Patterns and Dynamics of SST Fronts in the California Current System

Abstract

AbstractThe California Current System (CCS) is one of the four major Eastern Boundary Current Systems, where major coastal upwelling is observed in the ocean. Oceanic fronts are abundant in the CCS, and are known to be associated with coastal upwelling. Analyses of satellite observations (altimetry and sea surface temperature, SST) of the CCS highlight the presence of SST fronts in the southern part of the CCS outside of the coastal upwelling season, which will be investigated. The submesoscale‐permitting and tidal‐resolving LLC4320‐simulation was used to analyze the nature of these features, through the study of the surface density gradients, the vertical velocities and the horizontal strain. An algorithm was also developed to track SST fronts in the model. The classical scenario of coastal upwelling is confirmed in the central CCS (off California), with a strain field correlated to vertical velocities associated with the SST fronts, and collocated density fronts. In contrast, in the southern CCS (off Baja California), vertical velocities were much weaker and density gradients were not always observed where SST fronts were detected, leading to the assumption that the fronts there may be affected by thermohaline compensation occurring in the region. These findings confirm the existence of SST fronts in the CCS outside of the traditional coastal upwelling framework, with part of the fronts in the southern CCS being passive and advected by the background flow.