Abstract
Abstract The mass and heat budgets of the warm upper-ocean layer are investigated in the equatorial Atlantic using in situ observations during the period 1979–99, which encompassed a series of warm events in the equatorial Atlantic. The warm water layer is defined as the layer having an in situ temperature higher than 20°C, which is within the core of the equatorial thermocline. The geostrophic transport is calculated by combining gridded temperatures with historical salinity data. The Ekman transport is estimated from observed wind data or model- based wind products. The change in warm water volume is then compared with the horizontal mass convergence, and the residuals are determined. The heat budget of the upper layer is investigated in the same way. Three regions are considered: the equatorial band between 8°N and 8°S to study the meridional redistribution of the warm water and two boxes (western and eastern boxes) to investigate the zonal redistribution of the warm water. Mass and heat budget variabi...
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.