Title | Episodic Southern Ocean Heat Loss and Its Mixed Layer Impacts Revealed by the Farthest South Multiyear Surface Flux Mooring |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2018 |
Authors | Ogle, SE, Tamsitt, V, Josey, SA, Gille, ST, Cerovecki, I, Talley, LD, Weller, RA |
Journal | Geophysical Research Letters |
Volume | 45 |
Pagination | 5002-5010 |
Type of Article | Journal Article |
Abstract | The Ocean Observatories Initiative air-sea flux mooring deployed at 54.08°S, 89.67°W, in the southeast Pacific sector of the Southern Ocean, is the farthest south long-term open ocean flux mooring ever deployed. Mooring observations (February 2015 to August 2017) provide the first in situ quantification of annual net air-sea heat exchange from one of the prime Subantarctic Mode Water formation regions. Episodic turbulent heat loss events (reaching a daily mean net flux of −294 W/m2) generally occur when northeastward winds bring relatively cold, dry air to the mooring location, leading to large air-sea temperature and humidity differences. Wintertime heat loss events promote deep mixed layer formation that lead to Subantarctic Mode Water formation. However, these processes have strong interannual variability; a higher frequency of 2 σ and 3 σ turbulent heat loss events in winter 2015 led to deep mixed layers (>300 m), which were nonexistent in winter 2016. |
DOI | 10.1029/2017gl076909 |
Array | Global Southern Ocean |
Bibliometrics |
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