Air–sea interaction over ocean fronts and eddies

Small, R. Justin; Deszoeke, S. P.; Xie, Shang‐Ping; O’Neill, L. W.; Seo, Hyodae; Song, Qingtao; Cornillon, Peter; Spall, Michael A.; Minobe, Shoshiro

doi:10.1016/j.dynatmoce.2008.01.001

Cited by 671 publications

(692 citation statements)

References 177 publications

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“…However, the reduction in oceanic heat loss south of the NAC is nearly as strong as its increase along the NAC, so that the anomalous heating resembles a crescentshape north-south dipole. This could occur because the heating associated with a SST front extends downwind in strong winds as the air temperature does not have time to adjust to SST changes, so that the heating is broader and frontal displacements lead to dipolar heating changes (e.g., Small et al 2008). Upward heat flux warms the air over warm SST anomalies; hence, warmer air is FIG.…”

Section: Oceanic Influence On the Atmospheric Circulation In The Red mentioning

confidence: 99%

The Influence of the AMOC Variability on the Atmosphere in CCSM3

2013

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The influence of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) variability on the atmospheric circulation is investigated in a control simulation of the NCAR Community Climate System Model, version 3 (CCSM3), where the AMOC evolves from an oscillatory regime into a red noise regime. In the latter, an AMOC intensification is followed during winter by a positive North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). The atmospheric response is robust and controlled by AMOC-driven SST anomalies, which shift the heat release to the atmosphere northward near the Gulf Stream/North Atlantic Current. This alters the low-level atmospheric baroclinicity and shifts the maximum eddy growth northward, affecting the storm track and favoring a positive NAO. The AMOC influence is detected in the relation between seasonal upper-ocean heat content or SST anomalies and winter sea level pressure. In the oscillatory regime, no direct AMOC influence is detected in winter. However, an upper-ocean heat content anomaly resembling the AMOC footprint precedes a negative NAO. This opposite NAO polarity seems due to the southward shift of the Gulf Stream during AMOC intensification, displacing the maximum baroclinicity southward near the jet exit. As the mode has somewhat different patterns when using SST, the wintertime impact of the AMOC lacks robustness in this regime. However, none of the signals compares well with the observed influence of North Atlantic SST anomalies on the NAO because SST is dominated in CCSM3 by the meridional shifts of the Gulf Stream/ North Atlantic Current that covary with the AMOC. Hence, although there is some potential climate predictability in CCSM3, it is not realistic.

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Section: Oceanic Influence On the Atmospheric Circulation In The Red mentioning

confidence: 99%

The Influence of the AMOC Variability on the Atmosphere in CCSM3

2013

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“…Hovm€ oller diagrams suggest HGEs (i.e., neighboring cyclonic-anticyclonic anomalies) have durations that last for several months and we have individually tracked these events for periods exceeding 6 months, consistent with neighboring anticyclonic/cyclonic vortices being stable in their position relative to one another. Since mesoscale fronts such as these are known to influence the marine boundary layer [Small et al, 2008;Chelton and Xie, 2010] and enhance primary productivity [Levy, 2008;Klein and Lapeyre, 2009], it is logical to conclude that HGEs and, therefore the bands themselves, are relevant in effecting fluxes between the ocean and atmosphere and biological growth in the oceans.…”

Section: Limitations Of the Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

Global observations of quasi‐zonal bands in microwave sea surface temperature

et al. 2014

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Global observations of quasi-zonal jet-like structures have recently been reported in estimates of upper ocean circulation. To date, these observations have come primarily from float-derived and altimeter-derived estimates of zonal velocity. Here, we explore the existence of similar structures in the ocean using satellite-derived estimates of sea surface temperature (SST) from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for the Earth Observing System (AMSR-E). Applying an ocean front detection algorithm globally to microwave measurements of SST, we find that repeated ocean fronts occur along quasizonal bands in a multiyear (2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008)(2009)(2010)(2011) average of detections. Such a pattern is also observed in SST gradient magnitude. Composite analyses of SST, sea surface height (SSH), and upper ocean temperatures from Argo profiling floats suggest repeated fronts in the subtropics occur as a result of neighboring anticyclonic and cyclonic eddies. Horizontal advection in the presence of a background temperature gradient likely plays a role as evidenced by the tilt of temperature anomalies with depth. High gradient events found within the bands are observed to propagate westward with speed comparable to mesoscale eddies and we estimate these events explain 20% of the observed variance in SST gradient magnitude (2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008)(2009)(2010)(2011). In a final analysis, we regress the decay of the bands with averaging period and observe mild-to-strong persistence throughout much of the World Ocean. These findings support the view that propagating eddies help give rise to the bands. Whether or not eddies follow preferred paths remain unanswered.

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“…Owing to their narrowness, however, the variability of the "hot spots" is difficult to identify with in situ SST data. The climatic significance of the "hot spots" had not been highlighted until both high-resolution satellite measurement of SST, sea-surface height, surface winds and precipitation and high-resolution modeling of the ocean and atmosphere became available in recent years (Nonaka and Xie 2003;Xie 2004;Small et al 2008;Chelton and Xie 2010).…”

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confidence: 99%