Abstract
By using multiplatform satellite datasets, Argo observations and numerical model data, the upper ocean thermodynamic responses to Super Typhoon Soudelor are investigated with a focus on the impact of an ocean cyclonic eddy (CE). In addition to the significant surface cooling inside the CE region, an abnormally large rising in subsurface temperature is observed. The maximum warming and heat content change (HCC) reach up to 4.37 °C and 1.73 GJ/m2, respectively. Moreover, the HCC is an order of magnitude larger than that calculated from statistical analysis of Argo profile data in the previous study which only considered the effects caused by typhoons. Meanwhile, the subsurface warming outside the CE is merely 1.74 °C with HCC of 0.39 GJ/m2. Previous studies suggested that typhoon-induced vertical mixing is the primary factor causing subsurface warming but these studies ignored an important mechanism related to the horizontal advection caused by the rotation and movement of mesoscale eddies. This study documents that the eddy-induced horizontal advection has a great impact on the upper ocean responses to typhoons. Therefore, the influence of eddies should be considered when studying the responses of upper ocean to typhoons with pre-existing mesoscale eddies.
Highlights
Tropical cyclones, known as typhoons in the Northwest Pacific, are an important part of the air-sea system
When typhoons pass over the ocean, the air-sea interaction leads to the exchange of heat, moisture and momentum and causes a dramatic response of the ocean
In the Northern Hemisphere, sea surface cooling is usually stronger on the right side of the typhoon track, with sea surface temperature (SST) decreasing ranging from 1 ◦C to 9 ◦C [1,2,10], sometimes even reaching 11 ◦C in the marginal seas [17]
Summary
Known as typhoons (with maximum sustained 10 m wind speed greater than 32.7 m/s) in the Northwest Pacific, are an important part of the air-sea system. Mesoscale CEs are generally surrounded with concave upward sea surface height They are able to make global-scale transports of heat, salt, as well as other water properties (e.g., nutrients and phytoplankton) inside the eddies through their movements [34,35,36], if the ratio of rotational speed U of a CE to its propagation speed c (i.e., U/c) is larger than 1. It still remains unclear what roles the ocean mesoscale eddies play in the typhoon-eddy interaction.
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