Widespread Mesoscale Dipoles in the Global Ocean

Mesoscale eddies are ubiquitous and energetic features in the ocean. Although eddies are known to form dipoles from time to time, it is unclear how often they do so. Using satellite altimetry data, here we show that mesoscale dipoles are surprisingly widespread in the global ocean. About 30–40% of t...

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Published in:Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans
Main Authors: Ni, Qinbiao, Zhai, Xiaoming, Wang, Guihua, Hughes, Chris W
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: American Geophysical Union (AGU) 2020
Subjects:
Online Access:http://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/3104427/
https://doi.org/10.1029/2020jc016479
http://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/3104427/1/2020-Ni_et_al_JGR_Dipoles.pdf
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spelling ftunivliverpool:oai:livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk:3104427 2023-05-15T18:25:20+02:00 Widespread Mesoscale Dipoles in the Global Ocean Ni, Qinbiao Zhai, Xiaoming Wang, Guihua Hughes, Chris W 2020 text http://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/3104427/ https://doi.org/10.1029/2020jc016479 http://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/3104427/1/2020-Ni_et_al_JGR_Dipoles.pdf en eng American Geophysical Union (AGU) http://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/3104427/1/2020-Ni_et_al_JGR_Dipoles.pdf Ni, Qinbiao, Zhai, Xiaoming, Wang, Guihua and Hughes, Chris W orcid:0000-0002-9355-0233 (2020) Widespread Mesoscale Dipoles in the Global Ocean. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-OCEANS, 125 (10). Article NonPeerReviewed 2020 ftunivliverpool https://doi.org/10.1029/2020jc016479 2023-01-19T23:58:23Z Mesoscale eddies are ubiquitous and energetic features in the ocean. Although eddies are known to form dipoles from time to time, it is unclear how often they do so. Using satellite altimetry data, here we show that mesoscale dipoles are surprisingly widespread in the global ocean. About 30–40% of the mesoscale eddies identified in altimeter data are paired up as dipoles, and the percentage is even higher in energetic regions such as the Gulf Stream and the Southern Ocean. Composite analysis involving Argo float data further reveals that these mesoscale dipoles have a relatively uniform three-dimensional structure. We find that the presence of mesoscale dipoles can strongly enhance wind Ekman pumping velocity and lead to deep-reaching vertical motions inside the dipoles via eddy deformation and frontogenesis. Such strong vertical exchanges promoted by mesoscale dipoles may play an important role in regulating the Earth's biogeochemical processes. Article in Journal/Newspaper Southern Ocean The University of Liverpool Repository Southern Ocean Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans 125 10
institution Open Polar
collection The University of Liverpool Repository
op_collection_id ftunivliverpool
language English
description Mesoscale eddies are ubiquitous and energetic features in the ocean. Although eddies are known to form dipoles from time to time, it is unclear how often they do so. Using satellite altimetry data, here we show that mesoscale dipoles are surprisingly widespread in the global ocean. About 30–40% of the mesoscale eddies identified in altimeter data are paired up as dipoles, and the percentage is even higher in energetic regions such as the Gulf Stream and the Southern Ocean. Composite analysis involving Argo float data further reveals that these mesoscale dipoles have a relatively uniform three-dimensional structure. We find that the presence of mesoscale dipoles can strongly enhance wind Ekman pumping velocity and lead to deep-reaching vertical motions inside the dipoles via eddy deformation and frontogenesis. Such strong vertical exchanges promoted by mesoscale dipoles may play an important role in regulating the Earth's biogeochemical processes.
format Article in Journal/Newspaper
author Ni, Qinbiao
Zhai, Xiaoming
Wang, Guihua
Hughes, Chris W
spellingShingle Ni, Qinbiao
Zhai, Xiaoming
Wang, Guihua
Hughes, Chris W
Widespread Mesoscale Dipoles in the Global Ocean
author_facet Ni, Qinbiao
Zhai, Xiaoming
Wang, Guihua
Hughes, Chris W
author_sort Ni, Qinbiao
title Widespread Mesoscale Dipoles in the Global Ocean
title_short Widespread Mesoscale Dipoles in the Global Ocean
title_full Widespread Mesoscale Dipoles in the Global Ocean
title_fullStr Widespread Mesoscale Dipoles in the Global Ocean
title_full_unstemmed Widespread Mesoscale Dipoles in the Global Ocean
title_sort widespread mesoscale dipoles in the global ocean
publisher American Geophysical Union (AGU)
publishDate 2020
url http://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/3104427/
https://doi.org/10.1029/2020jc016479
http://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/3104427/1/2020-Ni_et_al_JGR_Dipoles.pdf
geographic Southern Ocean
geographic_facet Southern Ocean
genre Southern Ocean
genre_facet Southern Ocean
op_relation http://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/3104427/1/2020-Ni_et_al_JGR_Dipoles.pdf
Ni, Qinbiao, Zhai, Xiaoming, Wang, Guihua and Hughes, Chris W orcid:0000-0002-9355-0233 (2020) Widespread Mesoscale Dipoles in the Global Ocean. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-OCEANS, 125 (10).
op_doi https://doi.org/10.1029/2020jc016479
container_title Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans
container_volume 125
container_issue 10
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