Observed Subsurface Marine Heatwaves Driven by Subsurface Eddies in the Western Tropical Pacific Ocean
Abstract Marine heatwaves (MHWs) are extreme warm water events with high impact, but the drivers of subsurface MHWs, particularly the role of subsurface eddies in the occurrence of subsurface MHWs, are unclear yet. Previous studies suggest that surface warm water convergence due to wind forcing is t...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Geophysical Research Letters |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL115039 |
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| author | Shihan Li Shijian Hu Xiangzhou Song |
| author_facet | Shihan Li Shijian Hu Xiangzhou Song |
| author_sort | Shihan Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Marine heatwaves (MHWs) are extreme warm water events with high impact, but the drivers of subsurface MHWs, particularly the role of subsurface eddies in the occurrence of subsurface MHWs, are unclear yet. Previous studies suggest that surface warm water convergence due to wind forcing is the major driver of subsurface MHWs in the western tropical Pacific Ocean. However, here we find that quite a few of subsurface MHWs in the western tropical Pacific Ocean show significant co‐occurrence with subsurface anticyclonic eddies using in situ observations from buoys and Argo floats. These co‐occurring events are characterized by a lens‐shaped temperature structure with a subsurface warm core and encircled by an anomalous anticyclonic circulation pattern. Subsurface anticyclonic eddies, accompanied by subsurface oceanic convergence and downwelling, lead to strong downward heat transport and onset of subsurface MHWs. These findings indicate that the subsurface eddies are also an important driver of subsurface MHWs. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c6ab06fc5e794f2faae2bfee78e84d72 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 0094-8276 1944-8007 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geophysical Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj-art-c6ab06fc5e794f2faae2bfee78e84d722025-08-20T02:30:59ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072025-05-015210n/an/a10.1029/2025GL115039Observed Subsurface Marine Heatwaves Driven by Subsurface Eddies in the Western Tropical Pacific OceanShihan Li0Shijian Hu1Xiangzhou Song2Key Laboratory of Ocean Observation and Forecasting Key Laboratory of Ocean Circulation and Waves Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences Qingdao ChinaKey Laboratory of Ocean Observation and Forecasting Key Laboratory of Ocean Circulation and Waves Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences Qingdao ChinaCollege of Oceanography Hohai University Nanjing ChinaAbstract Marine heatwaves (MHWs) are extreme warm water events with high impact, but the drivers of subsurface MHWs, particularly the role of subsurface eddies in the occurrence of subsurface MHWs, are unclear yet. Previous studies suggest that surface warm water convergence due to wind forcing is the major driver of subsurface MHWs in the western tropical Pacific Ocean. However, here we find that quite a few of subsurface MHWs in the western tropical Pacific Ocean show significant co‐occurrence with subsurface anticyclonic eddies using in situ observations from buoys and Argo floats. These co‐occurring events are characterized by a lens‐shaped temperature structure with a subsurface warm core and encircled by an anomalous anticyclonic circulation pattern. Subsurface anticyclonic eddies, accompanied by subsurface oceanic convergence and downwelling, lead to strong downward heat transport and onset of subsurface MHWs. These findings indicate that the subsurface eddies are also an important driver of subsurface MHWs.https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL115039marine heatwavessubsurface eddiestropical Pacificobservationsheat transport |
| spellingShingle | Shihan Li Shijian Hu Xiangzhou Song Observed Subsurface Marine Heatwaves Driven by Subsurface Eddies in the Western Tropical Pacific Ocean Geophysical Research Letters marine heatwaves subsurface eddies tropical Pacific observations heat transport |
| title | Observed Subsurface Marine Heatwaves Driven by Subsurface Eddies in the Western Tropical Pacific Ocean |
| title_full | Observed Subsurface Marine Heatwaves Driven by Subsurface Eddies in the Western Tropical Pacific Ocean |
| title_fullStr | Observed Subsurface Marine Heatwaves Driven by Subsurface Eddies in the Western Tropical Pacific Ocean |
| title_full_unstemmed | Observed Subsurface Marine Heatwaves Driven by Subsurface Eddies in the Western Tropical Pacific Ocean |
| title_short | Observed Subsurface Marine Heatwaves Driven by Subsurface Eddies in the Western Tropical Pacific Ocean |
| title_sort | observed subsurface marine heatwaves driven by subsurface eddies in the western tropical pacific ocean |
| topic | marine heatwaves subsurface eddies tropical Pacific observations heat transport |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL115039 |
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