Mesoscale Ocean–Atmosphere Coupling Effects on the North Pacific Subtropical Mode Water

Abstract

Abstract Subtropical mode water (STMW) is a thick layer of water mass characterized by homogeneous properties within the main pycnocline, important for oceanic oxygen utilization, carbon sequestration, and climate regulation. North Pacific STMW is formed in the Kuroshio Extension region, where vigorous mesoscale eddies strongly interact with the atmosphere. However, it remains unknown how such mesoscale ocean–atmosphere (MOA) coupling affects the STMW formation. By conducting twin simulations with an eddy-resolving global climate model, we find that approximately 25% more STMW is formed with the MOA coupling than without it. This is attributable to a significant increase in ocean latent heat release primarily driven by higher wind speed over the STMW formation region, which is associated with the southward deflection of storm tracks in response to oceanic mesoscale imprints. Such enhanced surface latent heat loss overwhelms the stronger upper-ocean restratification induced by vertical eddy and turbulent heat transport, leading to the formation of colder and denser STMW in the presence of MOA coupling. Further investigation of a multimodel and multiresolution ensemble of global coupled models reveals that the agreement between the STMW simulation in eddy-present/rich coupled models and observations is superior to that of eddy-free ones, likely due to more realistic representation of MOA coupling. However, the ocean-alone model simulations show significant limitations in improving STMW production, even with refined model resolution. This indicates the importance of incorporating the MOA coupling into Earth system models to alleviate biases in STMW and associated climatic and biogeochemical impacts. Significance Statement North Pacific subtropical mode water (STMW) is a distinct pycnostad within the main thermocline located south of the Kuroshio Extension. As short-term heat and carbon silos, STMW is traditionally thought to be driven by the basin-scale atmospheric forcing. The role of air–sea interactions at mesoscales residing in the Kuroshio Extension region has been overlooked. Here, we demonstrate that the strong thermal feedback of mesoscale sea surface temperature anomalies is not negligible for the STMW formation. This is achieved by accelerating wind and consequently promoting ocean latent heat release. Our results pinpoint the significance of accounting for the role of oceanic mesoscale feedback in improving the simulation of STMW as well as its climatic and biogeochemical impacts in Earth system models.