Simulating A Tracer Release Experiment in the Tropical East Atlantic Ocean

To learn more about the dynamics that affect oceanic oxygen minimum zones, a tracer release experiment (TRE) will be executed in 2008 off Western Africa above the East Tuopical Atlantic oxygen minimum zone. This TRE is simulated here in advance by representing the tracer patch as advected isobaric particles and using daily current velocity fields on a 1/12-degree grid from the FLAME ocean model. The errors produced by the developped algorithm are low and the simulated tracer patches evolving show characteristics fitting well to experience. Thus the statistical information extracted from simulation experiments is used to support the TRE planning process. The derived propositions for the TRE are to use 100 kg (500 moles) of the tracer SF 5 CF 3, to release it in a region of low mixing - presumably north of 8 °N - and in a distinct eastward current at release time east of 23 °W, and to use not less than five floats both at release time and at the first survey after half a year to be able to successful relocate the tracer patch with reasonable effort