Testing Munk's hypothesis for submesoscale eddy generation using observations in the North Atlantic
A high-resolution satellite image that reveals a train of coherent, submesoscale (6 km) vortices along the edge of an ocean front is examined in concert with hydrographic measurements in an effort to understand formation mechanisms of the submesoscale eddies. The infrared satellite image consists of...
Published in: | Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans |
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American Geophysical Union
2017
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ftcaltechauth:oai:authors.library.caltech.edu:81826 2023-05-15T17:31:07+02:00 Testing Munk's hypothesis for submesoscale eddy generation using observations in the North Atlantic Buckingham, Christian E. Khaleel, Zammath Lazar, Ayah Martin, Adrian P. Allen, John T. Naveira Garabato, Alberto C. Thompson, Andrew F. Vic, Clément 2017-08 application/pdf https://authors.library.caltech.edu/81826/ https://authors.library.caltech.edu/81826/1/Buckingham_et_al-2017-Journal_of_Geophysical_Research-_Oceans.pdf https://authors.library.caltech.edu/81826/2/jgrc22402-sup-0001-2017JC012910-s01.pdf https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20170926-085105572 en eng American Geophysical Union https://authors.library.caltech.edu/81826/1/Buckingham_et_al-2017-Journal_of_Geophysical_Research-_Oceans.pdf https://authors.library.caltech.edu/81826/2/jgrc22402-sup-0001-2017JC012910-s01.pdf Buckingham, Christian E. and Khaleel, Zammath and Lazar, Ayah and Martin, Adrian P. and Allen, John T. and Naveira Garabato, Alberto C. and Thompson, Andrew F. and Vic, Clément (2017) Testing Munk's hypothesis for submesoscale eddy generation using observations in the North Atlantic. Journal of Geophysical Research. Oceans, 122 (8). pp. 6725-6745. ISSN 2169-9275. doi:10.1002/2017JC012910. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20170926-085105572 <https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20170926-085105572> cc_by CC-BY Article PeerReviewed 2017 ftcaltechauth https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JC012910 2021-11-18T18:43:51Z A high-resolution satellite image that reveals a train of coherent, submesoscale (6 km) vortices along the edge of an ocean front is examined in concert with hydrographic measurements in an effort to understand formation mechanisms of the submesoscale eddies. The infrared satellite image consists of ocean surface temperatures at ~390 m resolution over the midlatitude North Atlantic (48.69°N, 16.19°W). Concomitant altimetric observations coupled with regular spacing of the eddies suggest the eddies result from mesoscale stirring, filamentation, and subsequent frontal instability. While horizontal shear or barotropic instability (BTI) is one mechanism for generating such eddies (Munk's hypothesis), we conclude from linear theory coupled with the in situ data that mixed layer or submesoscale baroclinic instability (BCI) is a more plausible explanation for the observed submesoscale vortices. Here we assume that the frontal disturbance remains in its linear growth stage and is accurately described by linear dynamics. This result likely has greater applicability to the open ocean, i.e., regions where the gradient Rossby number is reduced relative to its value along coasts and within strong current systems. Given that such waters comprise an appreciable percentage of the ocean surface and that energy and buoyancy fluxes differ under BTI and BCI, this result has wider implications for open-ocean energy/buoyancy budgets and parameterizations within ocean general circulation models. In summary, this work provides rare observational evidence of submesoscale eddy generation by BCI in the open ocean. Article in Journal/Newspaper North Atlantic Caltech Authors (California Institute of Technology) Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans 122 8 6725 6745 |
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Open Polar |
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Caltech Authors (California Institute of Technology) |
op_collection_id |
ftcaltechauth |
language |
English |
description |
A high-resolution satellite image that reveals a train of coherent, submesoscale (6 km) vortices along the edge of an ocean front is examined in concert with hydrographic measurements in an effort to understand formation mechanisms of the submesoscale eddies. The infrared satellite image consists of ocean surface temperatures at ~390 m resolution over the midlatitude North Atlantic (48.69°N, 16.19°W). Concomitant altimetric observations coupled with regular spacing of the eddies suggest the eddies result from mesoscale stirring, filamentation, and subsequent frontal instability. While horizontal shear or barotropic instability (BTI) is one mechanism for generating such eddies (Munk's hypothesis), we conclude from linear theory coupled with the in situ data that mixed layer or submesoscale baroclinic instability (BCI) is a more plausible explanation for the observed submesoscale vortices. Here we assume that the frontal disturbance remains in its linear growth stage and is accurately described by linear dynamics. This result likely has greater applicability to the open ocean, i.e., regions where the gradient Rossby number is reduced relative to its value along coasts and within strong current systems. Given that such waters comprise an appreciable percentage of the ocean surface and that energy and buoyancy fluxes differ under BTI and BCI, this result has wider implications for open-ocean energy/buoyancy budgets and parameterizations within ocean general circulation models. In summary, this work provides rare observational evidence of submesoscale eddy generation by BCI in the open ocean. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Buckingham, Christian E. Khaleel, Zammath Lazar, Ayah Martin, Adrian P. Allen, John T. Naveira Garabato, Alberto C. Thompson, Andrew F. Vic, Clément |
spellingShingle |
Buckingham, Christian E. Khaleel, Zammath Lazar, Ayah Martin, Adrian P. Allen, John T. Naveira Garabato, Alberto C. Thompson, Andrew F. Vic, Clément Testing Munk's hypothesis for submesoscale eddy generation using observations in the North Atlantic |
author_facet |
Buckingham, Christian E. Khaleel, Zammath Lazar, Ayah Martin, Adrian P. Allen, John T. Naveira Garabato, Alberto C. Thompson, Andrew F. Vic, Clément |
author_sort |
Buckingham, Christian E. |
title |
Testing Munk's hypothesis for submesoscale eddy generation using observations in the North Atlantic |
title_short |
Testing Munk's hypothesis for submesoscale eddy generation using observations in the North Atlantic |
title_full |
Testing Munk's hypothesis for submesoscale eddy generation using observations in the North Atlantic |
title_fullStr |
Testing Munk's hypothesis for submesoscale eddy generation using observations in the North Atlantic |
title_full_unstemmed |
Testing Munk's hypothesis for submesoscale eddy generation using observations in the North Atlantic |
title_sort |
testing munk's hypothesis for submesoscale eddy generation using observations in the north atlantic |
publisher |
American Geophysical Union |
publishDate |
2017 |
url |
https://authors.library.caltech.edu/81826/ https://authors.library.caltech.edu/81826/1/Buckingham_et_al-2017-Journal_of_Geophysical_Research-_Oceans.pdf https://authors.library.caltech.edu/81826/2/jgrc22402-sup-0001-2017JC012910-s01.pdf https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20170926-085105572 |
genre |
North Atlantic |
genre_facet |
North Atlantic |
op_relation |
https://authors.library.caltech.edu/81826/1/Buckingham_et_al-2017-Journal_of_Geophysical_Research-_Oceans.pdf https://authors.library.caltech.edu/81826/2/jgrc22402-sup-0001-2017JC012910-s01.pdf Buckingham, Christian E. and Khaleel, Zammath and Lazar, Ayah and Martin, Adrian P. and Allen, John T. and Naveira Garabato, Alberto C. and Thompson, Andrew F. and Vic, Clément (2017) Testing Munk's hypothesis for submesoscale eddy generation using observations in the North Atlantic. Journal of Geophysical Research. Oceans, 122 (8). pp. 6725-6745. ISSN 2169-9275. doi:10.1002/2017JC012910. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20170926-085105572 <https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20170926-085105572> |
op_rights |
cc_by |
op_rightsnorm |
CC-BY |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JC012910 |
container_title |
Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans |
container_volume |
122 |
container_issue |
8 |
container_start_page |
6725 |
op_container_end_page |
6745 |
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1766128449646231552 |