5
Abstract Fronts are a dynamic phenomenon separating water masses of different
properties. They are narrow three-dimensional structures caused by diverse forcing
mechanisms; and are characterized by distinct physical, chemical, and biological
properties. Fronts occur throughout the world ocean at several spatial and temporal scales. Most stable fronts are steered by bottom topography. The most studied
frontal types are tidal fronts, shelf-break fronts, upwelling fronts, estuarine fronts,
plume fronts, fronts generated by convergence or divergence of water masses,
frontal eddies and fronts associated with abrupt topographic features.
Keywords Classification of fronts · Physical forcing · Haline fronts · Thermal
fronts · Spatio-temporal scales of fronts
Fronts are caused by diverse forcing such as tides, continental run-off, convergence of currents, wind, solar heating, bathymetry, etc. As a general rule, a front
in one property (e.g. temperature) can be detected in other properties. The concurrent physical, chemical, and biological manifestations of the same front are
typically collocated (Belkin et al. 2009). Long-term mean annual, seasonal, and
monthly frontal frequency maps for the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans reveal
elevated concentrations of quasi-stationary fronts in coastal and marginal seas over
the entire world ocean between 75°N and 75°S (Fig. 2.1). Most of stable fronts are
steered by ocean bottom topography; the shelf break and upper continental slope
play the most important role in stabilizing their respective fronts (Belkin et al.
2009).
There is no a definitive classification of fronts, but a partial listing of them
would include tidal fronts, shelf-break fronts, upwelling fronts, estuarine fronts,
plume fronts, fronts associated with the convergence or divergence of water
masses in the open ocean, frontal eddies and fronts associated with geomorphic
features such as headlands, islands, and canyons (Mann and Lazier 2006).
Chapter 2
Frontal Types
© The Author(s) 2015
E.M. Acha et al., Ecological Processes at Marine Fronts,
SpringerBriefs in Environmental Science, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-15479-4_2
Abstract Fronts are a dynamic phenomenon separating water masses of different
properties. They are narrow three-dimensional structures caused by diverse forcing
mechanisms; and are characterized by distinct physical, chemical, and biological
properties. Fronts occur throughout the world ocean at several spatial and temporal scales. Most stable fronts are steered by bottom topography. The most studied
frontal types are tidal fronts, shelf-break fronts, upwelling fronts, estuarine fronts,
plume fronts, fronts generated by convergence or divergence of water masses,
frontal eddies and fronts associated with abrupt topographic features.
Keywords Classification of fronts · Physical forcing · Haline fronts · Thermal
fronts · Spatio-temporal scales of fronts
Fronts are caused by diverse forcing such as tides, continental run-off, convergence of currents, wind, solar heating, bathymetry, etc. As a general rule, a front
in one property (e.g. temperature) can be detected in other properties. The concurrent physical, chemical, and biological manifestations of the same front are
typically collocated (Belkin et al. 2009). Long-term mean annual, seasonal, and
monthly frontal frequency maps for the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans reveal
elevated concentrations of quasi-stationary fronts in coastal and marginal seas over
the entire world ocean between 75°N and 75°S (Fig. 2.1). Most of stable fronts are
steered by ocean bottom topography; the shelf break and upper continental slope
play the most important role in stabilizing their respective fronts (Belkin et al.
2009).
There is no a definitive classification of fronts, but a partial listing of them
would include tidal fronts, shelf-break fronts, upwelling fronts, estuarine fronts,
plume fronts, fronts associated with the convergence or divergence of water
masses in the open ocean, frontal eddies and fronts associated with geomorphic
features such as headlands, islands, and canyons (Mann and Lazier 2006).
Chapter 2
Frontal Types
© The Author(s) 2015
E.M. Acha et al., Ecological Processes at Marine Fronts,
SpringerBriefs in Environmental Science, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-15479-4_2