Figure 8. Zones comprising different regions according to the effect of
wind on particle clustering. Red indicates zones with the largest
particle confluence without the influence of wind (Region I). Similarly,
green denotes the zones with the largest confluence with 1% wind
(Region II) and blue with 2% wind (Region III). Time series represent
particle density (number of particles per unit area) of the three
Lagrangian experiments derived from HYCOM and SOM patterns as a function
of release month (lower abscissa, HYCOM) and SOM pattern (upper
abscissa, SOMs). The left ordinate axis is particle density for HYCOM,
and the right is particle density for SOMs. The variation in the y-axes
is attributed to the difference in the temporal occurrence velocity
fields used in the Lagrangian experiments. The current velocity fields
obtained from HYCOM climatology have a daily occurrence, whereas the
velocity fields generated by SOMs are semi-stationary, with a pattern’s
duration determined by the BMUs. The annual accumulated particle
density, regarding the released month or pattern, refers to the number
of steps taken by the particles within each area during a year. Acronyms
indicate (Z) zone identifier number, (*) HYCOM climatology, and (o) SOMs
Patterns.
Table 1. Lagrangian experiment results for each zone within the
Caribbean basin. Colors indicate the area according to the wind effect
(Figure 8); % is the particle percentage that arrives at each
zone based on the total number of particles released, H YCOM
climatology, and SOMs P atterns. Percentage values inbold indicate the zones with the largest confluence according
to windage.