Mean structure of the North Atlantic subtropical permanent pycnocline from in-situ observations

• Published in: Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology
• Main Authors: Feucher, Charlene, Maze, Guillaume, Mercier, Herle
• Other Authors: Laboratoire d'Océanographie Physique et Spatiale (LOPS), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut Français de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer (IFREMER)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université de Brest (UBO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire de physique des océans (LPO), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut Français de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer (IFREMER)-Université de Brest (UBO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2016
• Subjects: [SDU]Sciences of the Universe [physics]; North Atlantic
• Online Access: https://hal.science/hal-04200817; https://hal.science/hal-04200817/document; https://hal.science/hal-04200817/file/atot-jtech-d-15-0192_1.pdf; https://doi.org/10.1175/JTECH-D-15-0192.1

A new Objective Algorithm for the Characterization of the permanent Pycnocline (OACP) in subtropical gyres is proposed. OAC-P is based on a pragmatic analysis of vertical density gradient features to identify the permanent pycnocline: OAC-P identifies the permanent pycnocline as the stratified layer found below surface mode waters. OAC-P provides the permanent pycnocline depth, unequivocally associated with a local maximum in the stratification, and top and bottom thicknesses, associated with upward and downward decreases in stratification. OAC-P uses half Gaussian curves as asymmetric non-linear analytical models of the stratification peak. It is the first time that an algorithm is proposed to characterize objectively the permanent pycnocline for a region where handling the stronger stratification peak of the seasonal pycnocline is complex. A guideline for how-to implement OAC-P is given, with application to the North Atlantic Ocean Argo data as example. OAC-P provides a detailed description of the mean structure of the North Atlantic subtropical permanent pycnocline. OAC-P detects a permanent pycnocline throughout the subtropical gyre north of the North Equatorial Current. The large scale description of the permanent pycnocline depth structure as a classic bowl shape is captured however with much more details. New regional information is provided. In particular: (i) there is only one region - the southern recirculation gyre of the Gulf Stream Extension - where the permanent pycnocline is along an isopycnal surface and (ii) vertical asymmetries clearly discriminate one region from another.