On the air‐sea interaction in areas of thermal marine fronts in the Greenland Sea

Vihma, Timo; Launiainen, Jouko; Krause, Günther

doi:10.1080/07055900.1991.9649419

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…The maximum SST gradients of 0.5 to IøC km -1 and the large-scale gradient of about 8øC in 40 km in the DS are larger than those in the FASINEX region [Hanson et al, 1991] but comparable, e.g., to the Agulhas Current SST front south of Africa [Jury, 1994]. The mean ratio of air and sea surface temperature changes, IA0zl/ I/X0sl, was 0.63, which fits the data from the subtropical regions of both the Agulhas [Mey et al, 1990] and the FASINEX regions [Rogers, 1989] but is twice as high as the observations of Vihma et al [1991] in the Greenland Sea. The discrepancy is partly due to the different air temperature measurement heights (14 and 28 m), but this can only explain a minor part of the difference.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The SST had a diurnal cycle only in some selected cases, and the air temperature showed no diurnal cycle. The maximum SST gradients in the Denmark Strait were of the order of 0as the observations ofVihma et al [1991] from the Greenland Sea, where unstable atmospheric surface layer stratification prevailed. The wind speeds were higher on the warmer side with unstable surface layer stratification, and the cross-frontal change was more pronounced in cases of warm advection over a cold surface.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Air‐sea interaction over a thermal marine front in the Denmark Strait

Vihma¹,

Uotila²,

Launiainen³

1998

J. Geophys. Res.

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Abstract. An investigation was conducted into air-sea interaction in the Denmark Strait, where a distinct thermal front separates warm North Atlantic water from the cold East Greenland Current. The field data consisted of ship weather station data and rawinsonde soundings from R/V Aranda's expedition in August -September 1993. The surface energy balance differed drastically between the warm and cold side of the front (net fluxes of 95 W m -2 upward and 82 W m -2 downward, respectively). The difference resulted mostly from the contradictory turbulent fluxes. The air temperature, humidity and wind speed showed more variation on the warm side of the front. Lower wind speeds were observed on the cold side. The cross-frontal differences in the air temperature and wind speed were largest during front-parallel flow, but those in the sensible and latent heat flux were largest during cross-frontal flow. During cases of air advection across the front, the modification in the air temperature was strongest with a low wind speed. Downwind of the front, the sensible heat flux strongly depended on the south-north wind component. The rawinsonde data revealed temperature inversions and low-level jets. The wind profile was affected by the combined effects of baroclinity, surface layer stability, and stratification through the atmospheric boundary layer. The surface heterogeneity caused by the sea surface temperature front resulted in the Schmidt paradox: the area-averaged sensible heat flux was upward, while the area-averaged air temperature exceeded the area-averaged surface temperature. A mosaic method, extended by estimates of the local wind speed over the warm and cold water side, was applicable to parameterizing the area-averaged sensible heat flux.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Air‐sea interaction over a thermal marine front in the Denmark Strait

Vihma¹,

Uotila²,

Launiainen³

1998

J. Geophys. Res.

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“…This situation will be complicated in mid-latitude regions where the passage of synoptic atmospheric features such as coldair outbreaks may play a more important role in setting the stratification over short time scales. Vihma et al (1991) noted that as well as synoptic events, the diurnal cycle also affects the near surface stability over oceanic fronts.…”

Section: Stratification and Cloud Covermentioning

confidence: 99%

Acknowledging contributions

2011

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Air-sea interaction at ocean fronts and eddies exhibits positive correlation between sea surface temperature (SST), wind speed, and heat fluxes out of the ocean, indicating that the ocean is forcing the atmosphere. This contrasts with larger scale climate modes where the negative correlations suggest that the atmosphere is driving the system. This paper reviews studies of the interaction of sharp SST gradients and the overlying marine atmospheric boundary layer and deeper atmosphere. The importance of different physical mechanisms of atmospheric response to SST gradients, such as the effect of surface stability variations on momentum transfer, pressure gradients, secondary circulations and cloud cover will be assessed. These processes will be compared and contrasted for different regions such as the Equatorial Front in the Eastern Pacific, and oceanic fronts in mid-latitudes such as the Gulf Stream, Kuroshio, and Agulhas Return Current.

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