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Seasonality in submesoscale turbulence.
Jörn Callies1, Raffaele Ferrari2, Jody M Klymak3
1MIT/WHOI Joint Program in Oceanography, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Building 54-1615, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge/Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02139, USA.
Nature Communications
|April 22, 2015
Summary
Subsurface ocean currents, known as submesoscale flows, are stronger in winter than summer. These flows are crucial for nutrient cycling and air-sea gas exchange in the upper ocean.
Area of Science:
- Oceanography
- Fluid Dynamics
- Biogeochemistry
Background:
- Ocean surface currents typically occur at mesoscale (around 100 km).
- Numerical simulations indicate smaller submesoscale flows (1-100 km) significantly impact vertical transport in the upper ocean.
- Submesoscale flows play a vital role in nutrient cycling and air-sea gas exchange.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide observational evidence for the seasonal cycle of submesoscale flows in the surface mixed layer.
- To investigate the mechanisms energizing submesoscale flows.
- To understand the implications of enhanced winter submesoscale activity for ocean interior exchange.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of observational data to identify and quantify submesoscale flows.
- Investigation of the relationship between submesoscale activity and seasonal changes in the mixed layer.
- Examination of energy sources for submesoscale flows, including baroclinic instabilities and turbulent interactions.
Main Results:
- Submesoscale flows exhibit a distinct seasonal cycle, being significantly stronger during winter compared to summer.
- Baroclinic instabilities around geostrophic eddies in the deep winter mixed layer energize submesoscale flows at 1-10 km scales.
- Larger submesoscale flows are energized by turbulent scale interactions.
Conclusions:
- Submesoscale flows are a key component of upper ocean dynamics, with pronounced seasonal variability.
- Enhanced winter submesoscale activity facilitates efficient vertical transport of heat, gases, and nutrients.
- These findings highlight the importance of submesoscale processes for air-sea fluxes and primary production.
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