The Brazil Current (BC) is likely the least observed and investigated subtropical western boundary current in the world. This study proposes a simple and systematic methodology to estimate quasi-synoptic crosssectional speeds of the BC within the Santos Basin (23 • S − 26 • S) based on the dynamic method using several combinations of data: Conductivity, temperature, and depth (CTD), temperature profiles, CTD and vessel-mounted Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (VMADCP), and temperature profiles and VMADCP. All of the geostrophic estimates agree well with lowered Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (LADCP) velocity observations and yield volume transports of -5.56 ±1.31 and 2.50 ±1.01 Sv for the BC and the Intermediate Western Boundary Current (IWBC), respectively. The LADCP data revealed that the BC flows southwestward and is ∼100 km wide, 500 m deep, and has a volume transport of approximately -5.75 ±1.53 Sv and a maximum speed of 0.59 m s −1 . Underneath the BC, the IWBC flows northeastward and has a vertical extent of approximately 1,300 m, a width of ∼60 km, a maximum

Based on high-resolution seismic data (sub-bottom profiler 7,0 kHz and side scan sonar 100 kHz) and geological bottom samples, interesting aspects of the Ilha Grande bay seabed were investigated. The seabed along the eastern-central channel of the bay was characterized by eight bottom sedimentary patterns. Such patterns showed variations in the texture, in the bio-debris content and in the acoustic back-scattering of the sediments. Among these patterns, lithobioclastic muds are closer to the land, terrigenous muds are closer to Ilha Grande and sands are far eastward from the central channel. Sediment analyses indicated a low energy environment predominantly in the lithobioclastic muds area, subject to some random events of higher energy. It seems to influence the area by selecting the bottom sediments, besides the submarine topography. Observed evidences of modern facies transitions from sub-environments dominated by higher energy agents (waves) to facies dominated by lower energy agents (tides, bottom currents) were related to the complex submarine topography and to the coast line orientation. The boundary geometry among the ecofacies also suggests a hydrodynamic control by wave action and bottom currents. Evidences of these combined effects of waves and currents may be approached in a future study, based on the observed bedforms. The observed characteristics of the eastern-central channel seabed of the bay indicate that oscillations on the level of energy may be acting on the sediments sorting. Therefore regularity of the seabed has an important role in relation to the sediment environment on the Ilha Grande bay central channel.Keywords: high resolution seismic; sediments; bathymetry; ecofacies; Ilha Grande bay. RESUMOAspectos interessantes do relevo submarino e da sedimentação na baía da Ilha Grande foram investigados com base em sísmica de alta resolução (perfilador de 7,0kHz e sonar de varredura lateral 100 kHz), e amostras de sedimentos. O fundo marinho na região centro-leste do canal central da baía pode ser caracterizado por oito padrões sedimentares superficiais de fundo (ecofácies), que refletem variações na textura, no teor de biodetritos e no caráter acústico dos sedimentos. A disposição dos contatos entre as ecofácies sugere que existam padrões dominados por agentes de maior energia, e padrões dominados por agentes de menor energia, relacionadas à topografia submarina e à orientação da linha de costa. Ecofácies areno-lamosas (tipos transitórios) estão associadas a estruturas sedimentares (formas de fundo) obtidas nos registros de sonar. Tais estruturas estão localizadas em profundidades em torno de 16m, próximo a Conceição de Jacareí, onde ocorre uma transição textural de leste para oeste de um padrão de fundo grosso para um padrão fino. É possível que a ação de forçantes oceanográficos sobre as ecofácies, contribuam para o entendimento da sedimentação na baía. Assim, as feições observadas (faciológicas e morfodinâmicas) do fundo marinho, sugerem que oscilações no nível de energia do meio, p...

This study describes the hydrography and water masses of the Santos Basin Continental Shelf (SBCS) during two hydrographic campaigns (SANAGU, SANSED) in 2019. Coastal Water (CW) is the dominant water mass in the southern portion of the SBCS, with relatively low salinity values (S<35.5 g kg −1 ), and satellite data show that local precipitation and river discharge could not account for the low salinity observed during the cruises in the southern region of the domain. The low salinity observed is explained by the transport from the south influenced by Subtropical Shelf Water (STSW), which was influenced by the La Plata River discharge. In the northern region of the SBCS, the South Atlantic Central Water (SACW) dominates the bottom layers of the water column, with the wind playing a major role in the uplift of this water mass, as evidenced by a wind impulse analysis. In this part of the shelf, Tropical Water (TW) was the second water mass in volume and occupied the surface layers and offshore the shelf. CW is restricted to a thin surface layer, which reaches distances of a few kilometers from the coast. Our analysis show the differences in the hydrographic structure of the SBCS and suggests that the SBCS can be divided in two regions with distinct characteristics: 1) the area southwest of São Sebastião, where the hydrographic parameters were modulated by the presence of the Subtropical Shelf Water (STSW); 2) the area northeast of São Sebastião, where the uplifting of SACW was the dominant process.

ABSTRACT. Velocity-based parametric models are often used in the oceanographic literature either in theoretical studies that involves linear stability properties or as boundary-initial conditions for regional implementations of numerical models. However, most of these models were developed for the Gulf Stream (Niiler & Robinson, 1967;Luther & Bane, 1985;Robinson et al., 1988;Arango et al., 1992;Xue & Mellor, 1993;Gangopadhyay et al., 1997). Because the Brazil Current (BC)-Intermediate Western Boundary Current (IWBC) System is unique in terms of its vertical structure as it flows off SE Brazil, an original parametric model has been developed and is presented in this paper. The model parameterizes both the surface-core structure of the BC as well as the intermediate level-core of the IWBC, keeping their basic features such as the asymmetric configuration due to their interaction with the topography. In the BC case, the model allows for the current shape to be deformed if it is close to the shelf break or to acquire a hyperbolic-like shape when it is positioned far away from the continental margin. In the IWBC parameterization, the main characteristic of the model is to reproduce a core placed at 800-900 m depth, adjacent to the intermediate portion of the continental slope. Additionally, under the assumption that the currents are in geostrophic balance, a sectional model of the density structure was obtained from the velocity model. This density model was constructed based on the integration of the thermal wind equation. Finally, the parametric model has been successfully tested, it reproduced with great accuracy the structure of three velocity RESUMO.Modelos paramétricos de velocidade de correntes são utilizados na literatura oceanográfica para estudos teóricos envolvendo propriedades de instabilidade, ou como condições de contorno e iniciais para implementações regionais de modelos numéricos. Estes, no entanto, foram desenvolvidos na sua maioria para a Corrente do Golfo (Niiler & Robinson, 1967;Luther & Bane, 1985;Robinson et al., 1988;Arango et al., 1992;Xue & Mellor, 1993;Gangopadhyay et al., 1997). O sistema formado pela Corrente do Brasil (CB) e pela Corrente de Contorno Intermediária (CCI) apresenta características dinâmicas singulares enquanto flui ao largo do SE brasileiro, quando comparada as demais correntes de contorno oeste do oceano mundial. Neste trabalho, apresentamos um modelo paramétrico analítico original. O modelo parametriza a estrutura tanto da corrente de superfície (a CB) como da corrente intermediária (a CCI), visando preservar suas características essenciais. No caso da CB, suas principais características são a presença de um núcleo em superfície e o comportamento ocasionalmente assimétrico longitudinalmente devido ao fenômeno do meandramento. Fato que a faz aproximar e afastar o escoamento superficial da quebra de plataforma e do talude superior. Já para a CCI, a principal característicaé apresentar o núcleo em torno dos 800-900 m de profundidade, geralmente junto ao talude intermediári...

We el ll li in ng gt to on n C Ce ec cc co op pi ie er ri i B Be el lo o O Or ri ie en nt ta ad do or r: : P Pr ro of f.. D Dr r.. I Il ls so on n C Ca ar rl lo os s A Al lm me ei id da a d da a S Si il lv ve ei ir ra a S Sã ão o P Pa au ul lo o 2 20 01 11 1 Tese apresentada ao Instituto Oceanográfico da Universidade de São Paulo, como parte dos requisitos para obtenção do título de Doutor em Ciências, área de Oceanografia Física. Tese apresentada ao Instituto Oceanográfico da Universidade de São Paulo, como parte dos requisitos para obtenção do título de Doutor em Ciências, área de Oceanografia Física.