Observed Inhibited Downward Penetration of Wind‐Generated Near‐Inertial Energy in the Bering Sea
Abstract Near‐inertial waves (NIWs) are energetic in the Bering Sea, but their downward propagation characteristics remain unknown. Here, we first report the penetration of near‐inertial energy generated by distinct synoptic wind forcing events using yearlong subsurface mooring data in this region....
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Geophysical Research Letters |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL114896 |
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| author | Zifei Chen Zhiwu Chen Fei Yu Xingchuan Liu Jianfeng Wang Qiang Ren Yansong Liu Ran Wang Feng Nan Xinyuan Diao Zhiling Ouyang |
| author_facet | Zifei Chen Zhiwu Chen Fei Yu Xingchuan Liu Jianfeng Wang Qiang Ren Yansong Liu Ran Wang Feng Nan Xinyuan Diao Zhiling Ouyang |
| author_sort | Zifei Chen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Near‐inertial waves (NIWs) are energetic in the Bering Sea, but their downward propagation characteristics remain unknown. Here, we first report the penetration of near‐inertial energy generated by distinct synoptic wind forcing events using yearlong subsurface mooring data in this region. It is found that approximately half of the near‐inertial energy efficiently penetrates into the deep ocean in wintertime. However, in summertime with a shallow mixed layer, the downward propagating NIWs are constrained to the region of strong near‐surface stratification with the surface warming and residual winter cold water, resulting in the absence of near‐inertial energy below the permanent pycnocline. Meanwhile, the downward propagating NIWs are partially reflected upward due to the abrupt changes in stratification above the dichothermal water. Given the high vertical shear of NIWs, the present work is important for understanding ocean mixing, upward heat transfer, and sea‐ice melting in the subarctic and the broader Arctic. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9aacbadf381e43279ac478aabdff35a2 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 0094-8276 1944-8007 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geophysical Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj-art-9aacbadf381e43279ac478aabdff35a22025-08-20T01:48:15ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072025-03-01526n/an/a10.1029/2025GL114896Observed Inhibited Downward Penetration of Wind‐Generated Near‐Inertial Energy in the Bering SeaZifei Chen0Zhiwu Chen1Fei Yu2Xingchuan Liu3Jianfeng Wang4Qiang Ren5Yansong Liu6Ran Wang7Feng Nan8Xinyuan Diao9Zhiling Ouyang10Key Laboratory of Ocean Observation and Forecasting and Key Laboratory of Ocean Circulation and Waves Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences Qingdao ChinaState Key Laboratory of Tropical Oceanography South China Sea Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences Guangzhou ChinaKey Laboratory of Ocean Observation and Forecasting and Key Laboratory of Ocean Circulation and Waves Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences Qingdao ChinaKey Laboratory of Ocean Observation and Forecasting and Key Laboratory of Ocean Circulation and Waves Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences Qingdao ChinaKey Laboratory of Ocean Observation and Forecasting and Key Laboratory of Ocean Circulation and Waves Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences Qingdao ChinaKey Laboratory of Ocean Observation and Forecasting and Key Laboratory of Ocean Circulation and Waves Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences Qingdao ChinaKey Laboratory of Ocean Observation and Forecasting and Key Laboratory of Ocean Circulation and Waves Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences Qingdao ChinaKey Laboratory of Ocean Observation and Forecasting and Key Laboratory of Ocean Circulation and Waves Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences Qingdao ChinaKey Laboratory of Ocean Observation and Forecasting and Key Laboratory of Ocean Circulation and Waves Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences Qingdao ChinaKey Laboratory of Ocean Observation and Forecasting and Key Laboratory of Ocean Circulation and Waves Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences Qingdao ChinaState Key Laboratory of Geo‐Information Engineering Xian ChinaAbstract Near‐inertial waves (NIWs) are energetic in the Bering Sea, but their downward propagation characteristics remain unknown. Here, we first report the penetration of near‐inertial energy generated by distinct synoptic wind forcing events using yearlong subsurface mooring data in this region. It is found that approximately half of the near‐inertial energy efficiently penetrates into the deep ocean in wintertime. However, in summertime with a shallow mixed layer, the downward propagating NIWs are constrained to the region of strong near‐surface stratification with the surface warming and residual winter cold water, resulting in the absence of near‐inertial energy below the permanent pycnocline. Meanwhile, the downward propagating NIWs are partially reflected upward due to the abrupt changes in stratification above the dichothermal water. Given the high vertical shear of NIWs, the present work is important for understanding ocean mixing, upward heat transfer, and sea‐ice melting in the subarctic and the broader Arctic.https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL114896near‐inertial wavesstratificationbering seamixed layer depth |
| spellingShingle | Zifei Chen Zhiwu Chen Fei Yu Xingchuan Liu Jianfeng Wang Qiang Ren Yansong Liu Ran Wang Feng Nan Xinyuan Diao Zhiling Ouyang Observed Inhibited Downward Penetration of Wind‐Generated Near‐Inertial Energy in the Bering Sea Geophysical Research Letters near‐inertial waves stratification bering sea mixed layer depth |
| title | Observed Inhibited Downward Penetration of Wind‐Generated Near‐Inertial Energy in the Bering Sea |
| title_full | Observed Inhibited Downward Penetration of Wind‐Generated Near‐Inertial Energy in the Bering Sea |
| title_fullStr | Observed Inhibited Downward Penetration of Wind‐Generated Near‐Inertial Energy in the Bering Sea |
| title_full_unstemmed | Observed Inhibited Downward Penetration of Wind‐Generated Near‐Inertial Energy in the Bering Sea |
| title_short | Observed Inhibited Downward Penetration of Wind‐Generated Near‐Inertial Energy in the Bering Sea |
| title_sort | observed inhibited downward penetration of wind generated near inertial energy in the bering sea |
| topic | near‐inertial waves stratification bering sea mixed layer depth |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL114896 |
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