Figure 11. Accumulated particle density, according to the release month (HYCOM) or pattern (SOMs) (y-axis; Equatorial Atlantic) and the arrival month (HYCOM) or pattern (SOMs) in zone 2 (x-axis; east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula). The two panels on the left side are the monthly accumulated particle density with the HYCOM climatology, and the two panels on the right side are the accumulated particle density obtained from the SOMs patterns. The listed months in the SOMs panels correspond to the months given by the BMUs corresponding to the release pattern. For each dataset, the first panel is the experiment with 1% windage, followed by 2% windage. The color of the bullets indicates the density of particles accumulated in zone 2.
As shown, the confluence of particles in zone 2 depends on currents and the effect of wind. As the wind conditions depend on atmospheric phenomena with a well-defined seasonal variability in the region, we expect an influence on particle transport by the passage of easterly waves, cold fronts, and the ITCZ latitudinal migration, as described previously. In general, this zone’s regional atmospheric dynamics dominate zonal westward winds, with maximum intensities during February and July due to the strengthening of the North Atlantic easterlies, intensifying the CLLJ, and weakening during May and October.