Toward Comprehensive Understanding of Air‐Sea Interactions Under Tropical Cyclones: On the Importance of High Resolution and Multi‐Modal Observations

Abstract

The three‐dimensional structure of the Tropical Cyclone's baroclinic wake is synthesized as an averaged baroclinic‐dominant response of the upper ocean. The resulting persisting sea surface depression can easily be monitored using the present‐day altimeter constellation. Following a semi‐empirical framework, these baroclinic wake signatures are linked to the inner core TC dynamic and the ocean stratification. To collect these fine‐scale parameters, spaceborne SAR instruments and Argo fleet are used, to precisely capture the maximum wind region and the irregularities of the ocean vertical structure. This combination of high‐resolution information is found paramount to fully capture the modulation of sea surface height anomalies, and its mean trend, especially for major hurricanes. Baroclinic signatures mostly range around 10–20 cm and peak at 40 cm. Deeper anomalies correspond to barotropic response, removed from the present analysis.