Ocean climatology at Brazilian Equatorial Margin: A numerical approach

•A ten-year hindcast for the Brazilian equatorial margin (BEM) was developed with high correlation with observed temperature and salinity data.•The seasonal variability of the North Brazil Current (NBC) influences the shape and spread of the Amazon River plume.•The ITCZ migration affects the NBC and nSEC strengths which determines the occurrence and positioning of NBC retroflection.•The NBC transport seasonal signal is highly correlated with the negative wind stress curl south of Equator.•The NBC plays an important role in transporting heat to the northern hemisphere (approximately 2 PW). The purpose of this study is to evaluate the main aspects of the mesoscale ocean circulation of the Brazilian Equatorial Margin using a ten-year hydrodynamic hindcast that successfully represented in situ and satellite observational data. The seasonality and distribution of the Amazon River Plume (ARP), as well as the volume transport of the North Brazil Current (NBC) in two cross-current sections were described. The results indicate the NBC influences on the shape and spread of the ARP, and the relationship between the seasonal behavior of the Inter-tropical Convergence Zone migration, of the wind stress curl, and of the northern branch of the South Equatorial Current with the NBC pattern.