Mixed layer variability in Northern Arabian Sea as detected by an Argo float

Seasonal evolution of surface mixed layer in the Northern Arabian Sea (NAS) between 17° N–20.5° N and 59° E-69° E was observed by using Argo float daily data for about 9 months, from April 2002 through December 2002. Results showed that during April - May mixed layer shoaled due to light winds, clear sky and intense solar insolation. Sea surface temperature (SST) rose by 2.3 °C and ocean gained an average of 99.8 Wm⁻². Mixed layer reached maximum depth of about 71 m during June - September owing to strong winds and cloudy skies. Ocean gained abnormally low ∼18 Wm⁻² and SST dropped by 3.4 °C. During the inter monsoon period, October, mixed layer shoaled and maintained a depth of 20 to 30 m. November - December was accompanied by moderate winds, dropping of SST by 1.5 °C and ocean lost an average of 52.5 Wm⁻². Mixed layer deepened gradually reaching a maximum of 62 m in December. Analysis of surface fluxes and winds suggested that winds and fluxes are the dominating factors causing deepening of mixed layer during summer and winter monsoon periods respectively. Relatively high correlation between MLD, net heat flux and wind speed revealed that short term variability of MLD coincided well with short term variability of surface forcing.     

Air-Sea Interaction, Coastal Circulation and Primary Production in the Eastern Arabian Sea: A Review

Air-sea interaction, coastal circulation and primary production exhibit an annual cycle in the eastern Arabian Sea (AS). During June to September, strong southwesterly winds (4∼9 m s⁻¹) promote sea surface cooling through surface heat loss and vertical mixing in the central AS and force the West India Coastal Current equatorward. Positive wind stress curl induced by the Findlater jet facilitates Ekman pumping in the northern AS, and equatorward-directed alongshore wind stress induces upwelling which lowers sea surface temperature by about 2.5°C (compared to the offshore value) along the southwestern shelf of India and enhances phytoplankton concentration by more than 70% as compared to that in the central AS. During winter monsoon, from November to March, dry and weak northeasterly winds (2–6 m s⁻¹) from the Indo-China continent enhance convective cooling of the upper ocean and deepen the mixed layer by more than 80 m, thereby increasing the vertical flux of nutrients in the photic layer which promotes wintertime phytoplankton blooms in the northern AS. The primary production rate integrated for photic layer and surface chlorophyll-a estimated from the Coastal Zone Color Scanner, both averaged for the entire western India shelf, increases from winter to summer monsoon from 24 to 70 g C m⁻²month and from 9 to 24 mg m⁻², respectively. Remotely-forced coastal Kelvin waves from the Bay of Bengal propagate into the coastal AS, which modulate circulation pattern along the western India shelf; these Kelvin waves in turn radiate Rossby waves which reverse the circulation in the Lakshadweep Sea semiannually. This review leads us to the conclusion that seasonal monsoon forcing and remotely forced waves modulate the circulation and primary production in the eastern AS. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Transient,seasonal and interannual variability of the Taiwan Strait current

We have constructed a fine-resolution model with realistic bathymetry to study the spatial and temporal variations of circulation in the Taiwan Strait (TS). The TS model with a resolution of 3～10 km derives its open boundary conditions from a larger-scale model. The QSCAT/NCEP winds and AVHRR SST provide forcing at the sea surface. Because of the high resolution in model grids and forcing, the model achieves a previously unavailable level of agreement with most observations. On biweekly time scales surface-trapped current reversals often lead to Strait transport reversals if the northeasterly wind bursts in winter are sufficiently strong. On seasonal time scales the northward current is the strongest in summer since both summer monsoon and pressure gradient force are northward. The summer northward current appears to be relatively unimpeded by the Changyun Rise (CYR) and bifurcates slightly near the surface. With the arrival of the northeast monsoon in fall, downwind movement of China Coastal Water (CCW) is blocked by the northward current near 25.5°N and 120°E. In winter, the northward current weakens even more as the northeasterly monsoon strengthens. The CCW moves downwind along the western boundary; the CYR blocks part of the CCW and forces a U-shaped flow pattern in the northern Strait. Past studies have failed to reveal an anticyclonic eddy that develops on the northern flank of CYR in winter. On interannual time scales a weakened northeast monsoon during El Niño reduces advection of the cold CCW from the north and enhances intrusion of warm water from the south, resulting in warming in the TS.     

Seasonal variability of the mixed layer in the central Bay of Bengal and associated changes in nutrients and chlorophyll

Hydrographic data from National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC) and Responsible National Oceanographic Data Centre (RNODC) were used to study the seasonal variability of the mixed layer in the central Bay of Bengal (8–20°N and 87–91°E), while meteorological data from Comprehensive Ocean Atmosphere Data Set (COADS) were used to explore atmospheric forcing responsible for the variability. The observed changes in the mixed-layer depth (MLD) clearly demarcated a distinct north–south regime with 15°N as the limiting latitude. North of this latitude MLD remained shallow (∼20 m) for most of the year without showing any appreciable seasonality. Lack of seasonality suggests that the low-salinity water, which is perennially present in the northern Bay, controls the stability and MLD. The observed winter freshening is driven by the winter rainfall and associated river discharge, which is advected offshore under the prevailing circulation. The resulting stratification was so strong that even a 4 °C cooling in sea-surface temperature (SST) during winter was unable to initiate convective mixing. In contrast, the southern region showed a strong semi-annual variability with deep MLD during summer and winter and a shallow MLD during spring and fall intermonsoons. The shallow MLD in spring and fall results from primary and secondary heating associated with increased incoming solar radiation and lighter winds during this period. The deep mixed layer during summer results from two processes: the increased wind forcing and the intrusion of high-salinity waters of Arabian Sea origin. The high winds associated with summer monsoon initiate greater wind-driven mixing, while the intrusion of high-salinity waters erodes the halocline and weakens the upper-layer stratification of the water column and aids in vertical mixing. The deep MLD in the south during winter was driven by wind-mixing, when the upper water column was comparatively less stable. The deep MLD between 15 and 17°N during March–May cannot be explained in the context of local atmospheric forcing. We show that this is associated with the propagation of Rossby waves from the eastern Bay. We also show that the nitrate and chlorophyll distribution in the upper ocean during spring intermonsoon is strongly coupled to the MLD, whereas during summer river runoff and cold-core eddies appear to play a major role in regulating the nutrients and chlorophyll.     

Numerical Simulation of North Indian Ocean State Prior to the Onset of SW Monsoon Using SSM/I Winds

The Sea Surface Temperatures (SST) and currents are simulated over the north Indian Ocean, during the onset phase of southwest monsoon for the three years 1994, 1995, and 1996, using daily Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) winds and National Center for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) heat fluxes as forcings in the 2½ layer thermodynamic numerical ocean model. The results are discussed for the 30-day period from 16 May to 13 June for all the three years, to determine the ocean state during the onset phase of SW monsoon. The maximum variability in the simulated SST is found along the Somali coast, Indian coasts, and equatorial regions. The maximum SST in the North Arabian Sea is found to be greater than 30°C and minimum SST in the west equatorial region is 25°C during the onset phase of all three years. Model SSTs are in agreement with Reynolds SST. SST gradients in the north-south as well as in the east-west directions, west of 80°E are found to change significantly prior to the onset. It can be inferred from the study that the SST gradient of 2.5°C/2000 km is seen due north and due west of the region 2° - 7°S, 60° - 65°E, about 8 to 10 days prior to the arrival of SW monsoon near Kerala coast. Upper and lower layer circulation fields do not show prominent interannual variability.     

Modeling of mesoscale coupled ocean–atmosphere interaction and its feedback to ocean in the western Arabian Sea

Observations of the western Arabian Sea over the last decade have revealed a rich filamentary eddy structure, with large horizontal SST gradients in the ocean, developing in response to the southwest monsoon winds. This summertime oceanic condition triggers an intense mesoscale coupled interaction, whose overall influence on the longer-term properties of this ocean remains uncertain. In this study, a high-resolution regional coupled model is employed to explore this feedback effect on the long-term dynamical and thermodynamical structure of the ocean.The observed relationship between the near-surface winds and mesoscale SSTs generate Ekman pumping velocities at the scale of the cold filaments, whose magnitude is the order of 1 m/day in both the model and observations. This additional Ekman-driven velocity, induced by the wind-eddy interaction, accounts for approximately 10–20% of oceanic vertical velocity of the cold filaments. This implies that Ekman pumping arising from the mesoscale coupled feedback makes a non-trivial contribution to the vertical structure of the upper ocean and the evolution of mesoscale eddies, with obvious implications for marine ecosystem and biogeochemical variability.Furthermore, SST features associated with cold filaments substantially reduce the latent heat loss. The long-term latent heat flux change due to eddies in the model is approximately 10–15 W/m² over the cold filaments, which is consistent with previous estimates based on short-term in situ measurements. Given the shallow mixed layer, this additional surface heat flux warms the cold filament at the rate of 0.3–0.4 °C/month over a season with strong eddy activity, and 0.1–0.2 °C/month over the 12-year mean, rendering overall low-frequency modulation of SST feasible. This long-term mixed layer heating by the surface flux is approximately ±10% of the lateral heat flux by the eddies, yet it can be comparable to the vertical heat flux. Potential dynamic and thermodynamic impacts of this observed air–sea interaction on the monsoons and regional climate are yet to be quantified given the strong correlation between the Somalia upwelling SST and the Indian summer monsoons.     

Monsoon response of the Somali Current and associated upwelling

The Somali Current typically develops in different phases in response to the onset of the summer monsoon. Each of these phases exists quasistationary for some time ranging from weeks to months. These periods of rather constant circulation patterns are separated by periods of rapid transition.In the early phase of the monsoon response, during May, with weak southerly winds off Somalia, a cross equatorial inertial current develops which turns offshore a few degrees north of the equator with a coastal upwelling wedge just north of the offshore flow. North of that region, an Ekman upwelling regime exists all the way up the coast. At the onset of strong winds in June, a northern anticyclonic gyre develops north of 5°N and a second cold wedge forms north of 8°–9°N, where that current turns offshore. The most drastic change of upwelling pattern occurs in the late phase of the summer monsoon, August/September, when the southern cold wedge propagates northward, indicating a break-down of the two-gyre pattern and development of a continuous boundary current from south of the equator to about 10°N. The wedge propagation during 1976–1978 is discussed, based on satellite observations (EVANS and BROWN, 1981), moored station data during 1978, 1979 and shipboard hydrographic data during 1979. A simple relation between the decrease of local monsoon winds offshore and wedge propagation cannot be determined.The southward coastal undercurrent, which is part of the Ekman upwelling regime north of 5° during the early summer monsoon, seems to turn offshore between 3° and 5°, probably due to a zonal excursion of depth contours in that area. With the spin-up of the deep-reaching northern gyre the undercurrent is extinguished during July to August but seems to get reestablished after the coalescence of the two gyres.     

南海等密度面环流季节变化的数值模拟研究

In this study, we develop a variable-grid global ocean general circulation model(OGCM) with a fine grid(1/6)°covering the area from 20°S–50°N and from 99°–150°E, and use the model to investigate the isopycnal surface circulation in the South China Sea(SCS). The simulated results show four layer structures in vertical: the surface and subsurface circulation of the SCS are characterized by the monsoon driven circulation, with basin-scaled cyclonic gyre in winter and anti-cyclonic gyre in summer. The intermediate layer circulation is opposite to the upper layer, showing anti-cyclonic gyre in winter but cyclonic gyre in summer. The circulation in the deep layer is much weaker in spring and summer, with the maximum velocity speed below 0.6 cm/s. In fall and winter, the SCS deep layer circulation shows strong east boundary current along the west coast of Philippine with the velocity speed at 1.5 m/s, which flows southward in fall and northward in winter. The results have also revealed a fourlayer vertical structure of water exchange through the Luzon Strait. The dynamics of the intermediate and deep circulation are attributed to the monsoon driving and the Luzon Strait transport forcing.     

南沙群岛海域混合层深度季节变化特征

基于南沙群岛海域综合科学考察11个航次的实测资料,研究了南沙群岛海域的混合层深度季节变化特征。研究结果表明,南沙群岛海域混合层深度存在明显的季节变化,并且与季风和海表热通量的变化密切相关。春季,风速较小且风向不稳定,海面得到的净热通量全年最大,上层水体层结稳定,混合层深度较小;夏季,南海西南季风盛行,上层为反气旋式环流,海面得到的净热通量减少,混合层呈加深的趋势;秋季,海面净热通量继续减少,混合层深度达到最大值;冬季,东北季风驱动下形成的上层气旋式环流引起深层冷水的上升,限制了混合层的加深。     

Mixed Layer Depth and its Variability in the Eastern Equatorial Indian Ocean as Revealed by Observations and Model Simulations

Mixed layer depth (MLD) variability in the Eastern Equatorial Indian Ocean (EEIO) from a hindcast run of an Ocean General Circulation Model (OGCM) forced by daily winds and radiative fluxes from NCEP-NCAR reanalysis from 2004 to 2006 is investigated. Model MLD compares well with the ～20,000 observations from Argo floats and a TRITON buoy (1.5°S and 90°E) in the Indian Ocean. Tests with a one-dimensional upper ocean model were conducted to assess the impact on the MLD simulations that would result from the lack of the diurnal cycle in the forcing applied to the OGCM. The error was of the order of ～12 m. MLD at the TRITON buoy location shows a bimodal pattern with deep MLD during May–June and December–January. MLD pattern during fall 2006 was significantly different from the climatology and was rather shallow during December–January both in the model and observation. An examination of mixed layer heat and salt budget suggested salinity freshening caused by the advective and vertical diffusive mixing to be the cause of shallow MLD.     

Variability of Currents off the Northern Coast of New Guinea

The variability of the New Guinea Coastal Current (NGCC) and New Guinea Coastal Undercurrent (NGCUC) were examined from one year time series of current data from ADCP moorings at 2°S, 142°E and 2.5°S, 142°E. Change in the hydrographic structure induced by monsoonal wind forcing was also examined from hydrographic data along the 142°E covering consecutively two winter seasons and two summer seasons. The westward NGCUC was observed to persist year around. The annual mean depth of the current core was 220 m, the mean speed of the zonal component was 54 cm/s with a standard deviation of 15 cm/s at the 2.5°S site. Velocity fluctuations at 20–30 day period were observed year around. Seasonal reversal of the surface intensified NGCC was clearly observed. In the boreal summer characterized by the southeasterly monsoon, westward currents of over 60 cm/s were dominant in the surface layer. The warm, low-salinity layer thickened at this time and sloped down toward the New Guinea coast from the equator. This surface water accumulation may be caused by onshore Ekman drift at the New Guinea coast, combined with weak Ekman upwelling at the equator. In the boreal winter, an eastward surface current developed to 100 cm/s extending down to 100 m depth in response to the northwesterly monsoonal winds. Coastal upwelling was indicated in this season and the surface water accumulated at the equator due to Ekman convergence. Shipboard ADCP data indicated that the NGCUC intensified in boreal summer as the width and depth of the NGCUC increased.     

雪热传导系数与穿过海冰的热通量研究

雪热传导系数是海冰质量平衡过程中的重要物理参数,决定了穿透海冰的热传导通量。北冰洋海冰质量平衡浮标观测获得多年冰上冬季温度链剖面可以明显地区分冰雪界面。本文考虑到冰雪界面处温度随时间变化,再根据冰雪界面热传导通量连续假定,提出了新的雪热传导系数计算方法。受不同环境因素影响,多年冰上各个浮标的雪热传导系数在0.23~0.41 W/（m·K）之间,均值为（0.32±0.08） W/（m·K）。北冰洋多年冰上冬季穿过海冰的热传导通量最大发生在11月至翌年3月,约14~16 W/m2。结冰季节,来自海冰自身降温的热量对穿过海冰向大气传输的热量贡献逐月减少,从9月100%减小到12月的35%,翌年的1月至3月稳定在10%左右。夏季,短波辐射通能量通过热传导自上而下加热海冰,海冰上层温度高于下层,热量传播方向与冬季反向,往海冰内部传递。直到9月短波辐射完全消失,气温下降,热量再次转变为自下往上传递。从冰底热传导来看,夏季出现海冰向冰水界面传递热量现象。由于雪较好的绝热性,冰上覆雪极大地削弱了海冰上层热传导通量,从而减缓了秋冬季节的结冰速度。尽管受雪厚影响,多年冰上层热传导通量与气温依旧具有很好的线性关系,气温每降低1℃,热传导通量增加约0.59 W/m2。     

2008/2009年冬季南海冷涌天气过程的海-气热通量交换及热量收支

冬季风期(11月—翌年3月)南海显著的气候特点是盛行东北季风并频繁地发生冷涌天气过程。使用2008年10月到2009年4月在西沙群岛永兴岛近海进行的海-气通量观测试验资料,分析了西沙海域冬季风期,尤其是冷涌时段的海-气通量交换和热量收支特征。结果表明:冬季风前期由于海-气温差增大,感热通量比西南季风期稍增加;潜热通量平均值与西南季风期接近;太阳总辐射明显降低,大气长波辐射减小,海洋热量净收入成为负值,使得秋季之后海面温度不断降低。冷涌期间海-气之间的感热通量高于冬季风期平均值,潜热通量大部分(1月份之前)也高于冬季风期平均值;由于潜热通量增大和太阳短波辐射减小,1月份之前的冷涌过程海洋热量净收支普遍出现较大负值,海洋失热量强于冬季风期,甚至强于2008年台风过程平均值。到了冬季后期太阳总辐射增强,海洋热量净收入转为正值,海水温度又逐渐升高。季节之间比较,观测区感热通量以冬季风期间最大,秋季次之,春季最小;而潜热通量夏季风期出现最大值,冬季次之,秋季最小。     

Simulation of the Atlantic Ocean seasonal variability, using a quasi-isopycnic model

The paper discusses the data derived from a numerical experiment on the ocean’s response (between the equator and 64°N) to the seasonal variability of the atmospheric forcing (wind and heat flux through the ocean surface). A multilayer (7 layers) non-linear model is used incorporating the upper mixed layer interacting with the internal layers in the regimes of entraining and subduction. The restructuring of the layer composition, the currents and temperature variability, as well as the alternation of the entrainment and subduction regimes are analysed. Translated by Vladimir A. Puchkin.     

The atmospheric hinder for intraseasonal sea-air interaction over the Bay of Bengal during Indian summer monsoon in CMIP6

The surroundings of the Bay of Bengal (BoB) suffer a lot from the extreme rainfall events during Indian summer monsoon (ISM). Previous studies have proved that the sea-air interaction is an important factor for the monsoonal precipitation. Using the 6th Coupled Modol Inter-comparison Project (CMIP6) models, this study examined the biases of surface heat flux, which is the main connection between atmosphere and ocean. Results show that although CMIP6 have a better simulation of intraseasonal sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies over BoB than the previous ones, the “atmospheric blockage” still delays the response of latent heat flux to the oceanic forcing. Specifically, during the increment of positive latent heat flux in CMIP6, the negative contribution from wind effects covers most of the positive contribution from humidity effects, due to the underestimate of humidity effects. Further diagnostic analysis denote that the surface air humidity has a quarter of a phase ahead of warm SST in observation, but gets wet along with the warm SST accordingly in most CMIP6 models. As a result, the simulated transfer of intraseasonal moisture flux is hindered between ocean and atmosphere. Therefore, as a bridge between both sides, the atmospheric boundary layer is essential for a better sea-air coupled simulation, especially when the atmospheric and the oceanic variabilities involved in a climate model becomes increasingly sophisticated. The surface air humidity and boundary layer processes require more attention as well as better simulations.     

Modeling of mesoscale coupled ocean–atmosphere interaction and its feedback to ocean in the western Arabian Sea

Observations of the western Arabian Sea over the last decade have revealed a rich filamentary eddy structure, with large horizontal SST gradients in the ocean, developing in response to the southwest monsoon winds. This summertime oceanic condition triggers an intense mesoscale coupled interaction, whose overall influence on the longer-term properties of this ocean remains uncertain. In this study, a high-resolution regional coupled model is employed to explore this feedback effect on the long-term dynamical and thermodynamical structure of the ocean.The observed relationship between the near-surface winds and mesoscale SSTs generate Ekman pumping velocities at the scale of the cold filaments, whose magnitude is the order of 1 m/day in both the model and observations. This additional Ekman-driven velocity, induced by the wind-eddy interaction, accounts for approximately 10–20% of oceanic vertical velocity of the cold filaments. This implies that Ekman pumping arising from the mesoscale coupled feedback makes a non-trivial contribution to the vertical structure of the upper ocean and the evolution of mesoscale eddies, with obvious implications for marine ecosystem and biogeochemical variability.Furthermore, SST features associated with cold filaments substantially reduce the latent heat loss. The long-term latent heat flux change due to eddies in the model is approximately 10–15 W/m² over the cold filaments, which is consistent with previous estimates based on short-term in situ measurements. Given the shallow mixed layer, this additional surface heat flux warms the cold filament at the rate of 0.3–0.4 °C/month over a season with strong eddy activity, and 0.1–0.2 °C/month over the 12-year mean, rendering overall low-frequency modulation of SST feasible. This long-term mixed layer heating by the surface flux is approximately ±10% of the lateral heat flux by the eddies, yet it can be comparable to the vertical heat flux. Potential dynamic and thermodynamic impacts of this observed air–sea interaction on the monsoons and regional climate are yet to be quantified given the strong correlation between the Somalia upwelling SST and the Indian summer monsoons.     

基于改进的BOX模型的长江口及邻近水域水通量及水体交换特性*

提要 本研究成功将水动力模型ROMS(the regional oceanic modeling system model)与箱式模型结合,详细阐述了长江口及邻近水域四个季节的水通量特征及水体交换特性,为其物质通量研究提供准确的水量基础。研究发现,总的水通量整体受季风控制,季风的重要作用在于使得水体在南北方向上交替输送,而台湾暖流对春夏季底层水体南向输运具有重要作用;直接进入123.5°E以东外海区域的水通量很少,而是先从南边界流出研究区域,然后通过海洋环流系统进入外海。长江径流是影响水体更新的重要因素,但在强烈季风下,水体更新主要依赖于季风方向的水平水通量,主要是同层水体而不是表底层水体之间的交换。所以不能简单的以水体更新时间长短作为强烈季风区底层缺氧高发与否的标准。因此,虽然水体更新时间较长的区域与缺氧区基本一致,本研究认为该区域底层水体缺氧的本质原因是跃层阻隔了表底层水体之间的交换。     

南海海气界面潜热通量的分布特征及其对西南季风爆发影响的初步分析

利用1982年1月至2001年12月逐日的Re_NCEP南海海表面潜热通量资料,分析了南海夏季西南季风爆发早年和晚年潜热通量在南海的时空分布特征;并通过相关对比诊断分析了潜热通量对西南季风爆发及强度的影响,初步给出了其动力学机理。结果表明,季风爆发早、晚年的前一年冬季至初春(12~3月),南海南部(5°~13°N,100°~120°E)和北部(13°~22°N,105°~120°E)的潜热通量距平符号相反,呈现反位相,季风爆发早(晚)年,前一年冬季至次年初春,南海北部的潜热通量为正(负)距平,南海南部则为负(正)距平;在季风爆发的早年和晚年,南海潜热通量表现出明显的差异,春、夏、秋季南海潜热通量正距平持续时间短(长),季风强度偏弱(强)。南海北部的潜热通量和南海北部季风强度隔季正相关。当潜热通量为正(负)距平时,同期和滞后1~3个月的海温均为负(正)异常,加大(减小)了春季南海和周围陆地陆暖海冷的海陆温差,有利于西南季风在南海北部的早(晚)爆发,西南风异常偏强(弱)。     

人类活动对海洋生态系统影响的空间量化评价——以莱州湾海域为例

本文针对海域管理中难以量化人类活动对海洋生态系统影响的问题,提出人海关系空间量化模型,通过完善概念模型、构建指标体系、确定权重及标准,最终利用作用强度和位置关系量化人类活动对海洋生态系统的影响,数值在0—1之间,等分为四个影响程度,由弱到强依次为微弱、中等、强烈和极强,并将该模型和量化方法应用于莱州湾海域。研究结果表明:整个莱州湾受人类活动的综合影响均值为0.425,处于中等影响程度;其中污水排放、围填海工程及港口航运是对莱州湾生态系统影响比较强烈的人类活动;研究海域中40%受到人类活动的强烈影响,44%为中等影响,16%为微弱影响。空间量化分析显示,人类活动对莱州湾近岸海域的综合影响比邻近外海强烈,其中影响较强烈的区域出现在西南近岸海区,而影响较微弱的海区则为莱州湾北部外海。该方法空间量化结果与莱州湾实际情况相符,说明人海关系空间量化模型适合定量化评估人类活动对该海域生态系统的影响,可为"山东半岛蓝色经济区"海域管理提供技术支持。     

A transition in weather over the Agulhas Current

Aircraft observations were used to investigate contrasting weather conditions over the northern edge of the warm Agulhas Current south of George, South Africa, during June 1989. A sea surface temperature front of 7°C over 10 km was observed near 35°S, 23°E. Surface-sensible and latent heat fluxes increased by a factor of five on the warm side. A deepening of the moist unstable layer was indicated by increased equivalent potential temperatures over the warm side. Most significantly, convectively generated turbulence, as inferred from variances in air pressure, increased exponentially with sea surface temperature and surface layer winds doubled south of 35°S. The sea state, initially smooth over the continental shelf, became rough seawards of the northern edge of the Agulhas Current. Numerical model simulations were performed to assess air-sea interactions. Model-simulated thermodynamic variables responded in close agreement with observations, but the increase in cross-frontal winds was not fully resolved. The aircraft observations provide evidence that the Agulhas Current affects the large-scale pressure field and may enhance the rain-bearing capacity of transient weather systems.