Midlatitude Oceanic Fronts Strengthen the Hydrological Cycle Between Cyclones and Anticyclones
Abstract The Kuroshio‐Oyashio Extension and Gulf Stream oceanic frontal zones are characterized by enhanced activity of synoptic‐scale cyclones and anticyclones and vigorous air‐sea heat and moisture exchange in the cold season. However, the time‐mean air‐sea exchange attributed separately to cyclon...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Geophysical Research Letters |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GL106187 |
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| author | S. Okajima H. Nakamura T. Spengler |
| author_facet | S. Okajima H. Nakamura T. Spengler |
| author_sort | S. Okajima |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The Kuroshio‐Oyashio Extension and Gulf Stream oceanic frontal zones are characterized by enhanced activity of synoptic‐scale cyclones and anticyclones and vigorous air‐sea heat and moisture exchange in the cold season. However, the time‐mean air‐sea exchange attributed separately to cyclones and anticyclones has not been assessed. Here we quantify cyclonic and anticyclonic contributions around the frontal zones to surface turbulent heat fluxes, precipitation, and the associated hydrological cycle using atmospheric general circulation model experiments with observed and artificially smoothed sea‐surface temperature gradients. The evaluation reveals that precipitation exceeds evaporation climatologically within cyclonic domains while evaporation dominates within anticyclonic domains. These features as well as the net moisture transport from anticyclonic to cyclonic domains are all enhanced by the sharpness of the frontal zones. Oceanic frontal zones thus climatologically act to strengthen the hydrological cycle. These findings aid our understanding of the relationship between midlatitude air‐sea interactions on synoptic‐ and longer‐time scales. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e9855b2e3e10491f9e6520e69c858b90 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 0094-8276 1944-8007 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geophysical Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj-art-e9855b2e3e10491f9e6520e69c858b902025-08-20T02:31:37ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072024-03-01516n/an/a10.1029/2023GL106187Midlatitude Oceanic Fronts Strengthen the Hydrological Cycle Between Cyclones and AnticyclonesS. Okajima0H. Nakamura1T. Spengler2Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology The University of Tokyo Tokyo JapanResearch Center for Advanced Science and Technology The University of Tokyo Tokyo JapanGeophysical Institute University of Bergen, and Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research Bergen NorwayAbstract The Kuroshio‐Oyashio Extension and Gulf Stream oceanic frontal zones are characterized by enhanced activity of synoptic‐scale cyclones and anticyclones and vigorous air‐sea heat and moisture exchange in the cold season. However, the time‐mean air‐sea exchange attributed separately to cyclones and anticyclones has not been assessed. Here we quantify cyclonic and anticyclonic contributions around the frontal zones to surface turbulent heat fluxes, precipitation, and the associated hydrological cycle using atmospheric general circulation model experiments with observed and artificially smoothed sea‐surface temperature gradients. The evaluation reveals that precipitation exceeds evaporation climatologically within cyclonic domains while evaporation dominates within anticyclonic domains. These features as well as the net moisture transport from anticyclonic to cyclonic domains are all enhanced by the sharpness of the frontal zones. Oceanic frontal zones thus climatologically act to strengthen the hydrological cycle. These findings aid our understanding of the relationship between midlatitude air‐sea interactions on synoptic‐ and longer‐time scales.https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GL106187oceanic frontal zonecycloneanticyclonestorm trackair‐sea interactionhydrological cycle |
| spellingShingle | S. Okajima H. Nakamura T. Spengler Midlatitude Oceanic Fronts Strengthen the Hydrological Cycle Between Cyclones and Anticyclones Geophysical Research Letters oceanic frontal zone cyclone anticyclone storm track air‐sea interaction hydrological cycle |
| title | Midlatitude Oceanic Fronts Strengthen the Hydrological Cycle Between Cyclones and Anticyclones |
| title_full | Midlatitude Oceanic Fronts Strengthen the Hydrological Cycle Between Cyclones and Anticyclones |
| title_fullStr | Midlatitude Oceanic Fronts Strengthen the Hydrological Cycle Between Cyclones and Anticyclones |
| title_full_unstemmed | Midlatitude Oceanic Fronts Strengthen the Hydrological Cycle Between Cyclones and Anticyclones |
| title_short | Midlatitude Oceanic Fronts Strengthen the Hydrological Cycle Between Cyclones and Anticyclones |
| title_sort | midlatitude oceanic fronts strengthen the hydrological cycle between cyclones and anticyclones |
| topic | oceanic frontal zone cyclone anticyclone storm track air‐sea interaction hydrological cycle |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GL106187 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sokajima midlatitudeoceanicfrontsstrengthenthehydrologicalcyclebetweencyclonesandanticyclones AT hnakamura midlatitudeoceanicfrontsstrengthenthehydrologicalcyclebetweencyclonesandanticyclones AT tspengler midlatitudeoceanicfrontsstrengthenthehydrologicalcyclebetweencyclonesandanticyclones |