Impact of Barrier Layer Thickness on SST in the Central Tropical North Atlantic*

2009 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 285-299 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory R. Foltz ◽  
Michael J. McPhaden
Keyword(s):  
Temperature Gradient ◽  
Layer Thickness ◽  
Mixed Layer ◽  
North Atlantic ◽  
Barrier Layer ◽  
Seasonal Cycle ◽  
Vertical Temperature Gradient ◽  
Vertical Temperature ◽  
Barrier Layer Thickness ◽  
Tropical North Atlantic

Abstract Measurements from three long-term moored buoys are used to investigate the impact of barrier layer thickness (BLT) on the seasonal cycle of sea surface temperature (SST) in the central tropical North Atlantic Ocean. It is found that seasonal variations of the BLT exert a considerable influence on SST through their modulation of the vertical heat flux at the base of the mixed layer, estimated as the residual in the mixed layer heat balance. Cooling associated with this term is strongest when the barrier layer is thin and the vertical temperature gradient at the base of the mixed layer is strong. Conversely, thick barrier layers are associated with a significant reduction in the vertical temperature gradient at the base of the mixed layer, which suppresses the upward transfer of cooler water into the mixed layer. Forced ocean and coupled ocean–atmosphere models that do not properly simulate the barrier layer may have difficulty reproducing the observed seasonal cycle of SST in the tropical North Atlantic.

scholarly journals Barrier Layers in the Tropical South Atlantic: Mean Dynamics and Submesoscale Effects*

2014 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 265-288 ◽  
Author(s):  
Milena Veneziani ◽  
Annalisa Griffa ◽  
Zulema Garraffo ◽  
Jean A. Mensa
Keyword(s):  
Layer Thickness ◽  
Mixed Layer ◽  
Barrier Layer ◽  
South Atlantic ◽  
Surface Mixed Layer ◽  
Layer Formation ◽  
Regional Ocean Modeling System ◽  
Barrier Layer Thickness ◽  
Barrier Layers ◽  
Geographical Regions

Abstract Barrier layers are generated when the surface mixed layer is shallower than the layer where temperature is well mixed, in geographical regions where salinity plays a key role in setting up upper-ocean density stratification. In the tropical oceans, thick barrier layers are also found in a latitude range where spiraling trajectories from surface in situ drifters suggest the presence of predominantly cyclonic submesoscale-like vortices. The authors explore these dynamical processes and their interplay in the present paper, focusing on the tropical South Atlantic Ocean and using a high-resolution modeling approach. The objective is threefold: to investigate the mean dynamics contributing to barrier-layer formation in this region, to study the distribution and seasonality of submesoscale features, and to verify whether and how the submesoscale impacts barrier-layer thickness. The model used is the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) in its Adaptive Grid Refinement in Fortran (AGRIF) online-nested configuration with a horizontal resolution ranging between 9 and 1 km. The simulated circulation is first described in terms of mean and submesoscale dynamics, and the associated seasonal cycle. Mechanisms for barrier-layer formation are then investigated. The results confirm previous hypotheses by Mignot et al. on the relevance of enhanced winter mixing deepening the isothermal layer, whereas the salinity stratification is sustained by advection of surface fresh waters and subsurface salinity maxima. Finally, submesoscale effects on barrier-layer thickness are studied, quantifying their contribution to vertical fluxes of temperature and salinity. Submesoscale vortices associated with salinity fronts are found to have a significant effect, producing thicker barrier layers (by ~20%–35%) and a shallower mixed layer because of their restratifying effect on salinity.

scholarly journals Importance of vertical mixing and barrier layer variation on seasonal mixed layer heat balance in the Bay of Bengal

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ullala Pathiranage Gayan Pathirana ◽  
Gengxin Chen ◽  
Tilak Priyadarshana ◽  
Dongxiao Wang
Keyword(s):  
Heat Flux ◽  
Mixed Layer ◽  
Barrier Layer ◽  
Bay Of Bengal ◽  
Heat Balance ◽  
Seasonal Cycle ◽  
Sensible Heat Flux ◽  
Vertical Mixing ◽  
Shortwave Radiation ◽  
Barrier Layer Thickness

Abstract. Time series measurements from the Research Moored Array for African-Asian-Australian Monsoon Analysis and Prediction (RAMA) moorings at 15° N, 90° E; 12° N, 90° E; 8° N, 90° E; 4° N, 90° E; 1.5° N, 90° E; 0° N, 90° E are used to investigate the seasonal mixed-layer heat balance and the importance of barrier layer thickness (BLT) and vertical mixing (Q−h) in the Bay of Bengal (BoB). It is found that the BLT, Q−h and mixed-layer heat balance all have a strong seasonality in the central BoB. Sea surface temperature (SST), salinity and wind are important for the observed strongest seasonal cycle of BLT in the central BoB, and wind is more important than the SST in the southern BoB. The heat storage rate (HSR) is primarily driven by latent heat flux and shortwave radiation (QSW and QL). Seasonal variations and the magnitudes of longwave radiation (QLW), sensible heat flux (QS), and horizontal mixed-layer heat advection are much weaker compared to those of QSW and QL. Q−h follows a pronounced seasonal cycle in the central BoB and is significantly positively correlated with the seasonal cycle of BLT at each mooring location. The seasonal variability of the stability favors the Q−h during winter and summer monsoon and suppress Q−h during monsoon transition periods. We found that Q−h plays the secondary role in the seasonal mixed-layer heat balance in the BoB. It is evident from the analysis that Q−h associated with temperature inversion (∆T) warms the mixed layer during winter and cools the mixed layer during summer. The warming tendency during winter is strong in the central BoB and weakens towards the equator, indicating a cooling tendency around the year. Our analysis further indicates the weakening of Q−h during monsoon transition periods favors the existence of warmer SST in the BoB, associated with thermal and salinity stratification in the central BoB.

Effects of Age and Overhead Illumination on Temperatures Preferred by Underyearling Rainbow Trout, Salmo gairdneri, in a Vertical Temperature Gradient

1978 ◽  
Vol 35 (11) ◽  
pp. 1430-1433 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wen-Hwa Kwain ◽  
Robert W. McCauley
Keyword(s):  
Rainbow Trout ◽  
Temperature Gradient ◽  
Temperature Gradients ◽  
Salmo Gairdneri ◽  
Vertical Temperature Gradient ◽  
Temperature Preference ◽  
Vertical Temperature ◽  
Preferred Temperature ◽  
Distribution Of Fish ◽  
Vertical Gradients

During their first 12 mo of life rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri, preferred progressively cooler temperatures as they grew older; 19 °C was selected during the 1st mo and the selected temperature declined by intervals of 0.5 °C for each of the following months up to the 3rd mo. Fish swam higher in temperature gradients exposed to overhead illumination than in those in total darkness. This trend was reversed during the following 9 mo. These findings demonstrate the important role that age plays in the temperature preference of this species and the influence that overhead light may have on the distribution of fish in vertical gradients. Key words: preferred temperature, age, Salmo gairdneri, light gradients

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