Structure and variability of the synoptic disturbances of ocean currents in the Drake Passage and Scotia Sea

Twenty two years data of the satellite altimeter observations are used for the analysis of structure and variability of the ocean current synoptic disturbances in the Drake Passage and Scotia Sea. Wavelet analysis of the time series of ocean surface absolute dynamics topography (OSADT) at a set of points in the studied ocean area has revealed a high degree of the statistical nonstationarity of these series appearing as short (few years) intervals of intensive fluctuations of OSADT separated by long intervals of weak fluctuations. Analysis of the synoptic OSADT maps has showed that the intervals of the strong ocean current fluctuations at a point are conditioned by the alternation of processes of cyclonic and anticyclonic eddy-meanders formation by the jets of Antarctic Circumpolar Current, strengthening of the eddies, their following attenuation and final eddy confluence with the mother jets. Besides of the statistical nonstationarity, a considerable spatial variability of the statistical characteristics of the ocean current synoptical disturbances has been revealed for the scales of 150–200 km.