Impact of Current‐Wind Interaction on Vertical Processes in the Southern Ocean
Momentum input from westerly winds blowing over the Southern Ocean can be modulated by mesoscale surface currents and result in changes in large-scale ocean circulation. Here, using an eddy-resolving 1/20 degree ocean model configured near Drake Passage, we evaluate the impact of current-wind intera...
Main Authors: | , , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
American Geophysical Union (AGU)
2021
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/133810 |
id |
ftmit:oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/133810 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftmit:oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/133810 2023-06-11T04:11:19+02:00 Impact of Current‐Wind Interaction on Vertical Processes in the Southern Ocean Song, Hajoon Marshall, John McGillicuddy, Dennis J Seo, Hyodae 2021-09-17T13:24:36Z application/pdf https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/133810 en eng American Geophysical Union (AGU) 10.1029/2020JC016046 Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/133810 Article is made available in accordance with the publisher's policy and may be subject to US copyright law. Please refer to the publisher's site for terms of use. MIT web domain Article http://purl.org/eprint/type/JournalArticle 2021 ftmit 2023-05-29T08:20:04Z Momentum input from westerly winds blowing over the Southern Ocean can be modulated by mesoscale surface currents and result in changes in large-scale ocean circulation. Here, using an eddy-resolving 1/20 degree ocean model configured near Drake Passage, we evaluate the impact of current-wind interaction on vertical processes. We find a reduction in momentum input from the wind, reduced eddy kinetic energy, and a modification of Ekman pumping rates. Wind stress curl resulting from current-wind interaction leads to net upward motion, while the nonlinear Ekman pumping term associated with horizontal gradients of relative vorticity induces net downward motion. The spatially averaged mixed layer depth estimated using a density criteria is shoaled slightly by current-wind interaction. Current-wind interaction, on the other hand, enhances the stratification in the thermocline below the mixed layer. Such changes have the potential to alter biogeochemical processes including nutrient supply, biological productivity, and air-sea carbon dioxide exchange. Article in Journal/Newspaper Drake Passage Southern Ocean DSpace@MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Southern Ocean Drake Passage Curl ENVELOPE(-63.071,-63.071,-70.797,-70.797) |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
DSpace@MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) |
op_collection_id |
ftmit |
language |
English |
description |
Momentum input from westerly winds blowing over the Southern Ocean can be modulated by mesoscale surface currents and result in changes in large-scale ocean circulation. Here, using an eddy-resolving 1/20 degree ocean model configured near Drake Passage, we evaluate the impact of current-wind interaction on vertical processes. We find a reduction in momentum input from the wind, reduced eddy kinetic energy, and a modification of Ekman pumping rates. Wind stress curl resulting from current-wind interaction leads to net upward motion, while the nonlinear Ekman pumping term associated with horizontal gradients of relative vorticity induces net downward motion. The spatially averaged mixed layer depth estimated using a density criteria is shoaled slightly by current-wind interaction. Current-wind interaction, on the other hand, enhances the stratification in the thermocline below the mixed layer. Such changes have the potential to alter biogeochemical processes including nutrient supply, biological productivity, and air-sea carbon dioxide exchange. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Song, Hajoon Marshall, John McGillicuddy, Dennis J Seo, Hyodae |
spellingShingle |
Song, Hajoon Marshall, John McGillicuddy, Dennis J Seo, Hyodae Impact of Current‐Wind Interaction on Vertical Processes in the Southern Ocean |
author_facet |
Song, Hajoon Marshall, John McGillicuddy, Dennis J Seo, Hyodae |
author_sort |
Song, Hajoon |
title |
Impact of Current‐Wind Interaction on Vertical Processes in the Southern Ocean |
title_short |
Impact of Current‐Wind Interaction on Vertical Processes in the Southern Ocean |
title_full |
Impact of Current‐Wind Interaction on Vertical Processes in the Southern Ocean |
title_fullStr |
Impact of Current‐Wind Interaction on Vertical Processes in the Southern Ocean |
title_full_unstemmed |
Impact of Current‐Wind Interaction on Vertical Processes in the Southern Ocean |
title_sort |
impact of current‐wind interaction on vertical processes in the southern ocean |
publisher |
American Geophysical Union (AGU) |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/133810 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-63.071,-63.071,-70.797,-70.797) |
geographic |
Southern Ocean Drake Passage Curl |
geographic_facet |
Southern Ocean Drake Passage Curl |
genre |
Drake Passage Southern Ocean |
genre_facet |
Drake Passage Southern Ocean |
op_source |
MIT web domain |
op_relation |
10.1029/2020JC016046 Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/133810 |
op_rights |
Article is made available in accordance with the publisher's policy and may be subject to US copyright law. Please refer to the publisher's site for terms of use. |
_version_ |
1768386284425838592 |