Eddy Subduction and the Vertical Transport Streamfunction

Lee, Mei-Man; Nurser, A.J. George. 2012 Eddy Subduction and the Vertical Transport Streamfunction. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 42 (11). 1762-1780. 10.1175/JPO-D-11-0219.1

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Abstract/Summary

Subduction—the transport of fluid across the base of mixed layer—exchanges water masses and tracers between the ocean surface and interior. Eddies can affect subduction in a variety of ways. First, eddies shoal the mixed layer by restratifying water columns through baroclinic instabilities. Second, eddies induce an isopycnic transport that leads to the entrainment of warm waters and subduction of cold waters, which effectively counters the wind-driven overturning circulation. In this study, the authors use an idealized model to examine these two mechanisms by which eddies influence subduction and to discuss how eddy subduction may be better approximated using the concept of vertical transport streamfunction than the conventional meridional transport streamfunction.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1175/JPO-D-11-0219.1
Programmes:	NOC Programmes
ISSN:	00223670
Additional Keywords:	Eddies, Ocean dynamics, Mixed layer, Ocean models
Date made live:	18 Dec 2012 14:26 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/446373

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

10.1175/JPO-D-11-0219.1

Programmes:

NOC Programmes

ISSN:

00223670

Additional Keywords:

Eddies, Ocean dynamics, Mixed layer, Ocean models

Date made live:

18 Dec 2012 14:26 +0 (UTC)