Inertial oscillations as deep ocean response to hurricanes

Abstract

We discuss the deep ocean response to passing hurricanes (aka typhoons), which are considered as generators of near-inertial, internal waves. The analysis of data collected in the northwestern parts of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans in the hurricane season permit us to assess the deep ocean response to such a strong atmospheric forcing. A large number of moorings (more than 100) in the northwestern Pacific have allowed us to characterize the spatial features of the oceanic response to typhoons and the variable downward velocity of near-inertial wave propagation. The velocity of their downward propagation varies in the range 1–10 m/hour. It is higher in the regions of low stratification and high anticyclonic vorticity. The inertial oscillations generated by a hurricane last for 10–12 days. The mean anticyclonic vorticity in the region increases the effective frequency of inertial oscillations by 0.001–0.004 cyc/hour.