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Updated: Jan 14, 2026
08:16
Ice Generation and the Heat and Mass Transfer Phenomena of Introducing Water to a Cold Bath of Brine
Published on: March 13, 2017
14.4K
Warm rings in mesoscale eddies in a cold straining ocean
Huizi Dong1,2,3, Meng Zhou4,5,6, James C McWilliams7
1Key Laboratory of Polar Ecosystem and Climate Change, Ministry of Education and School of Oceanography, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China. huizidong@sjtu.edu.cn.
Nature Communications
|October 20, 2025
Summary
Submesoscale ocean currents in the Lofoten Basin significantly enhance vertical heat transport. This process warms sea surface temperatures and is key to Atlantic Water
Area of Science:
- Oceanography
- Climate Science
- Fluid Dynamics
Background:
- Atlantic Water experiences significant heat loss towards polar regions.
- The Lofoten Basin is critical for Atlantic Water transformation due to eddy activity and air-sea interactions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate oceanic vertical heat transport in the Lofoten Basin.
- To demonstrate how geostrophic strain influences heat transport at submesoscales.
Main Methods:
- Utilized multi-year Seaglider observations.
- Integrated satellite altimetry and radiometer data.
- Employed high-resolution numerical model results.
Main Results:
- Geostrophic strain enhances vertical heat transport via submesoscale motions.
- These motions occur below the mixed layer depth along mesoscale eddy edges.
- Observed a 0.4°C increase in sea surface temperature and "warm ring" formation.
Conclusions:
- Submesoscale vertical motions are crucial for transporting heat from the ocean interior to the surface.
- Strain-induced submesoscale heat transport is a primary mechanism for heat loss from Atlantic Water in the Lofoten Basin.
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