Influência Da Fisiografia Da Margem Continental Do Rn Na Circulação De Correntes De Contorno Oeste

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Influência Da Fisiografia Da Margem Continental Do Rn Na Circulação De Correntes De Contorno Oeste UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DO RIO GRANDE DO NORTE CENTRO DE CIÊNCIAS EXATAS E DA TERRA PROGRAMA DE PÓS-GRADUAÇÃO EM GEODINÂMICA E GEOFÍSICA DISSERTAÇÃO DE MESTRADO INFLUÊNCIA DA FISIOGRAFIA DA MARGEM CONTINENTAL DO RN NA CIRCULAÇÃO DE CORRENTES DE CONTORNO OESTE Autora: Úrsula Martin Damasceno Orientador: Prof. Dr. Moab Praxedes Gomes Co-Orientador: Prof. Dr. Márcio Machado Cintra Dissertação nº: 247 Natal-RN Fevereiro de 2020 UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DO RIO GRANDE DO NORTE CENTRO DE CIÊNCIAS EXATAS E DA TERRA PROGRAMA DE PÓS-GRADUAÇÃO EM GEODINÂMICA E GEOFÍSICA DISSERTAÇÃO DE MESTRADO ÚRSULA MARTIN DAMASCENO INFLUÊNCIA DA FISIOGRAFIA DA MARGEM CONTINENTAL DO RN NA CIRCULAÇÃO DE CORRENTES DE CONTORNO OESTE Dissertação N°.247/PPGG apresentada no dia 27 de fevereiro de 2020 ao Programa de Pós-graduação em Geodinâmica e Geofísica, PPGG, da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, como requisito à obtenção do título de Mestre em Geodinâmica e Geofísica, com área de concentração em Geodinâmica. Orientador: Prof. Dr. Moab Praxedes Gomes Co-Orientador: Prof. Dr. Marcio Machado Cintra Natal-RN, Fevereiro de 2020 UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DO RIO GRANDE DO NORTE CENTRO DE CIÊNCIAS EXATAS E DA TERRA PROGRAMA DE PÓS-GRADUAÇÃO EM GEODINÂMICA E GEOFÍSICA DISSERTAÇÃO DE MESTRADO INFLUÊNCIA DA FISIOGRAFIA DA MARGEM CONTINENTAL DO RN NA CIRCULAÇÃO DE CORRENTES DE CONTORNO OESTE ÚRSULA MARTIN DAMASCENO COMISSÃO EXAMINADORA: Moab Praxedes Gomes PPGG/UFRN Marcio Machado Cintra DCAC/UFRN David Mendes DCAC/UFRN Marcus André Silva (UFPE) Natal-RN Fevereiro de 2020 Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte - UFRN Sistema de Bibliotecas - SISBI Catalogação de Publicação na Fonte. UFRN - Biblioteca Setorial Prof. Ronaldo Xavier de Arruda - CCET Damasceno, Úrsula Martin. Influência da fisiografia da margem continental do RN na circulação de correntes de contorno oeste / Úrsula Martin Damasceno. - 2020. 79f.: il. Dissertação (Mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Centro de Ciências Exatas e da Terra, Programa de Pós- Graduação em Geodinâmica e Geofísica. Natal, 2020. Orientador: Moab Praxedes Gomes. Coorientador: Márcio Machado Cintra. 1. Geodinâmica - Dissertação. 2. Talude continental - Dissertação. 3. Margem equatorial - Dissertação. 4. Correntes de contorno oeste - Dissertação. 5. Vórtices - Dissertação. I. Gomes, Moab Praxedes. II. Cintra, Márcio Machado. III. Título. RN/UF/CCET CDU 551.2/.3 Elaborado por Joseneide Ferreira Dantas - CRB-15/324 DEDICATÓRIA A todo ser humano corajoso e curioso que busca compreender a natureza ao seu redor. “O mistério não é um muro onde a inteligência esbarra, mas um oceano onde ela mergulha.” Gustav Thibon “Sempre permaneça aventureiro. Por nenhum momento se esqueça de que a vida pertence aos que investigam. Ela não pertence ao estático; Ela pertence ao que flui. Nunca se torne um reservatório, sempre permaneça um rio.” Osho Resumo As correntes de contorno oeste (CCOs) contribuem para a circulação oceânica e o clima global e produzem impacto local ao longo de suas interações com as margens continentais. Este estudo analisa a resposta da interação entre as CCOs e a Margem Equatorial Atlântica Sudoeste, particularmente do Rio Grande do Norte (RN), com base na fisiografia da margem, medidas de correntes in situ e uma simulação numérica utilizando o modelo CROCO. Os dados de relevo batimétrico foram modelados em ambiente GIS e integrados à simulação das correntes utilizando rotinas computacionais, posteriormente validados com os dados de S4 in situ da plataforma setentrional. A margem do RN fornece caminho para as CCOs ao longo da borda de suas plataformas leste e norte, que são estreitas (até 40 km da costa) e com talude de alto gradiente topográfico (1:11), separadas pelo Alto de Touros com baixo gradiente topográfico cuja extensão da plataforma chega a 80 km na direção offshore. Os resultados mostram a interação da Subcorrente Norte do Brasil (SNB) com a fisiografia da margem setentrional do RN produzindo uma região de recirculação das correntes devido ao cisalhamento de velocidades. Feições de vórtices e meandros são evidentes em fevereiro e agosto, sendo os meandros predominantes neste último mês possivelmente devido ao aumento da intensidade dos ventos em direção a oeste. A posição do núcleo mais acelerado da SBN (>1.0 m.s-¹) coincide com a região do talude superior do Alto de Touros em ambos os meses, configurando a interação da margem com a SBN. As correntes na região do talude setentrional apresentam a menor velocidade da área de estudo (~0.1 m.s-¹) devido à mudança de direção da margem de N-S para E-O. Esse contraste resulta no cisalhamento de velocidade com a formação de vórtices. A diminuição do gradiente topográfico do talude superior do Alto de Touros, a mudança da direção da borda da plataforma e a intensidade dos ventos resultam na formação dessas feições em escala regional. A presença desses eventos oceânicos próximos a borda da plataforma norte do RN pode explicar diferenciações ecológicas e de sedimentação no Holoceno entre as margens Leste e Norte. Palavras-chave: talude continental; margem Equatorial; correntes de contorno oeste; vórtices. i Abstract Western boundary currents (WBC) affect the global ocean circulation, climate, and produce localized impact along their interactions with margins of ocean basins. This study analyses the response of WBCs over the interactions with corn of southwest Atlantic Equatorial Margin, particularly in the North and East sectors of Rio Grande do Norte (RN) on northeastern Brazil, based on geomorphological bathymetric characterization of the margin, in situ currents measurements on Northern shelf, and ocean currents simulation using the CROCO model. The RN margin provides a critical pathway to the WBC along the East and North sectors which are narrow and retracted shelf (up to 40 km offshore), and steep upper continental slopes (1:11), separated by the Touros High with low topographic gradient whose shelf length reaches 80 km in the offshore direction. The results indicate that the interaction of the Northern Brazilian Undercurrent (NBUC) with the RN northern margin physiography produces a recirculating current region due to velocity shear. Eddies and meanders are evident in February and August, with meander predominance in the latter month due to increased wind intensity eastward. The accelerated core position of NBUC (> 1.0 m.s-¹) coincided with the upper slope region of Touros High in both months, confirming the interaction of the margin with the NBUC. In addition, the northern slope region showed the lowest velocity of the study area (~ 0.1m.s-¹) due to the change of direction from the N-S to E- W margin. This contrast resulted in the velocity shear that caused the vortices. Thus, the lower topographic gradient of the upper slope of the Touros High, the change of shelf direction and the intensity of the winds resulted in the formation of these features on a regional scale. The presence of these oceanic events near the northern shelf slope could explain the ecological and sedimentation differences in the Holocene between the eastern and northern shelves. Keywords: continental slope; equatorial margin; western boundary currents; eddies. ii AGRADECIMENTOS Ao Projeto CAPES Ciências do Mar II nº 23038.004320/2014-11 (Processos oceanográficos na quebra da plataforma continental do nordeste brasileiro: fundamentos científicos para o planejamento espacial marinho) pelos recursos necessários ao desenvolvimento da pesquisa. A todos os professores que participaram da minha formação, no DGEO e DGEF. À UFRN por permitir minha qualificação profissional durante todos esses anos. Em especial ao Programa de Pós-Graduação em Geodinâmica e Geofísica – PPGG/UFRN que me permitiu realizar este mestrado. Em especial, ao meu professor e orientador Moab Praxedes por sua calma e empatia ao me orientar, sempre disponível para ajudar sanando dúvidas e compartilhando conhecimento. Você acreditou no meu potencial quando, às vezes, nem eu mesma acreditava. Seu incentivo foi essencial na minha jornada acadêmica e para eu chegar onde estou. Sou extremamente grata de tê-lo como meu orientador todos esses anos! Ao meu professor e co-orientador Márcio Cintra, por sua enorme paciência e também empatia durante sua orientação, sempre acessível para sanar qualquer dúvida, por mais simples e trivial que parecesse. Você foi um guia essencial nessa área completamente nova para mim que é a oceanografia e me ajudou a ver a linguagem de programação com outros olhos. Muito obrigada por todo o incentivo! À toda equipe do Laboratório de Geologia e Geofísica Marinha e Monitoramento Ambiental (GGEMMA). Em especial à professora Dra. Helenice Vital por ceder o espaço e a infraestrutura para que eu pudesse realizar meus trabalhos. Ao Junior, por todo suporte técnico; ao André, João Paulo, Gerard e Gagau pelas dicas e ajudas com o meu trabalho; à professora Patrícia por todo incentivo dado. Aos meus pais Angelina e Elder, pela educação, amor e suporte que me deram em todas as etapas da minha vida. Ao meu irmão, por todas conversas reflexivas que tivemos nas madrugadas e que me ajudaram a clarear minha mente. Serei eternamente grata a vocês! Às minhas amigas geofísicas Carla, Flávia e Dani, que foram guerreiras junto comigo durante todas as etapas do mestrado. Muito obrigada por todo o apoio, vocês também foram essenciais nessa minha jornada! iii Aos meus amigos e segunda família que a vida me deu desde a época do colégio: Bianca, Iohara, Pedro, Rodrigo e Samile, Por toda a irmandade e os momentos que ficarão eternamente marcados em minhas lembranças. Muita gratidão a todos vocês! Ao meu amigo físico Yuri, por todos esses anos de amizade desde a graduação, com conversas de assuntos mais aleatórios que existem e também me incentivando e apoiando na vida pessoal e acadêmica. Agradeço também a minha amiga geofísica Rayla que acompanhou meu desenvolvimento desde os primórdios da graduação. Fico feliz de nossa amizade nunca ter mudado apesar de seguirmos áreas acadêmicas diferentes. Muito obrigada por todo apoio até hoje! Agradeço, em especial, a minha psicóloga por me ajudar nessa aventura que é a jornada do autoconhecimento.
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