Gradient pattern analysis of short nonstationary time series: an application to Lagrangian data from satellite tracked drifters

Based on the gradient pattern analysis (GPA) technique we introduce a new methodology for analyzing short nonstationary time series. Using the asymmetric amplitude fragmentation (AAF) operator from GPA we analyze Lagrangian data observed as velocity time series for ocean flow. The results show that quasi-periodic, chaotic and turbulent regimes can be well characterized by means of this new geometrical approach.