Isopycnal mixing of interhemispheric intermediate waters by subthermocline eddies east of the Philippines

Scientific Reports
Feng NanShuhui Sun

Abstract

Both sporadic observations and modelling studies suggest that subthermocline eddies (SEs) exist east of the Philippines, where interhemispheric waters meet. However, effects of SEs on water mass mixing have never been observed. Here, using data from mooring and buoy deployed in the frontal region of the interhemispheric water masses, we show for the first time that the SEs act as an "underwater mixer" of intermediate waters from north and south Pacific oceans. The SEs have typical swirl speeds of 0.1~0.4 m s-1 between 200 and 800 m depth with a dominant period of ~90 days. Variation in intermediate water salinity also had a period of ~90 days, lagging eddy speed by ~8 days. Horizontal eddy diffusivity representative of eddy mixing rate was quantified using a mixing-length framework. Horizontal eddy diffusivity had both surface and subthermocline maxima. The vertically varying eddy diffusivity can be used to improve parameterization of eddy stirring in the tropical Pacific by coarse-resolution ocean climate models. The effect of the SEs on mixing of intermediate water masses seems not resolved by available eddy-resolving ocean models typically used for this region.

References

May 19, 2007·Science·Dennis J McGillicuddyDeborah K Steinberg
Feb 19, 2014·Nature Communications·Changming DongDake Chen
Jun 18, 2014·Scientific Reports·Chi XuRui Xin Huang
Jul 19, 2014·Science·Zhengguang ZhangBo Qiu
Jun 19, 2015·Nature·Dunxin HuWilliam S Kessler
Jun 23, 2015·Scientific Data·James H FaghmousVipin Kumar
Apr 13, 2017·Scientific Reports·Arnold L GordonV S N Murty

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Citations

Jul 23, 2021·Scientific Reports·Jianfeng WangTongtong Zheng

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