The flow dynamics in the Gulf of Mexico are dominated by the Loop Current which goes around Cuba (seen on lower right). Eddies spin off the Loop Current at a rate of one every few months. An arrangement of warm core eddies, one detached (left side) and one forming (northwesterly of the Loop Current), is depicted here. Accompanying cold core eddies are also evident. The eddies are delineated by stable and unstable manifolds of various hyperbolic trajectories, and those manifolds are shown here. This is based on a re-creation of the flow field from a specific period in June,1998, using a layered model with satellite data assimilated into the model. One of the most interesting features to note is the greater mixing exhibited around the edges of the cold eddies than the warm eddies. This is evidenced by the more complicated manifold configuration.

(Picture from a SIADS poster.)