Atmospheric Boundary Layers over an Oceanic Eddy

Abstract

Abstract Imagery and numerical modeling show an abundance of submesoscale oceanic eddies in the upper ocean. Large-eddy simulation (LES) is used to elucidate eddy impacts on the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) forced by winds, convection, and an eddy with varying radius; the maximum azimuthal eddy speed is 1 m s−1. Simulations span the unstable regime −1/L = [0, ∞], where L is the Monin–Obukhov (M–O) stability parameter. A linearized Ekman model and the LES couple ABL winds to an eddy through rough-wall M–O boundary conditions. The eddy currents cause a surface stress anomaly that induces Ekman pumping in a dipole horizontal pattern. The dipole is understood as a consequence of surface winds aligned or opposing surface currents. In free convection a vigorous updraft is found above the eddy center and persists over the ABL depth. Heterogeneity in surface temperature flux is responsible for the full ABL impact. With winds and convection, current stress coupling generates a dipole in surface temperature flux even with constant sea surface temperature. Wind, pressure, and temperature anomalies are sensitive to an eddy under light winds. The eddy impact on ABL secondary circulations is on the order of the convective velocity scale but grows with increasing current speed, decreasing wind, or increasing convection. Flow past an isolated eddy develops a coherent ABL “wake” and secondary circulations for at least five eddy radii downwind. Kinetic energy exchanges by wind work indicate an eddy-killing effect on the oceanic eddy current, but only a spatial rearrangement of the atmospheric wind work.