A parametric model for the Brazil Current meanders and eddies off southeastern Brazil

The eddies off of southeastern Brazil are unique in that their water‐mass composition is made up of both upwelling waters and the southward flowing Brazil Current. We present a simple asymmetric model parameterization for the temperature and salinity structure of these eddies. Previous hydrographic data and analytical expressions are used to generate the 3‐D fields for the Cape Frio and Cape São Tomé eddies. The resulting geostrophic velocity and transport estimates compare well with previous studies. An example forecast with the Princeton Ocean Model illustrates the usefulness of such parametrization in understanding the eddy‐meandering activities.