Ocean Mesoscale and Frontal-Scale Ocean–Atmosphere Interactions and Influence on Large-Scale Climate: A Review

• Published in: Journal of Climate
• Other Authors: Seo, Hyodae (author), O’Neill, Larry W. (author), Bourassa, Mark A. (author), Czaja, Arnaud (author), Drushka, Kyla (author), Edson, James B. (author), Fox-Kemper, Baylor (author), Frenger, Ivy (author), Gille, Sarah T. (author), Kirtman, Benjamin P. (author), Minobe, Shoshiro (author), Pendergrass, Angeline G. (author), Renault, Lionel (author), Roberts, Malcolm J. (author), Schneider, Niklas (author), Small, R. Justin (author), Stoffelen, Ad (author), Wang, Qing (author)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2023
• Subjects: Southern Ocean
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-21-0982.1

Two decades of high-resolution satellite observations and climate modeling studies have indicated strong ocean-atmosphere coupled feedback mediated by ocean mesoscale processes, including semipermanent and meandrous SST fronts, mesoscale eddies, and filaments. The air-sea exchanges in latent heat, sensible heat, momen-tum, and carbon dioxide associated with this so-called mesoscale air-sea interaction are robust near the major west-ern boundary currents, Southern Ocean fronts, and equatorial and coastal upwelling zones, but they are also ubiquitous over the global oceans wherever ocean mesoscale processes are active. Current theories, informed by rap-idly advancing observational and modeling capabilities, have established the importance of mesoscale and frontal -scale air-sea interaction processes for understanding large-scale ocean circulation, biogeochemistry, and weather and climate variability. However, numerous challenges remain to accurately diagnose, observe, and simulate mesoscale air-sea interaction to quantify its impacts on large-scale processes. This article provides a comprehensive review of key aspects pertinent to mesoscale air-sea interaction, synthesizes current understanding with remaining gaps and un-certainties, and provides recommendations on theoretical, observational, and modeling strategies for future air-sea interaction research. 1852977 DEEE0009424 DE-SC0022070 NA22OAR4310615