Characteristics of 3‐Dimensional Structure and Heat Budget of Mesoscale Eddies in the South Atlantic Ocean

Abstract

Mesoscale phenomena such as mesoscale eddies, with typical spatial scales of 50-300 km and temporal scales ranging from weeks to months, are prevalent in the world oceans. They carry huge kinetic ener-

The Heat and Carbon Characteristics of Modeled Mesoscale Eddies in the South–East Atlantic Ocean

“…Both Wang et al. (2021) and Dawson et al. (2018) showed dipole eddies north of the ACC and monopole eddies within the ACC, yet our results show that both monopole and dipole structures can occur in eddies of similar size and geographic distributions (see CE Nodes 2 and 4 in Figure 3b and Figures S6 and S9 in Supporting Information ).…”

“…Both Wang et al (2021) and Dawson et al (2018) showed dipole eddies north of the ACC and monopole eddies within the ACC, yet our results show that both monopole and dipole structures can occur in eddies of similar size and geographic distributions (see CE Nodes 2 and 4 in Figure 3b and Figures S6 and S9 in Supporting Information S1). Variations in spatial tracer distributions point to the possibility of different dominant mechanisms at play within differently-orientated eddy nodes, which could be linked to seasonal or life stage characteristics.…”

“…A clear asymmetry is seen where AEs dominate over CEs for both heat and C T anomalies (Figure 10), including smaller eddies that reduce the asymmetry in heat from 255% to 67% and in C T from 105% to 17%. The asymmetry in heat is more pronounced owing to the larger number and size of anticyclonic rings of the South–East Atlantic region (X. Wang et al., 2021) while distributions for CEs are more evenly spread amongst the nodes. A reduced asymmetry is seen for C T storage and deficit due to more moderate vertical C T gradients (Figure 6 and Figure S10 in Supporting Information ).…”

“…The asymmetry in heat is more pronounced owing to the larger number and size of anticyclonic rings of the South-East Atlantic region (X. Wang et al, 2021) while distributions for CEs are more evenly spread amongst the nodes. A reduced asymmetry is seen for C T storage and deficit due to more moderate vertical C T gradients (Figure 6 and Figure S10 in Supporting Information S1).…”

A Global Assessment of Eddy‐Induced Salinity Anomalies and Salt Transport by Eddy Movement

“…The heat and salt fluxes due to eddies have been recognized as one of the fundamental mechanisms for the oceanic meridional heat and salt transport (Dong et al., 2014; Meijers et al., 2007; Sun, Liu, & Wang, 2019; Treguier et al., 2014; Wang et al., 2023). Although many studies have been conducted on the heat transport by eddies in the ocean, relatively little attention has been directed toward the transport of salt by eddies, especially at a global scale (Chen et al., 2012; Jayne & Marotzke, 2002; Sun et al, 2018; Sun, Liu, & Wang, 2019; Volkov et al., 2008; Wang et al., 2021; Zhang et al., 2014). Based on eddy‐resolving model simulations, studies estimate meridional eddy salt transport based on the product of temporal velocity and salinity anomalies, represented as $$\overline{V{\rhook}S{\rhook}}$$ (Meijers et al., 2007; Treguier et al., 2014).…”