Upper Ocean Thermodynamic Response to Coupling Currents to Wind Stress over the Gulf Stream

We use high-resolution coupled atmosphere–ocean model simulations over the Gulf Stream extension region during a winter season to examine the upper ocean thermodynamic response to including current feedback to atmospheric wind stress. We demonstrate that a model that includes current feedback leads...

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Main Authors: Jackie May, Mark A. Bourassa
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-11-01
Series:Journal of Marine Science and Engineering
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/12/11/1994
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author Jackie May
Mark A. Bourassa
author_facet Jackie May
Mark A. Bourassa
author_sort Jackie May
collection DOAJ
description We use high-resolution coupled atmosphere–ocean model simulations over the Gulf Stream extension region during a winter season to examine the upper ocean thermodynamic response to including current feedback to atmospheric wind stress. We demonstrate that a model that includes current feedback leads to significant changes in the structure and transport of heat throughout the upper ocean in comparison to the same model without current feedback. We find that including the current feedback leads to changes in the upper ocean temperature pattern that match the vorticity pattern. Areas with cyclonic ocean vorticity, typically north of the Gulf Stream extension, correspond to areas with warmer temperatures throughout the water column. Areas with anticyclonic ocean vorticity, typically south of the Gulf Stream extension, correspond to areas with cooler temperatures throughout the water column. We also find that including current feedback leads to an overall reduction in the submesoscale vertical heat flux spectra across all spatial scales, with differences in the submesoscale vertical heat flux corresponding to SST minus mixed layer temperature differences. The direct impact of current feedback on the thermodynamic structure within the upper ocean also has indirect impacts on other aspects of the ocean, such as the energy transfer between the ocean and the atmosphere, ocean stratification, and acoustic parameters.
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spelling doaj-art-ccfae1be3ea34b6cbeb398273b21e0182025-08-20T02:04:58ZengMDPI AGJournal of Marine Science and Engineering2077-13122024-11-011211199410.3390/jmse12111994Upper Ocean Thermodynamic Response to Coupling Currents to Wind Stress over the Gulf StreamJackie May0Mark A. Bourassa1U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Oceanography Division, Stennis Space Center, Hancock County, MS 39529, USACenter for Ocean-Atmospheric Prediction Studies (COAPS), Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USAWe use high-resolution coupled atmosphere–ocean model simulations over the Gulf Stream extension region during a winter season to examine the upper ocean thermodynamic response to including current feedback to atmospheric wind stress. We demonstrate that a model that includes current feedback leads to significant changes in the structure and transport of heat throughout the upper ocean in comparison to the same model without current feedback. We find that including the current feedback leads to changes in the upper ocean temperature pattern that match the vorticity pattern. Areas with cyclonic ocean vorticity, typically north of the Gulf Stream extension, correspond to areas with warmer temperatures throughout the water column. Areas with anticyclonic ocean vorticity, typically south of the Gulf Stream extension, correspond to areas with cooler temperatures throughout the water column. We also find that including current feedback leads to an overall reduction in the submesoscale vertical heat flux spectra across all spatial scales, with differences in the submesoscale vertical heat flux corresponding to SST minus mixed layer temperature differences. The direct impact of current feedback on the thermodynamic structure within the upper ocean also has indirect impacts on other aspects of the ocean, such as the energy transfer between the ocean and the atmosphere, ocean stratification, and acoustic parameters.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/12/11/1994ocean currentswind stresscurrent feedbackatmosphere and ocean coupled modelingsubmesoscalevorticity
spellingShingle Jackie May
Mark A. Bourassa
Upper Ocean Thermodynamic Response to Coupling Currents to Wind Stress over the Gulf Stream
Journal of Marine Science and Engineering
ocean currents
wind stress
current feedback
atmosphere and ocean coupled modeling
submesoscale
vorticity
title Upper Ocean Thermodynamic Response to Coupling Currents to Wind Stress over the Gulf Stream
title_full Upper Ocean Thermodynamic Response to Coupling Currents to Wind Stress over the Gulf Stream
title_fullStr Upper Ocean Thermodynamic Response to Coupling Currents to Wind Stress over the Gulf Stream
title_full_unstemmed Upper Ocean Thermodynamic Response to Coupling Currents to Wind Stress over the Gulf Stream
title_short Upper Ocean Thermodynamic Response to Coupling Currents to Wind Stress over the Gulf Stream
title_sort upper ocean thermodynamic response to coupling currents to wind stress over the gulf stream
topic ocean currents
wind stress
current feedback
atmosphere and ocean coupled modeling
submesoscale
vorticity
url https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/12/11/1994
work_keys_str_mv AT jackiemay upperoceanthermodynamicresponsetocouplingcurrentstowindstressoverthegulfstream
AT markabourassa upperoceanthermodynamicresponsetocouplingcurrentstowindstressoverthegulfstream