Generation and propagation of anticyclonic rings in the Gulf of Papagayo

Lagrangian drifting buoys, local meteorological stations and AVHRR data were used to describe the generation and propagation of anticyclonic rings in the Gulf of Papagayo during the upwelling season in 1996. Some observations were consistent with two generation mechanisms previously proposed: forcing by inertially rotating Papagayo wind jets and conservation of potential vorticity in the Costa Rica Coastal Current. A westward speed of propagation of 12.6 cm s(-1) was obtained for these vortices. The relevance of the Papagayo system at regional scale is discussed.