Mechanisms controlling the SST air-sea heat flux feedback and its dependence on spatial scale
The turbulent air-sea heat flux feedback (α, in W m[superscript −2] K[superscript −1]) is a major contributor to setting the damping timescale of sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies. In this study we compare the spatial distribution and magnitude of αα in the North Atlantic and the Southern Ocea...
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ftmit:oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/107385 2023-06-11T04:14:50+02:00 Mechanisms controlling the SST air-sea heat flux feedback and its dependence on spatial scale Czaja, Arnaud Hausmann, Ute Marshall, John C Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences Hausmann, Ute Marshall, John C 2017-02-02T15:20:18Z application/pdf http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/107385 en eng Springer Berlin Heidelberg http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00382-016-3142-3 Climate Dynamics 0930-7575 1432-0894 http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/107385 Hausmann, Ute, Arnaud Czaja, and John Marshall. “Mechanisms Controlling the SST Air-Sea Heat Flux Feedback and Its Dependence on Spatial Scale.” Climate Dynamics 48, no. 3–4 (May 4, 2016): 1297–1307. orcid:0000-0002-8195-5938 orcid:0000-0001-9230-3591 Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg Article http://purl.org/eprint/type/JournalArticle 2017 ftmit https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-016-3142-3 2023-05-29T08:19:34Z The turbulent air-sea heat flux feedback (α, in W m[superscript −2] K[superscript −1]) is a major contributor to setting the damping timescale of sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies. In this study we compare the spatial distribution and magnitude of αα in the North Atlantic and the Southern Ocean, as estimated from the ERA-Interim reanalysis dataset. The comparison is rationalized in terms of an upper bound on the heat flux feedback, associated with “fast” atmospheric export of temperature and moisture anomalies away from the marine boundary layer, and a lower bound associated with “slow” export. It is found that regions of cold surface waters (≤10 ∘C) are best described as approaching the slow export limit. This conclusion is not only valid at the synoptic scale resolved by the reanalysis data, but also on basin scales. In particular, it applies to the heat flux feedback acting as circumpolar SST anomaly scales are approached in the Southern Ocean, with feedbacks of ≤10 W m[superscript −2] K[superscript −1]. In contrast, the magnitude of the heat flux feedback is close to that expected from the fast export limit over the Gulf Stream and its recirculation with values on the order of ≈40 W m[superscript −2] K[superscript −1]. Further analysis suggests that this high value reflects a compensation between a moderate thermodynamic adjustment of the boundary layer, which tends to weaken the heat flux feedback, and an enhancement of the surface winds over warm SST anomalies, which tend to enhance the feedback. National Science Foundation (U.S.). Frontiers in Earth System Dynamics Article in Journal/Newspaper North Atlantic Southern Ocean DSpace@MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Southern Ocean Climate Dynamics 48 3-4 1297 1307 |
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Open Polar |
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DSpace@MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) |
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ftmit |
language |
English |
description |
The turbulent air-sea heat flux feedback (α, in W m[superscript −2] K[superscript −1]) is a major contributor to setting the damping timescale of sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies. In this study we compare the spatial distribution and magnitude of αα in the North Atlantic and the Southern Ocean, as estimated from the ERA-Interim reanalysis dataset. The comparison is rationalized in terms of an upper bound on the heat flux feedback, associated with “fast” atmospheric export of temperature and moisture anomalies away from the marine boundary layer, and a lower bound associated with “slow” export. It is found that regions of cold surface waters (≤10 ∘C) are best described as approaching the slow export limit. This conclusion is not only valid at the synoptic scale resolved by the reanalysis data, but also on basin scales. In particular, it applies to the heat flux feedback acting as circumpolar SST anomaly scales are approached in the Southern Ocean, with feedbacks of ≤10 W m[superscript −2] K[superscript −1]. In contrast, the magnitude of the heat flux feedback is close to that expected from the fast export limit over the Gulf Stream and its recirculation with values on the order of ≈40 W m[superscript −2] K[superscript −1]. Further analysis suggests that this high value reflects a compensation between a moderate thermodynamic adjustment of the boundary layer, which tends to weaken the heat flux feedback, and an enhancement of the surface winds over warm SST anomalies, which tend to enhance the feedback. National Science Foundation (U.S.). Frontiers in Earth System Dynamics |
author2 |
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences Hausmann, Ute Marshall, John C |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Czaja, Arnaud Hausmann, Ute Marshall, John C |
spellingShingle |
Czaja, Arnaud Hausmann, Ute Marshall, John C Mechanisms controlling the SST air-sea heat flux feedback and its dependence on spatial scale |
author_facet |
Czaja, Arnaud Hausmann, Ute Marshall, John C |
author_sort |
Czaja, Arnaud |
title |
Mechanisms controlling the SST air-sea heat flux feedback and its dependence on spatial scale |
title_short |
Mechanisms controlling the SST air-sea heat flux feedback and its dependence on spatial scale |
title_full |
Mechanisms controlling the SST air-sea heat flux feedback and its dependence on spatial scale |
title_fullStr |
Mechanisms controlling the SST air-sea heat flux feedback and its dependence on spatial scale |
title_full_unstemmed |
Mechanisms controlling the SST air-sea heat flux feedback and its dependence on spatial scale |
title_sort |
mechanisms controlling the sst air-sea heat flux feedback and its dependence on spatial scale |
publisher |
Springer Berlin Heidelberg |
publishDate |
2017 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/107385 |
geographic |
Southern Ocean |
geographic_facet |
Southern Ocean |
genre |
North Atlantic Southern Ocean |
genre_facet |
North Atlantic Southern Ocean |
op_source |
Springer Berlin Heidelberg |
op_relation |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00382-016-3142-3 Climate Dynamics 0930-7575 1432-0894 http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/107385 Hausmann, Ute, Arnaud Czaja, and John Marshall. “Mechanisms Controlling the SST Air-Sea Heat Flux Feedback and Its Dependence on Spatial Scale.” Climate Dynamics 48, no. 3–4 (May 4, 2016): 1297–1307. orcid:0000-0002-8195-5938 orcid:0000-0001-9230-3591 |
op_rights |
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-016-3142-3 |
container_title |
Climate Dynamics |
container_volume |
48 |
container_issue |
3-4 |
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1297 |
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1307 |
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1768371159706894336 |