Sensitivity study of energy transfer between mesoscale eddies and wind-induced near-inertial oscillations

<p>Analyses of current observations and numerical simulations at two moorings in the northern South China Sea reveal the transfer of near-inertial energy between the background currents associated with mesoscale eddies and near-inertial currents (NICs). A series of numerical experiments are co...

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Main Authors: Y. Zhang, J. Gu, S. Chen, J. Hu, J. Sheng, J. Xing
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2025-06-01
Series:Ocean Science
Online Access:https://os.copernicus.org/articles/21/1047/2025/os-21-1047-2025.pdf
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author Y. Zhang
J. Gu
S. Chen
J. Hu
J. Sheng
J. Xing
author_facet Y. Zhang
J. Gu
S. Chen
J. Hu
J. Sheng
J. Xing
author_sort Y. Zhang
collection DOAJ
description <p>Analyses of current observations and numerical simulations at two moorings in the northern South China Sea reveal the transfer of near-inertial energy between the background currents associated with mesoscale eddies and near-inertial currents (NICs). A series of numerical experiments are conducted to determine important parameters affecting the energy transfer between idealized mesoscale eddies and NICs generated by rotating winds. Speeds of NICs transferred by both cyclonic and anticyclonic mesoscale eddies increase linearly with the wind stress and eddy strength. The transferred NICs in anticyclonic eddies have current amplitudes about 6 times larger than in cyclonic eddies. The translation speed of the mesoscale eddy and the wind rotation frequency also affect the conversion of NICs. The energy transfer rate is elevated with the increase in the positive Okubo–Weiss parameter. A simple theoretical analysis is conducted to verify our findings based on numerical results. Analytical solutions confirm the evident asymmetry of the energy transfer between anticyclonic and cyclonic eddies and quantitatively demonstrate the relationship between the wind stress and the near-inertial energy transferred by mesoscale eddies.</p>
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institution OA Journals
issn 1812-0784
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language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher Copernicus Publications
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series Ocean Science
spelling doaj-art-542a3f8bddaf4e36a149aabd9b1a08b42025-08-20T02:36:02ZengCopernicus PublicationsOcean Science1812-07841812-07922025-06-01211047106310.5194/os-21-1047-2025Sensitivity study of energy transfer between mesoscale eddies and wind-induced near-inertial oscillationsY. Zhang0J. Gu1S. Chen2J. Hu3J. Sheng4J. Xing5Institute for Ocean Engineering, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, ChinaInstitute for Ocean Engineering, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, ChinaInstitute for Ocean Engineering, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, ChinaDepartment of Oceanography, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, CanadaInstitute for Ocean Engineering, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, China<p>Analyses of current observations and numerical simulations at two moorings in the northern South China Sea reveal the transfer of near-inertial energy between the background currents associated with mesoscale eddies and near-inertial currents (NICs). A series of numerical experiments are conducted to determine important parameters affecting the energy transfer between idealized mesoscale eddies and NICs generated by rotating winds. Speeds of NICs transferred by both cyclonic and anticyclonic mesoscale eddies increase linearly with the wind stress and eddy strength. The transferred NICs in anticyclonic eddies have current amplitudes about 6 times larger than in cyclonic eddies. The translation speed of the mesoscale eddy and the wind rotation frequency also affect the conversion of NICs. The energy transfer rate is elevated with the increase in the positive Okubo–Weiss parameter. A simple theoretical analysis is conducted to verify our findings based on numerical results. Analytical solutions confirm the evident asymmetry of the energy transfer between anticyclonic and cyclonic eddies and quantitatively demonstrate the relationship between the wind stress and the near-inertial energy transferred by mesoscale eddies.</p>https://os.copernicus.org/articles/21/1047/2025/os-21-1047-2025.pdf
spellingShingle Y. Zhang
J. Gu
S. Chen
J. Hu
J. Sheng
J. Xing
Sensitivity study of energy transfer between mesoscale eddies and wind-induced near-inertial oscillations
Ocean Science
title Sensitivity study of energy transfer between mesoscale eddies and wind-induced near-inertial oscillations
title_full Sensitivity study of energy transfer between mesoscale eddies and wind-induced near-inertial oscillations
title_fullStr Sensitivity study of energy transfer between mesoscale eddies and wind-induced near-inertial oscillations
title_full_unstemmed Sensitivity study of energy transfer between mesoscale eddies and wind-induced near-inertial oscillations
title_short Sensitivity study of energy transfer between mesoscale eddies and wind-induced near-inertial oscillations
title_sort sensitivity study of energy transfer between mesoscale eddies and wind induced near inertial oscillations
url https://os.copernicus.org/articles/21/1047/2025/os-21-1047-2025.pdf
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AT schen sensitivitystudyofenergytransferbetweenmesoscaleeddiesandwindinducednearinertialoscillations
AT jhu sensitivitystudyofenergytransferbetweenmesoscaleeddiesandwindinducednearinertialoscillations
AT jsheng sensitivitystudyofenergytransferbetweenmesoscaleeddiesandwindinducednearinertialoscillations
AT jxing sensitivitystudyofenergytransferbetweenmesoscaleeddiesandwindinducednearinertialoscillations