Agulhas Current Meanders

The role played by large. solitary meanders on the flow of the Agulhas Current is reviewed briefly and a tentative classification of meander types is proposed. These meanders occur off the east coast of southern Africa and have a significant effect on the shortterm heat and mass transport of the current. Hydrographic observations made in 1985 of a meander during its generating phase are presented and discussed. The casual mechanism of the meander remains ambiguous. The results suggest that larger meanders observed north of Cape St Lucia (28° 30’S) originate either in the lee of Cape Correntes (24°S). possibly during intense flow of the Mozambique Current. or through other mechanisms such as eddy adsorption from the ocean interior or spontaneous instability of the Agulhas Current.