern Atlantic

Area of Science:

• Oceanography
• Topological Data Analysis
• Fluid Dynamics

Background:

• Topological data analysis methods often lack flow information.
• Traditional methods struggle to capture complex dynamics in observational datasets.
• Understanding fluid flow organization is crucial for oceanographic research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and apply the templex approach to observational oceanographic data.
• To analyze Lagrangian trajectories and characterize fluid flow dynamics in the Southwestern Atlantic.
• To distinguish between regular and chaotic dynamics in oceanic particle sets.

Main Methods:

• Application of the templex approach, a topological construct encoding phase space structure and flow organization.
• Analysis of Lagrangian trajectories derived from satellite altimetry.
• Comparison with metric methods and chlorophyll-a concentration data.

Main Results:

• The templex approach successfully characterized Lagrangian finite-time dynamics.
• Identified distinct regions of non-mixing (regular) islands and chaotic seas.
• Lagrangian dynamics were related to a nonautonomous meandering jet model.
• Seasonal variability of chaotic dynamics was observed.

Conclusions:

• The templex approach offers a novel way to analyze flow dynamics in observational datasets.
• This method provides insights into the spatial organization and transport properties of oceanic flows.
• The study highlights the interplay between regular and chaotic dynamics in the ocean.