28 research outputs found

    Vertical Turbulent Cooling of the Mixed Layer in the Atlantic ITCZ and Trade Wind Regions

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    The causes of the seasonal cycle of vertical turbulent cooling at the base of the mixed layer are assessed using observations from moored buoys in the tropical Atlantic Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) (4°N, 23°W) and trade wind (15°N, 38°W) regions together with mixing parameterizations and a one-dimensional model. At 4°N the parameterized turbulent cooling rates during 2017–2018 and 2019 agree with indirect estimates from the climatological mooring heat budget residual: both show mean cooling of 25–30 W m (Formula presented.) during November–July, when winds are weakest and the mixed layer is thinnest, and 0–10 W m (Formula presented.) during August–October. Mixing during November–July is driven by variability on multiple time scales, including subdiurnal, near-inertial, and intraseasonal. Shear associated with tropical instability waves (TIWs) is found to generate mixing and monthly mean cooling of 15–30 W m (Formula presented.) during May–July in 2017 and 2019. At 15°N the seasonal cycle of turbulent cooling is out of phase compared to 4°N, with largest cooling of up to 60 W m (Formula presented.) during boreal fall. However, the relationships between wind speed, mixed layer depth, and turbulent mixing are similar: weaker mean winds and a thinner mixed layer in the fall are associated with stronger mixing and turbulent cooling of SST. These results emphasize the importance of seasonal modulations of mixed layer depth at both locations and shear from TIWs at 4°N

    Observed Ocean Bottom Temperature Variability at Four Sites in the Northwestern Argentine Basin: Evidence of Decadal Deep/Abyssal Warming Amidst Hourly to Interannual Variability During 2009–2019

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    Consecutive multiyear records of hourly ocean bottom temperature measurements are merged to produce new decade-long time series at four depths ranging from 1,360 to 4,757 m within the northwest Argentine Basin at 34.5°S. Energetic temperature variations are found at a wide range of time scales. All sites exhibit fairly linear warming trends of approximately 0.02–0.04°C per decade over the period 2009–2019, although the trends are only statistically different from zero at the two deepest sites at depths of ~4,500–4,800 m. Near-bottom temperatures from independent conductivity-temperature-depth profiles collected at these same locations every 6–24 months over the same decade show roughly consistent trends. Based on the distribution of spectral energies at the deepest sites and a Monte Carlo-style analysis, sampling at least once per year is necessary to capture the significant warming trends over this decade to within 50% error bars at a 95% confidence limit.Fil: Meinen, Christopher S.. National Ocean And Atmospheric Administration; Estados UnidosFil: Perez, Renellys C.. National Ocean And Atmospheric Administration; Estados UnidosFil: Dong, Shenfu. National Ocean And Atmospheric Administration; Estados UnidosFil: Piola, Alberto Ricardo. Ministerio de Defensa. Armada Argentina. Servicio de HidrografĂ­a Naval; Argentina. Instituto Franco-Argentino sobre Estudios del Clima y sus Impactos; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones CientĂ­ficas y TĂ©cnicas; ArgentinaFil: Campos, Edmo. Universidade de Sao Paulo; Brasil. American University Of Sharjah.; Emiratos Árabes Unido

    Warming Trend in Antarctic Bottom Water in the Vema Channel in the South Atlantic

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    The excess heat absorbed from the atmosphere has increased the temperature in the upper layers of the ocean (<2,000 m). In the abyss, infrequently repeated ship sections, deep Argo float measurements, and sparse moored observations have found signs of warming in the Southwest Atlantic, possibly linked to changes in the Weddell Sea. We present a new moored temperature time series sampled near the bottom in the Vema Channel, from February 2019 to August 2020. Together with historical data, the combined record confirms the warming of the abyssal waters, with an increase of 0.059°C in potential temperature between January 1991 and August 2020, embedded within intense high-frequency variability. Moreover, the data suggest the possibility of an accelerated warming, with a change in the temperature trend from 0.0016°C yr−1, between the early 1990s and 2005, to 0.0026°C yr−1 afterwards

    Highly variable upper and abyssal overturning cells in the South Atlantic

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    The Meridional Overturning Circulation (MOC) is a primary mechanism driving oceanic heat redistribution on Earth, thereby affecting Earth’s climate and weather. However, the full-depth structure and variability of the MOC are still poorly understood, particularly in the South Atlantic. This study presents unique multiyear records of the oceanic volume transport of both the upper (~3100 meters) overturning cells based on daily moored measurements in the South Atlantic at 34.5°S. The vertical structure of the time-mean flows is consistent with the limited historical observations. Both the upper and abyssal cells exhibit a high degree of variability relative to the temporal means at time scales, ranging from a few days to a few weeks. Observed variations in the abyssal flow appear to be largely independent of the flow in the overlying upper cell. No meaningful trends are detected in either cell.Fil: KersalĂ©, Marion. National Ocean And Atmospheric Administration; Estados Unidos. University of Miami; Estados UnidosFil: Meinen, Christopher S.. National Ocean And Atmospheric Administration; Estados UnidosFil: Perez, Renellys C.. National Ocean And Atmospheric Administration; Estados UnidosFil: Le HĂ©naff, Matthieu. National Ocean And Atmospheric Administration; Estados Unidos. University of Miami; Estados UnidosFil: Valla, Daniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones CientĂ­ficas y TĂ©cnicas; Argentina. Ministerio de Defensa. Armada Argentina. Servicio de HidrografĂ­a Naval. Departamento OceanografĂ­a; ArgentinaFil: Lamont, Tarron. University of Cape Town; SudĂĄfricaFil: Sato, Olga T.. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Dong, Shenfu. National Ocean And Atmospheric Administration; Estados UnidosFil: Terre, T.. University of Brest; Francia. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; FranciaFil: van Caspel, M.. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Chidichimo, MarĂ­a Paz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones CientĂ­ficas y TĂ©cnicas; Argentina. Ministerio de Defensa. Armada Argentina. Servicio de HidrografĂ­a Naval. Departamento OceanografĂ­a; ArgentinaFil: van den Berg, Marcel Alexander. Department of Environmental Affairs; SudĂĄfricaFil: Speich, Sabrina. University Of Cape Town; SudĂĄfricaFil: Piola, Alberto Ricardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones CientĂ­ficas y TĂ©cnicas; Argentina. Ecole Normale Superieure. Laboratoire de Meteorologie Dynamique; Francia. Ministerio de Defensa. Armada Argentina. Servicio de HidrografĂ­a Naval. Departamento OceanografĂ­a; Argentina. Instituto Franco-Argentino sobre Estudios del Clima y sus Impactos; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Campos, Edmo. Universidade de Sao Paulo; Brasil. American University Of Sharjah.; Emiratos Árabes UnidosFil: Ansorge, Isabelle. University of Cape Town; SudĂĄfricaFil: Volkov, Denis L.. University of Miami; Estados Unidos. National Ocean And Atmospheric Administration; Estados UnidosFil: Lumpkin, Rick. National Ocean And Atmospheric Administration; Estados UnidosFil: Garzoli, S. L.. University of Miami; Estados Unidos. National Ocean And Atmospheric Administration; Estados Unido

    PIRATA: A Sustained Observing System for Tropical Atlantic Climate Research and Forecasting

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    Prediction and Research Moored Array in the Tropical Atlantic (PIRATA) is a multinational program initiated in 1997 in the tropical Atlantic to improve our understanding and ability to predict ocean-atmosphere variability. PIRATA consists of a network of moored buoys providing meteorological and oceanographic data transmitted in real time to address fundamental scientific questions as well as societal needs. The network is maintained through dedicated yearly cruises, which allow for extensive complementary shipboard measurements and provide platforms for deployment of other components of the Tropical Atlantic Observing System. This paper describes network enhancements, scientific accomplishments and successes obtained from the last 10 years of observations, and additional results enabled by cooperation with other national and international programs. Capacity building activities and the role of PIRATA in a future Tropical Atlantic Observing System that is presently being optimized are also described

    Global Oceans

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    Global Oceans is one chapter from the State of the Climate in 2019 annual report and is avail-able from https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-20-0105.1. Compiled by NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, State of the Climate in 2019 is based on contr1ibutions from scien-tists from around the world. It provides a detailed update on global climate indicators, notable weather events, and other data collected by environmental monitoring stations and instru-ments located on land, water, ice, and in space. The full report is available from https://doi.org /10.1175/2020BAMSStateoftheClimate.1

    Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation: Observed Transport and Variability

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    The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) extends from the Southern Ocean to the northern North Atlantic, transporting heat northwards throughout the South and North Atlantic, and sinking carbon and nutrients into the deep ocean. Climate models indicate that changes to the AMOC both herald and drive climate shifts. Intensive trans-basin AMOC observational systems have been put in place to continuously monitor meridional volume transport variability, and in some cases, heat, freshwater and carbon transport. These observational programs have been used to diagnose the magnitude and origins of transport variability, and to investigate impacts of variability on essential climate variables such as sea surface temperature, ocean heat content and coastal sea level. AMOC observing approaches vary between the different systems, ranging from trans-basin arrays (OSNAP, RAPID 26°N, 11°S, SAMBA 34.5°S) to arrays concentrating on western boundaries (e.g., RAPID WAVE, MOVE 16°N). In this paper, we outline the different approaches (aims, strengths and limitations) and summarize the key results to date. We also discuss alternate approaches for capturing AMOC variability including direct estimates (e.g., using sea level, bottom pressure, and hydrography from autonomous profiling floats), indirect estimates applying budgetary approaches, state estimates or ocean reanalyses, and proxies. Based on the existing observations and their results, and the potential of new observational and formal synthesis approaches, we make suggestions as to how to evaluate a comprehensive, future-proof observational network of the AMOC to deepen our understanding of the AMOC and its role in global climate
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