Revisiting the CMIP5 Thermocline in the Equatorial Pacific and Atlantic Oceans
Abstract The thermocline is defined as the ocean layer for which the vertical thermal gradient is maximum. In the equatorial ocean, observations led to the use of the 20 °C isotherm depth (z20) as an estimate of the thermocline. This study compares z20 against the physical thermocline in the equator...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2018-12-01
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| Series: | Geophysical Research Letters |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GL079847 |
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| author | A. Castaño‐Tierno E. Mohino B. Rodríguez‐Fonseca T. Losada |
| author_facet | A. Castaño‐Tierno E. Mohino B. Rodríguez‐Fonseca T. Losada |
| author_sort | A. Castaño‐Tierno |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The thermocline is defined as the ocean layer for which the vertical thermal gradient is maximum. In the equatorial ocean, observations led to the use of the 20 °C isotherm depth (z20) as an estimate of the thermocline. This study compares z20 against the physical thermocline in the equatorial Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, using Simple Ocean Data Assimilation reanalysis and fifth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project preindustrial control simulations. Our results show that z20 is systematically deeper and flatter than the thermocline and does not respond correctly to surface wind stress variations. It is also shown that the annual cycle of z20 is much weaker than that of the physical thermocline. This happens in both equatorial basins and indicates that z20 does not react to the same mechanisms as the thermocline. This could have important consequences in the assessment of air‐sea coupling in current general circulation models and bias reduction strategies. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-77a5ecc0873b4b6c9be181016cc540db |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 0094-8276 1944-8007 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2018-12-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geophysical Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj-art-77a5ecc0873b4b6c9be181016cc540db2025-08-20T03:09:42ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072018-12-01452312,96312,97110.1029/2018GL079847Revisiting the CMIP5 Thermocline in the Equatorial Pacific and Atlantic OceansA. Castaño‐Tierno0E. Mohino1B. Rodríguez‐Fonseca2T. Losada3Department of Physics of the Earth and Astrophysics Universidad Complutense de Madrid Madrid SpainDepartment of Physics of the Earth and Astrophysics Universidad Complutense de Madrid Madrid SpainDepartment of Physics of the Earth and Astrophysics Universidad Complutense de Madrid Madrid SpainDepartment of Physics of the Earth and Astrophysics Universidad Complutense de Madrid Madrid SpainAbstract The thermocline is defined as the ocean layer for which the vertical thermal gradient is maximum. In the equatorial ocean, observations led to the use of the 20 °C isotherm depth (z20) as an estimate of the thermocline. This study compares z20 against the physical thermocline in the equatorial Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, using Simple Ocean Data Assimilation reanalysis and fifth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project preindustrial control simulations. Our results show that z20 is systematically deeper and flatter than the thermocline and does not respond correctly to surface wind stress variations. It is also shown that the annual cycle of z20 is much weaker than that of the physical thermocline. This happens in both equatorial basins and indicates that z20 does not react to the same mechanisms as the thermocline. This could have important consequences in the assessment of air‐sea coupling in current general circulation models and bias reduction strategies.https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GL079847thermoclinemodel biasesequatorial oceanKuroshio intrusionnorthern South China Sea |
| spellingShingle | A. Castaño‐Tierno E. Mohino B. Rodríguez‐Fonseca T. Losada Revisiting the CMIP5 Thermocline in the Equatorial Pacific and Atlantic Oceans Geophysical Research Letters thermocline model biases equatorial ocean Kuroshio intrusion northern South China Sea |
| title | Revisiting the CMIP5 Thermocline in the Equatorial Pacific and Atlantic Oceans |
| title_full | Revisiting the CMIP5 Thermocline in the Equatorial Pacific and Atlantic Oceans |
| title_fullStr | Revisiting the CMIP5 Thermocline in the Equatorial Pacific and Atlantic Oceans |
| title_full_unstemmed | Revisiting the CMIP5 Thermocline in the Equatorial Pacific and Atlantic Oceans |
| title_short | Revisiting the CMIP5 Thermocline in the Equatorial Pacific and Atlantic Oceans |
| title_sort | revisiting the cmip5 thermocline in the equatorial pacific and atlantic oceans |
| topic | thermocline model biases equatorial ocean Kuroshio intrusion northern South China Sea |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GL079847 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT acastanotierno revisitingthecmip5thermoclineintheequatorialpacificandatlanticoceans AT emohino revisitingthecmip5thermoclineintheequatorialpacificandatlanticoceans AT brodriguezfonseca revisitingthecmip5thermoclineintheequatorialpacificandatlanticoceans AT tlosada revisitingthecmip5thermoclineintheequatorialpacificandatlanticoceans |