Estudo da estratificação oceânica na ZEE brasileira e identificação das massas d'água através da análise da curvatura de perfis regionais

Abstract

The Brazilian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) holds significant scientific, environmental, and strategic importance. This dissertation proposes a methodology based on curvature analysis of vertical profiles to characterize ocean stratification and identify water masses within the EEZ, focusing on the Northeast, Southeast, and South regions. Our approach is grounded in the analysis of CTD cast data collected by the Brazilian Navy, using in situ temperature, salinity, and density parameters. The data were normalized relative to surface density, and thermohaline contrasts were derived using Savitzky-Golay filters. This enabled the calculation of profile curvatures, with vertical interfaces identified by curvature peaks and fitted with Lorentzian profiles, allowing precise delineation of transitions between water masses. The results supported the development of regional vertical profile models, with potential applications in oceanographic monitoring and underwater acoustic modeling.