scholarly journals Sub-Mesoscale Frontal Instabilities in the Omani Coastal Current

Mathematics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 562
Author(s):  
Mathieu Morvan ◽  
Xavier Carton

The Omani Coastal Current (OCC) flowing northward along the southern coast of Oman during the summer monsoon is associated with an upwelling system. The mesoscale circulation of the western Arabian Sea is dominated by energetic mesoscale eddies down to about 1000 m depth. They drive the pathways of the upwelling water masses and the Persian Gulf Outflow water. This paper focuses on the sub-mesoscale frontal dynamics in the OCC by analyzing the results from a regional realistic numerical simulation performed with a primitive equation model. Off the Omani coast, the interaction between the upwelling fronts and the mesoscale eddies triggers the frontogenesis at play in the surface mixed layer during the summer monsoon. In spring, sub-mesoscale eddies are generated at the Cape of Ra’s al Hadd due to the horizontal shear instabilities undergone by the OCC. The OCC also drives and elongates Peddies formed during the Summer monsoon and located below the thermocline. Finally, the interaction between mesoscale eddies and the upwelling system leads to the formation of sub-mesoscale eddies at depth through baroclinic instabilities.

Ocean Science ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 687-701 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pierre L'Hégaret ◽  
Xavier Carton ◽  
Stephanie Louazel ◽  
Guillaume Boutin

Abstract. The Persian Gulf produces high-salinity water (Persian Gulf Water, PGW hereafter), which flows into the Sea of Oman via the Strait of Hormuz. Beyond the Strait of Hormuz, the PGW cascades down the continental slope and spreads in the Sea of Oman under the influence of the energetic mesoscale eddies. The PGW outflow has different thermohaline characteristics and pathways, depending on the season. In spring 2011, the Phys-Indien experiment was carried out in the Arabian Sea and in the Sea of Oman. The Phys-Indien 2011 measurements, as well as satellite observations, are used here to characterize the circulation induced by the eddy field and its impact on the PGW pathway and evolution. During the spring intermonsoon, an anticyclonic eddy is often observed at the mouth of the Sea of Oman. It creates a front between the eastern and western parts of the basin. This structure was observed in 2011 during the Phys-Indien experiment. Two energetic eddies were also present along the southern Omani coast in the Arabian Sea. At their peripheries, ribbons of freshwater and cold water were found due to the stirring created by the eddies. The PGW characteristics are strongly influenced by these eddies. In the western Sea of Oman, in 2011, the PGW was fragmented into filaments and submesoscale eddies. It also recirculated locally, thus creating salty layers with different densities. In the Arabian Sea, a highly saline submesoscale lens was recorded offshore. Its characteristics are analyzed here and possible origins are proposed. The recurrence of such lenses in the Arabian Sea is also briefly examined.


2010 ◽  
Vol 40 (9) ◽  
pp. 2122-2134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Prasad G. Thoppil ◽  
Patrick J. Hogan

Abstract The circulation and mesoscale eddies in the Persian Gulf are investigated using results from a high-resolution (∼1 km) Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM). The circulation in the Persian Gulf is composed of two spatial scales: basin scale and mesoscale. The progression of a cyclonic circulation cell dominates the basin-scale circulation in the eastern half of the gulf (52°–55°E) during March–July. This is primarily the consequence of density-driven outflow–inflow through the Strait of Hormuz and strong stratification. A northwestward-flowing Iranian Coastal Current (ICC; 30–40 cm s−1) between the Strait of Hormuz and north of Qatar (∼52°E) forms the northern flank of the cell. Between July and August the ICC becomes unstable because of the baroclinic instability mechanism by releasing the potential energy stored in the cross-shelf density gradient. As a result, the meanders in the ICC evolve into a series of mesoscale eddies, which is denoted as the Iranian coastal eddies (ICE). The ICE have a diameter of about 115–130 km and extend vertically over most of the water column. Three cyclonic eddies produced by the model during August–September 2005 compared quite well with the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) SST and chlorophyll-a observations. The remnants of ICE are seen until November, after which they dissipate as the winter cooling causes the thermocline to collapse.


Ocean Science ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 667-693 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. L'Hégaret ◽  
R. Duarte ◽  
X. Carton ◽  
C. Vic ◽  
D. Ciani ◽  
...  

Abstract. The Arabian Sea and Sea of Oman circulation and water masses, subject to monsoon forcing, reveal a strong seasonal variability and intense mesoscale features. We describe and analyze this variability and these features, using both meteorological data (from ECMWF reanalyses), in situ observations (from the ARGO float program and the GDEM – Generalized Digital Environmental mode – climatology), satellite altimetry (from AVISO) and a regional simulation with a primitive equation model (HYCOM – the Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model). The model and observations display comparable variability, and the model is then used to analyze the three-dimensional structure of eddies and water masses with higher temporal and spatial resolutions than the available observations. The mesoscale features are highly seasonal, with the formation of coastal currents, destabilizing into eddies, or the radiation of Rossby waves from the Indian coast. The mesoscale eddies have a deep dynamical influence and strongly drive the water masses at depth. In particular, in the Sea of Oman, the Persian Gulf Water presents several offshore ejection sites and a complex recirculation, depending on the mesoscale eddies. The associated mechanisms range from coastal ejection via dipoles, alongshore pulses due to a cyclonic eddy, to the formation of lee eddies downstream of Ra's Al Hamra. This water mass is also captured inside the eddies via several mechanisms, keeping high thermohaline characteristics in the Arabian Sea. The variations of the outflow characteristics near the Strait of Hormuz are compared with variations downstream.


2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 2743-2782
Author(s):  
P. L'Hégaret ◽  
X. Carton ◽  
S. Louazel ◽  
G. Boutin

Abstract. The Persian Gulf produces a high salinity water (Persian Gulf Water, PGW hereafter) flowing into the Sea of Oman, in the northwestern Indian Ocean. Past the Strait of Hormuz, the PGW cascades down the continental slope and spreads in the Sea of Oman under the influence of the energetic mesoscale eddies with different thermohaline signatures and pathways depending of the season. In spring 2011, the Phys-Indien experiment was carried out in the Arabian Sea an in the Sea of Oman. This study uses the results from the measurements to characterize the water masses, their thermohaline and dynamical signatures. During the spring intermonsoon, an anticyclonic eddy is often observed at the mouth of the Sea of Oman. This structure was present in 2011 and created a front between the eastern and western part of the basin. As well two energetic gyres were present along the Omani coast in the Arabian Sea. At their peripheries, injections of fresh and cold water are found in relation with the stirring of the eddies. The PGW observed below or between these eddies have a different dilution depending of the position and formation periods of the gyres. Furthermore, in the western Sea of Oman, the PGW is fragmented in filaments and submesoscale eddies. As well, recirculation of the PGW is observed, thus having the presence of salty nearby patches with two densities. Offshore, in the Arabian Sea, a submesoscale lens was recorded. The different mechanisms leading to its formation and presence are assessed here.


MAUSAM ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 47 (4) ◽  
pp. 355-368
Author(s):  
R.R. RAO ◽  
K. V. SANIL KUMAR ◽  
BASIL MATHEW

The observed short term variability in the current field of the upper layers at selected locations in the Arabian Sea is examined utilising the available short (1-2 weeks) time series of moored currentmeter records obtained from former USSR stationary ship polygons during MONSOON-77 and MONEX-79 field experiments. Supplementary time series data sets on surface wind, sub-surface temperature and salinity were also made use of to explain the observed structure and variability of current field, in the upper 2OOm water column. The thermal regime in the central Arabian Sea showed cooling and deepening of the surface mixed layer with the onset and progress of the summer monsoon during MONSOON- 77 while the corresponding variability was marginal in the western and south-central Arabian Sea during pre-onset regime of MONEX-79, The Ekman balance appeared to be limited to the mixed layer, only during pre-onset regime of MONSOON-77 and was absent during pre-onset and onset regimes of MONEX-79 suggesting the importance of internal ocean dynamics influencing the current field. Most of the current records showed rich structure with superposed oscillations extending over the entire 200m water column. During progress regime of MONSOON-77 and at the equatorial station during pre-onset regime of MONEX-79. dramatic reduction in the current strength is noticed from mixed layer to thermocline due to differences in the eddy viscosity. During MONEX-79, a strong subsurface core of southerly flow ( -100 cm/s) was noticed at the equator (49°E) even before the onset of monsoon. The vector time series of current-meter records subjected to rotary spectral analysis showed inertial oscillations in the flow regime more prominently during MONSOON-77 as compared to MONEX-79. R.R. RAO. K. V. SANIL [email protected] and BASIL [email protected]


2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 493-550 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. L'Hégaret ◽  
R. Duarte ◽  
X. Carton ◽  
C. Vic ◽  
D. Ciani ◽  
...  

Abstract. The Arabian Sea and Sea of Oman circulation and water masses, subject to the monsoon forcing, reveal a strong seasonal variability and intense mesoscale features. We describe and analyse this variability and these features, using both meteorological data (from ECMWF reanalyses), in-situ observations (from the ARGO float program and the GDEM climatology), satellite altimetry (from AVISO) and a regional simulation with a primitive equation model (HYCOM). The EOFs of the seasonal variability of the water masses quantify their main changes in thermohaline characteristics and in position. The model and observations display comparable variability, and the model is then used to analyse the three-dimensional structure of eddies and water masses with a higher resolution. The mesoscale eddies have a deep dynamical influence and strongly drive the water masses at depth. In particular, in the Sea of Oman, the Persian Gulf Water presents several offshore ejection sites and a complex recirculation, depending on the mesoscale eddies. This water mass is also captured inside the eddies via several mechanisms, keeping high thermohaline characteristics in the Arabian Sea. These characteristics are validated on the GOGP99 cruise data.


2021 ◽  
Vol 166 ◽  
pp. 105278
Author(s):  
K.U. Abdul Jaleel ◽  
Usha V. Parameswaran ◽  
Aiswarya Gopal ◽  
Chippy Khader ◽  
V.N. Sanjeevan ◽  
...  

Tellus ◽  
1974 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 464-476 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kshudiram Saha
Keyword(s):  

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