This study uses global numerical model results of ocean and atmospheric circulation, as well as local wind, wave and current meter data, to investigate the structure of the ocean and coastal circulation potentially associated with the transport of oil that affected thousands of kilometers of the Brazilian coast in 2019. Our analysis suggests the oil was brought close to the continental shelf sometime in August 2019 by the southern branch of South Equatorial Current, and was initially advected towards the north by the North Brazilian Current and shelf currents pushed by SE winds. The onset of negative along-shore winds close to the coast in September–October 2019 turned the coastal along-shore drift south, a situation that persisted throughout the spring and summer seasons. Along the east coast, where observational data was available, landward cross-shelf flows below 17 m of depth, associated with coastal upwelling conditions, advected the oil from the slope onto the outer and mid-shelf. On the inner-shelf the oil was finally pushed towards the beaches by the wave action close to the bottom. Reports of oil arriving on the east coast followed changes in coastal wind and current patterns very closely. It is suggested that before reaching the shelf, the oil drifted at depths larger than 17 m, perhaps reaching several tens of meters.

本研究使用海洋和大气环流的全球数值模型结果，以及当地的风、波和海流仪数据，来研究海洋和沿海环流的结构，这可能与影响巴西数千公里的石油运输有关。 2019 年海岸。我们的分析表明，石油在 2019 年 8 月的某个时候被南赤道海流的南支流带到大陆架附近，最初是由巴西北部海流和东南风推动的大陆架流向北平流。2019 年 9 月至 10 月，靠近海岸的沿海岸负风开始使海岸沿海岸向南漂移，这种情况在整个春季和夏季都持续存在。沿着东海岸，那里有观测数据，与沿海上升流条件相关的陆上跨陆架流在深度低于 17 m 时，将石油从斜坡平流到外陆架和中部陆架。在内层架上，石油最终被靠近底部的波浪作用推向海滩。石油抵达东海岸的报告非常密切地跟随海岸风和海流模式的变化。推测在到达陆架之前，油层漂流深度大于17 m，可能达到几十米。石油抵达东海岸的报告非常密切地跟随海岸风和海流模式的变化。推测在到达陆架之前，油层漂流深度大于17 m，可能达到几十米。石油抵达东海岸的报告非常密切地跟随海岸风和海流模式的变化。推测在到达陆架之前，油层漂流深度大于17 m，可能达到几十米。