Air‐sea interaction at an oceanic front: Implications for frontogenesis and primary production

Chen, Dake; Liu, W. Timothy; Tang, Wenqing; Wang, Zhiren

doi:10.1029/2003gl017536

Cited by 26 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…The impacts of typhoons on the ocean are investigated using both observations (D'Asaro, 2003;Han et al, 2012;Price, 1981;Stramma, Cornillon, & Price, 1986;Sun et al, 2010;Wang & Zhao, 2008) and model simulations (Chang, 1985;Chen, Liu, Tang, & Wang, 2003;Emanuel, 1999;Liu, Wang, & Huang, 2008;Price, Sanford, & Forristall, 1994;Tsai, Chern, & Wang, 2008). From satellite imagery, it has been determined that the maximum surface cooling occurs before the passage of the eye of the typhoon (D'Asaro, 2003), or a few days after the passage of the eye (Stramma et al, 1986;Subrahmanyam et al, 2002).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ocean Responses to Typhoon Namtheun Explored with Argo Floats and Multiplatform Satellites

et al. 2012

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Argo salinity and temperature profiles, along with other sea surface measurements, were used to explore the impacts of Typhoon Namtheun (2004) on the ocean. Namtheun took local enthalpy heat from the sea (0.39-0.7 × 10 8 J m −2 ), cooled the sea surface water as a result of vertical mixing (maximum 3-4°C) and produced heavy precipitation over the sea (100-180 mm). During this time, the vast latent heat released (2.6-4.4 × 10 8 J m −2 ) by the precipitation made a larger contribution to the typhoon's energy budget than the local air-sea enthalpy flux. In the upper ocean, the oceanic responses can be separated into two sub-processes, the fast spin-up accompanied by one-dimensional vertical mixing and the slow spin-down accompanied by the convergence of surface water. From Argo profiles on 28 July, it can be seen that the typhoon-induced surface mixing broke down the seasonal thermocline (approximately 20 db) within one day. In addition, the shallower (<200 db) convergence of the sea surface fresh water as a result of precipitation also made the post-typhoon water fresher (0.04 (practical salinity scale used)). In the deep ocean, the rapid upwelling at the top of the permanent thermocline suggests that the fast spin-up is a barotropic mechanism, probably gravity pressure. During the slow spin-down stage, the upwelling signal propagated downward (approximately 2 m h −1 ) from the shallow water to the deep ocean for about 10 days; this was a baroclinic process. The baroclinic mechanism was more effective in maintaining a cyclonic eddy than in maintaining an inertial wave, and the low sea surface height anomaly and upwelling lasted much longer than the inertial oscillation (>20 days as opposed to approximately 10 days). This change in vertical structure and long-term upwelling could have impacts on the ocean environment and even on the short-term climate.RÉSUMÉ [Traduit par la rédaction] Nous nous sommes servis des profils de salinité et de température Argo, de pair avec d'autres mesures de la surface de la mer, pour explorer les répercussions du typhon Namtheun (2004) sur l'océan. Namtheun a pris de la chaleur enthalpique locale de la mer (0.39-0.7 × 10 8 J m −2 ), a refroidi l'eau de la surface de la mer par suite d'un mélange vertical (maximum 3°-4°C) et a produit de fortes précipitations au-dessus de la mer (100-180 mm). Durant ce temps, l'importante quantité de chaleur latente (2.6-4.4 × 10 8 J m −2 ) relâchée par les précipitations a apporté une plus grande contribution au bilan énergétique du typhon que le flux enthalpique air-mer local. Dans la couche supérieure de l'océan, les réponses océaniques peuvent être divisées en deux sous-processus, la surgyration rapide accompagnée d'un mélange vertical unidimensionnel et la dégyration lente accompagnée de la convergence d'eau de surface. Sur les profils Argo du 28 juillet, on peut voir que le mélange en surface produit par le typhon a brisé la thermocline saisonnière (approximativement 20 db) à l'intérieur d'une journée. De plus, la convergence moins profo...

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ocean Responses to Typhoon Namtheun Explored with Argo Floats and Multiplatform Satellites

et al. 2012

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“…Spall (2007) has shown that the feedback from winds blowing across SST fronts modifies the growth rate and wavelength of baroclinically unstable waves. Chen et al (2003) coupled the Lindzen and Nigam (1987) model with an oceanic model to study shelf-break frontogenesis and showed a positive feedback that locally strengthened both the wind and the front. Perlin et al (2007) found that the SST in a coastal upwelling regime was lower near the coast after several days using a coupled atmosphere-ocean mesoscale model.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

SST–Wind Interaction in Coastal Upwelling: Oceanic Simulation with Empirical Coupling

Jin

Dong

Kurian

et al. 2009

Journal of Physical Oceanography

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Observations, primarily from satellites, have shown a statistical relationship between the surface wind stress and underlying sea surface temperature (SST) on intermediate space and time scales, in many regions inclusive of eastern boundary upwelling current systems. In this paper, this empirical SST-wind stress relationship is utilized to provide a simple representation of mesoscale air-sea coupling for an oceanic model forced by surface winds, namely, the Regional Oceanic Modeling System (ROMS). This model formulation is applied to an idealized upwelling problem with prevailing equatorward winds to determine the coupling consequences on flow, SST, stratification, and wind evolutions. The initially uniform wind field adjusts through coupling to a cross-shore profile with weaker nearshore winds, similar to realistic ones. The modified wind stress weakens the nearshore upwelling circulation and increases SST in the coastal zone. The SST-induced wind stress curl strengthens offshore upwelling through Ekman suction. The total curl-driven upwelling exceeds the coastal upwelling. The SST-induced changes in the nearshore wind stress field also strengthen and broaden the poleward undercurrent. The coupling also shows significant impact on the developing mesoscale eddies by damaging cyclonic eddies more than anticyclonic eddies, which leads to dominance by the latter. Dynamically, this is a consequence of cyclones with stronger SST gradients that induce stronger wind perturbations in this particular upwelling problem and that are therefore generally more susceptible to disruption than anticyclones at finite Rossby number. The net effect is a weakening of eddy kinetic energy.

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“…Such frontal-scale wind curl is neither resolved in other wind stress products nor in global GCMs, but may contribute to the recirculation of the Gulf Stream by Sverdrup dynamics (Behringer et al 1979). Chen et al (2003) suggest that the interaction between the SST front and the wind curls is an important element of ocean-front dynamics that strongly affects vertical nutrient transport and bioproductivity.…”

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confidence: 99%

Satellite Observations of Cool Ocean–Atmosphere Interaction

Xie¹

2004

Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society

400

307

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New observations from space reveal surprisingly robust patterns of air-sea coupling over cool oceans where such coupling has been thought to be weak.1 While the SST threshold is a convenient way to divide the warm and cool regimes for air-sea interaction, local SST is not the only factor for deep convection, which is also influenced by other factors such as large-scale subsidence. It may be more physically appropriate to divide the warm and cold regimes according to whether there is significant deep convection or not.

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Air‐sea interaction at an oceanic front: Implications for frontogenesis and primary production

Cited by 26 publications

References 7 publications

Ocean Responses to Typhoon Namtheun Explored with Argo Floats and Multiplatform Satellites

Ocean Responses to Typhoon Namtheun Explored with Argo Floats and Multiplatform Satellites

SST–Wind Interaction in Coastal Upwelling: Oceanic Simulation with Empirical Coupling

Satellite Observations of Cool Ocean–Atmosphere Interaction

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