scholarly journals Tropical instability waves linked to sea surface salinity anomalies

Eos ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 93 (34) ◽  
pp. 336-336
Author(s):  
Colin Schultz
Keyword(s):  
Sea Surface ◽  
Sea Surface Salinity ◽  
Surface Salinity ◽  
Instability Waves ◽  
Tropical Instability Waves

scholarly journals Matchup Characteristics of Sea Surface Salinity Using a High-Resolution Ocean Model

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (15) ◽  
pp. 2995
Author(s):  
Frederick M. Bingham ◽  
Severine Fournier ◽  
Susannah Brodnitz ◽  
Karly Ulfsax ◽  
Hong Zhang
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Time Window ◽  
Single Point ◽  
Ocean Model ◽  
Sea Surface ◽  
Sea Surface Salinity ◽  
Surface Salinity ◽  
Argo Floats ◽  
Statistical Measures ◽  
Salinity Difference

Sea surface salinity (SSS) satellite measurements are validated using in situ observations usually made by surfacing Argo floats. Validation statistics are computed using matched values of SSS from satellites and floats. This study explores how the matchup process is done using a high-resolution numerical ocean model, the MITgcm. One year of model output is sampled as if the Aquarius and Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellites flew over it and Argo floats popped up into it. Statistical measures of mismatch between satellite and float are computed, RMS difference (RMSD) and bias. The bias is small, less than 0.002 in absolute value, but negative with float values being greater than satellites. RMSD is computed using an “all salinity difference” method that averages level 2 satellite observations within a given time and space window for comparison with Argo floats. RMSD values range from 0.08 to 0.18 depending on the space–time window and the satellite. This range gives an estimate of the representation error inherent in comparing single point Argo floats to area-average satellite values. The study has implications for future SSS satellite missions and the need to specify how errors are computed to gauge the total accuracy of retrieved SSS values.

scholarly journals Sea Surface Salinity Response to Tropical Cyclones Based on Satellite Observations

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 420
Author(s):  
Jingru Sun ◽  
Gabriel Vecchi ◽  
Brian Soden
Keyword(s):  
Tropical Cyclones ◽  
Sea Surface ◽  
Sea Surface Salinity ◽  
Surface Salinity ◽  
Translation Speed ◽  
Salinity Stratification ◽  
Left Hand ◽  
In Situ Data ◽  
Salinity Response ◽  
The Right

Multi-year records of satellite remote sensing of sea surface salinity (SSS) provide an opportunity to investigate the climatological characteristics of the SSS response to tropical cyclones (TCs). In this study, the influence of TC winds, rainfall and preexisting ocean stratification on SSS evolution is examined with multiple satellite-based and in-situ data. Global storm-centered composites indicate that TCs act to initially freshen the ocean surface (due to precipitation), and subsequently salinify the surface, largely through vertical ocean processes (mixing and upwelling), although regional hydrography can lead to local departure from this behavior. On average, on the day a TC passes, a strong SSS decrease is observed. The fresh anomaly is subsequently replaced by a net surface salinification, which persists for weeks. This salinification is larger on the right (left)-hand side of the storm motion in the Northern (Southern) Hemisphere, consistent with the location of stronger turbulent mixing. The influence of TC intensity and translation speed on the ocean response is also examined. Despite having greater precipitation, stronger TCs tend to produce longer-lasting, stronger and deeper salinification especially on the right-hand side of the storm motion. Faster moving TCs are found to have slightly weaker freshening with larger area coverage during the passage, but comparable salinification after the passage. The ocean haline response in four basins with different climatological salinity stratification reveals a significant impact of vertical stratification on the salinity response during and after the passage of TCs.

scholarly journals Using Saildrones to Validate Arctic Sea-Surface Salinity from the SMAP Satellite and from Ocean Models

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 831
Author(s):  
Jorge Vazquez-Cuervo ◽  
Chelle Gentemann ◽  
Wenqing Tang ◽  
Dustin Carroll ◽  
Hong Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Arctic Ocean ◽  
Sea Surface ◽  
Sea Surface Salinity ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Surface Salinity ◽  
Cold Temperatures ◽  
Yukon River ◽  
Arctic Sea ◽  
The Arctic Ocean

The Arctic Ocean is one of the most important and challenging regions to observe—it experiences the largest changes from climate warming, and at the same time is one of the most difficult to sample because of sea ice and extreme cold temperatures. Two NASA-sponsored deployments of the Saildrone vehicle provided a unique opportunity for validating sea-surface salinity (SSS) derived from three separate products that use data from the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellite. To examine possible issues in resolving mesoscale-to-submesoscale variability, comparisons were also made with two versions of the Estimating the Circulation and Climate of the Ocean (ECCO) model (Carroll, D; Menmenlis, D; Zhang, H.). The results indicate that the three SMAP products resolve the runoff signal associated with the Yukon River, with high correlation between SMAP products and Saildrone SSS. Spectral slopes, overall, replicate the −2.0 slopes associated with mesoscale-submesoscale variability. Statistically significant spatial coherences exist for all products, with peaks close to 100 km. Based on these encouraging results, future research should focus on improving derivations of satellite-derived SSS in the Arctic Ocean and integrating model results to complement remote sensing observations.

scholarly journals Intercomparison of Global Sea Surface Salinity from Multiple Datasets over 2011–2018

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 811
Author(s):  
Hao Liu ◽  
Zexun Wei
Keyword(s):  
Time Scales ◽  
Correlation Coefficients ◽  
Dominant Mode ◽  
Sea Surface ◽  
Sea Surface Salinity ◽  
Surface Salinity ◽  
Ocean Data Assimilation ◽  
Multiple Datasets ◽  
Different Time Scales

The variability in sea surface salinity (SSS) on different time scales plays an important role in associated oceanic or climate processes. In this study, we compare the SSS on sub-annual, annual, and interannual time scales among ten datasets, including in situ-based and satellite-based SSS products over 2011–2018. Furthermore, the dominant mode on different time scales is compared using the empirical orthogonal function (EOF). Our results show that the largest spread of ten products occurs on the sub-annual time scale. High correlation coefficients (0.6~0.95) are found in the global mean annual and interannual SSSs between individual products and the ensemble mean. Furthermore, this study shows good agreement among the ten datasets in representing the dominant mode of SSS on the annual and interannual time scales. This analysis provides information on the consistency and discrepancy of datasets to guide future use, such as improvements to ocean data assimilation and the quality of satellite-based data.

scholarly journals Response of Freshwater Flux and Sea Surface Salinity to Variability of the Atlantic Warm Pool

2013 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 1249-1267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chunzai Wang ◽  
Liping Zhang ◽  
Sang-Ki Lee
Keyword(s):  
Central America ◽  
North Atlantic ◽  
Warm Pool ◽  
Sea Surface ◽  
Sea Surface Salinity ◽  
Freshwater Flux ◽  
Surface Salinity ◽  
Atlantic Warm Pool ◽  
Mean Circulation ◽  
Circulation Dynamics

Abstract The response of freshwater flux and sea surface salinity (SSS) to the Atlantic warm pool (AWP) variations from seasonal to multidecadal time scales is investigated by using various reanalysis products and observations. All of the datasets show a consistent response for all time scales: A large (small) AWP is associated with a local freshwater gain (loss) to the ocean, less (more) moisture transport across Central America, and a local low (high) SSS. The moisture budget analysis demonstrates that the freshwater change is dominated by the atmospheric mean circulation dynamics, while the effect of thermodynamics is of secondary importance. Further decomposition points out that the contribution of the mean circulation dynamics primarily arises from its divergent part, which mainly reflects the wind divergent change in the low level as a result of SST change. In association with a large (small) AWP, warmer (colder) than normal SST over the tropical North Atlantic can induce anomalous low-level convergence (divergence), which favors anomalous ascent (decent) and thus generates more (less) precipitation. On the other hand, a large (small) AWP weakens (strengthens) the trade wind and its associated westward moisture transport to the eastern North Pacific across Central America, which also favors more (less) moisture residing in the Atlantic and hence more (less) precipitation. The results imply that variability of freshwater flux and ocean salinity in the North Atlantic associated with the AWP may have the potential to affect the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation.

scholarly journals The Role of Averaging for Improving Sea Surface Salinity Retrieval from the Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) Satellite and Impact of Auxiliary Data

2007 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 255-269 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabine Philipps ◽  
Christine Boone ◽  
Estelle Obligis
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Sensitivity Study ◽  
Sea Surface ◽  
Sea Surface Salinity ◽  
Global Ocean ◽  
Surface Salinity ◽  
Auxiliary Data ◽  
Additional Information ◽  
Ocean Salinity

Abstract Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) was chosen as the European Space Agency’s second Earth Explorer Opportunity mission. One of the objectives is to retrieve sea surface salinity (SSS) from measured brightness temperatures (TBs) at L band with a precision of 0.2 practical salinity units (psu) with averages taken over 200 km by 200 km areas and 10 days [as suggested in the requirements of the Global Ocean Data Assimilation Experiment (GODAE)]. The retrieval is performed here by an inverse model and additional information of auxiliary SSS, sea surface temperature (SST), and wind speed (W). A sensitivity study is done to observe the influence of the TBs and auxiliary data on the SSS retrieval. The key role of TB and W accuracy on SSS retrieval is verified. Retrieval is then done over the Atlantic for two cases. In case A, auxiliary data are simulated from two model outputs by adding white noise. The more realistic case B uses independent databases for reference and auxiliary ocean parameters. For these cases, the RMS error of retrieved SSS on pixel scale is around 1 psu (1.2 for case B). Averaging over GODAE scales reduces the SSS error by a factor of 12 (4 for case B). The weaker error reduction in case B is most likely due to the correlation of errors in auxiliary data. This study shows that SSS retrieval will be very sensitive to errors on auxiliary data. Specific efforts should be devoted to improving the quality of auxiliary data.

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