Deeper Mixed Layer Depth Research Articles

Ocean mixing with lead-dependent subgrid scale brine rejection parameterization in a climate model

Sea ice thickness is highly spatially variable and can cause uneven ocean heat and salt flux on subgrid scales in climate models. Previous studies have demonstrated improvements in ocean mixing simulation using parameterization schemes that distribute brine rejection directly in the upper ocean mixed layer. In this study, idealized ocean model experiments were conducted to examine modeled ocean mixing errors as a function of the lead fraction in a climate model grid. When the lead is resolved by the grid, the added salt at the sea surface will sink to the base of the mixed layer and then spread horizontally. When averaged at a climate-model grid size, this vertical distribution of added salt is lead-fraction dependent. When the lead is unresolved, the model errors were systematic leading to greater surface salinity and deeper mixed-layer depth (MLD). An empirical function was developed to revise the added-salt-related parameter n from being fixed to lead-fraction dependent. Application of this new scheme in a climate model showed significant improvement in modeled wintertime salinity and MLD as compared to series of CTD data sets in 1997/1998 and 2006/2007. The results showed the most evident improvement in modeled MLD in the Arctic Basin, similar to that using a fixed n=5, as recommended by the previous Arctic regional model study, in which the parameter n obtained is close to 5 due to the small lead fraction in the Arctic Basin in winter.

Relationship of water column stability to the growth, condition, and survival of pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) in the northern coastal Gulf of Alaska and Prince William Sound

Water column stability has been hypothesized to affect growth and ultimately survival of juvenile fish. We estimated the relationships between stability and the growth, condition, and marine survival of several stocks of pink salmon ( Oncorhynchus gorbuscha ) within Prince William Sound (PWS), Alaska, USA, and the northern coastal Gulf of Alaska (GOA) shelf. There was a stronger correlation among the biological parameters of the fish than between the biological parameters and physical conditions. While stability and fish condition during early marine residence in PWS were important to year-class survival, stability of the water column that juveniles experienced as they migrated to the open waters of the GOA did not play a key role in determining survival to adulthood. Below-average stability just prior to capture within PWS combined with positive fish condition was related to increased year-class survival. Our results are similar to previous studies that concluded that slower and weaker development of stratification with a deeper mixed layer depth may be important for juvenile pink salmon survival in PWS.

Interannual variability of chlorophyll and the influence of low‐frequency climate modes in the North Atlantic subtropical gyre

The impact of low‐frequency climate modes on the large‐scale variability of chlorophyll‐a (a proxy for phytoplankton biomass) concentration in the subtropics is little known. Here we examined the concurrent monthly chlorophyll‐a and hydrographical records obtained at two subtropical time series stations (Bermuda Atlantic Time series Study, BATS and European Station for Time series in the Ocean Canary Islands, ESTOC) from the beginning of the time series (1989 at BATS and 1994 at ESTOC) to 2003, in order to analyze its seasonal and interannual variability and investigate the potential correlation with large‐scale atmospheric oscillations. At BATS, Chl‐a variations are mainly caused by differences in the convective mixing and mesoscale phenomena. Variability in winter mixing is a significant factor at ESTOC as exemplified by years with anomalously deep mixed layer depths. An additional nutrient source causing Chl‐a variability at this station likely occurs due to nutrient advection driven by the baroclinic flow caused by the Trade Winds during summertime. We found that interannual variability in mean integrated total Chl‐a (TChl‐a) is significantly correlated with temperature and salinity anomalies at BATS. Chl‐a also covaried with changes in temperature although the correlation was not significant at ESTOC. We could not find any direct correlation between TChl‐a and NAO at BATS; the correlation improved between TChl‐a and NAO +1 year but was still insignificant. However, significant correlations were found for ESTOC between TChl‐a anomalies and ENSO (El Niño Southern Oscillation) +3 years and NAO +1 year time lag.

Climate dependent diatom production is preserved in biogenic Si isotope signatures

Abstract. The aim of this study was to reconstruct diatom production in the subarctic northern tip of the Baltic Sea, Bothnian Bay, based on down-core analysis of Si isotopes in biogenic silica (BSi). Dating of the sediment showed that the samples covered the period 1820 to 2000. The sediment core record can be divided into two periods, an unperturbed period from 1820 to 1950 and a second period affected by human activities (from 1950 to 2000). This has been observed elsewhere in the Baltic Sea. The shift in the sediment core record after 1950 is likely caused by large scale damming of rivers. Diatom production was inferred from the Si isotope composition which ranged between δ30Si −0.18‰ and +0.58‰ in BSi, and assuming fractionation patterns due to the Raleigh distillation, the production was shown to be correlated with air and water temperature, which in turn were correlated with the mixed layer (ML) depth. The sedimentary record showed that the deeper ML depth observed in colder years resulted in less production of diatoms. Pelagic investigations in the 1990's have clearly shown that diatom production in the Baltic Sea is controlled by the ML depth. Especially after cold winters and deep water mixing, diatom production was limited and dissolved silicate (DSi) concentrations were not depleted in the water column after the spring bloom. Our method corroborates these findings and offers a new method to estimate diatom production over much longer periods of time in diatom dominated aquatic systems, i.e. a large part of the world's ocean and coastal seas.

Response of the Pacific Ocean Circulation to Climate Change

The response of the Pacific Ocean circulation to climate change is investigated by comparing solutions from a set of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) coupled models for a present-day climate (the 20C3M experiments) and a future, warmer climate (the SRESA1B experiments). Under the warmer climate scenario, the oceanic changes in the tropical Pacific include a relatively weak warming of the western equatorial thermocline, a weakening of the surface current system and a complicated change in the structure of the Equatorial Undercurrent (EUC) with an increased flow in its upper branch but a decreased flow in its lower branch. As the climate warms, the North Pacific Ocean features a basin-scale reduction in mixed layer depth, a weakening of the subtropical countercurrent (STCC), a northward shift of the Kuroshio Extension (KE) and an overall slowdown of the subtropical gyre. In the South Pacific, the warmer climate induces significant changes in the upper ocean of the eastern subtropics including a relatively weak warming, a deepening of mixed layer depth and an anticylonic circulation.

Importance of water mass formation regions for the air-sea CO2flux estimate in the Southern Ocean

[1] CARIOCA drifters and ship data from several cruises in the Subantarctic Zone (SAZ) of the Pacific Ocean, approximately 40°S–55°S, have been used in order to investigate surface CO2 partial pressure (pCO2) and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) patterns. The highest DIC values were determined in regions of deep water formation, characterized by deep mixed layer depths (MLD) as estimated from Argo float profiles. As a result, these areas act as sources of CO2 to the atmosphere. Using an empirical linear relationship between DIC, sea surface temperature (SST), and MLD, we then combine DIC with AT based on salinity and compute pCO2. Finally, we derive monthly fields of air-sea CO2 flux in the SAZ. Our fit predicts the existence of a realistic seasonal cycle, close to equilibrium with the atmosphere in winter and a sink when biological activity takes place. It also reproduces the impact that deep water formation regions close to the Subantarctic Front (SAF) and in the eastern part of the SAZ have on the uptake capacity of the area. These areas, undersampled in previous studies, have high pCO2, and as a result, our estimates (0.05 ± 0.03 PgC yr−1) indicate that the Pacific SAZ acts as a weaker sink of CO2 than suggested by previous studies which neglect these source regions.

Mixed Layer Depth and its Variability in the Eastern Equatorial Indian Ocean as Revealed by Observations and Model Simulations

Mixed layer depth (MLD) variability in the Eastern Equatorial Indian Ocean (EEIO) from a hindcast run of an Ocean General Circulation Model (OGCM) forced by daily winds and radiative fluxes from NCEP-NCAR reanalysis from 2004 to 2006 is investigated. Model MLD compares well with the ∼20,000 observations from Argo floats and a TRITON buoy (1.5°S and 90°E) in the Indian Ocean. Tests with a one-dimensional upper ocean model were conducted to assess the impact on the MLD simulations that would result from the lack of the diurnal cycle in the forcing applied to the OGCM. The error was of the order of ∼12 m. MLD at the TRITON buoy location shows a bimodal pattern with deep MLD during May–June and December–January. MLD pattern during fall 2006 was significantly different from the climatology and was rather shallow during December–January both in the model and observation. An examination of mixed layer heat and salt budget suggested salinity freshening caused by the advective and vertical diffusive mixing to be the cause of shallow MLD.

Intra-Annual Studies of Mixed Layer Depth in the Arabian Sea Using A 3 ½ Layer Indian Ocean Model

Mixed layer is the upper layer of the ocean, where significant physical, chemical and biological activities take place. Knowledge of mixed layer depth variability is important in the studies of air-sea interaction, acoustic propagation, heat transport and fisheries. The Arabian Sea experiences extremes in atmospheric forcing that lead to intra-annual and in- ter-annual variability. Since the climatic conditions over the Arabian Sea are highly variable, the mixed layer depth also changes seasonally. Hence the intra-annual variability of mixed layer depth in the Arabian Sea has been examined using 3 � layer Indian Ocean model. The model is integrated for 8 years (1993 - 2000) with annually varying monthly averaged winds derived from ERS-2 scatterometer. In addition to this data, inter annually varying monthly averaged satellite esti- mates of precipitation from Global Precipitation Climatology were also incorporated in the model. Model results show a steady deepening of mixed layer depth in the central Arabian Sea during southwest monsoon period. The model shows its capability to predict the shallow mixed layer depths caused by coastal upwelling off Somalia during southwest monsoon period and is able to capture the Lakshadweep high/low as it predicted successfully the deeper/shallow mixed layer ob- served during these periods.

Phytoplankton bloom due to Cyclone Sidr in the central Bay of Bengal

The evidence of phytoplankton bloom in response to the cyclone Sidr in the central Bay of Bengal (BoB) basin has been reported. Satellite observations of surface chlorophyll-a concentration (Chl-a) from MODIS-Aqua, sea surface temperature (SST) from MODIS-Aqua and TMI were studied for before, during and after cyclone periods. The mixed-layer depth (MLD) derived from the nearest Argo float that was closest to the cyclone track along with the float temperature and salinity (T/S) profiles near the cyclone track were studied to further complement the satellite observations. Nearly 900 km long phytoplankton bloom was observed along the cyclone path. Along the path of cyclone Sidr, the average increase in Chl-a due to Sidr during the cyclone and after cyclone period was about 285 per cent and 150 per cent respectively, from the before-cyclone period. The mean decrease in SST from before cyclone period was about 1.75°C and 1.27°C between during and after cyclone period respectively, with maximum cooling of 3.2°C observed during cyclone period. The Argo float observations indicate deepening of MLD by 15 m, during the cyclone and shoaling of MLD after the cyclone by about 35 m. Upward Ekman pumping due to cyclonic winds caused upwelling of nutrient rich subsurface waters, which led to the bloom in the BoB.

Physical behaviors of the iron-fertilized patch in SEEDS II

Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) tracer release experiments were carried out to trace the iron-fertilized water mass during the iron-fertilization experiments in the western North Pacific of Subarctic Pacific Iron Experiment for Ecosystem Dynamics Study II (SEEDS II) in 2004. A solution of Fe and SF6 tracer was released into the surface mixed layer over an 8 � 8 km area, and the fertilized patch was traced by onboard SF6 analysis for 12 days during each experiment. A Lagrangian frame of reference was maintained by the use of a drogued GPS buoy released at the center of the patch to reduce the advection effect on observations. The patch moved along the contour of sea-surface height (SSH) of a clockwise mesoscale eddy for 4 days after release. Then strong easterly winds dragged the patch across the contour of SSH. The patch behavior was affected by both the mesoscale eddy and surface winds. Apparent horizontal diffusivities were determined by the change of the distribution of SF6 concentrations. The averaged apparent horizontal diffusivity was about 49 m 2 s � 1 during SEEDS II. It was larger than the one in SEEDS. Mixed-layer depth (MLD) was 8.5–18 m during SEEDS, and 12–33 m during SEEDS II. The larger horizontal diffusivity and deeper MLD in SEEDS II were disadvantages to maintain a high iron concentration in the surface layer compared to SEEDS. Temporal change of the MLD corresponded to the temporal change of chlorophyll-a concentration. Temporal change in the surface MLD was also important for the response of phytoplankton by iron fertilization.

Mixed layer depth in the Aegean, Marmara, Black and Azov Seas: Part I: General features

Climatological fields of mixed layer depth (MLD) are presented over the Aegean, Marmara, Black and Azov Seas. Monthly fields of MLD are formed by historical individual temperature and salinity profiles from combination of various data sets with additional quality control procedures applied. Various definitions that are based solely on temperature ( T) or those that include the impact of salinity ( S) are applied to investigate the robustness in the pattern and values of the MLDs. Interpolation of the MLD fields to a 0.25° × 0.25° regular grid over the region is accomplished using a combination of median filter and ordinary kriging. Strong seasonal variability is noted in all regions. Given a density-based MLD criterion that includes both T and S, deep mixed layers (> 200 m) are noted in the Aegean Sea, especially eastern part of the region during winter while MLDs are generally much shallower (< 60 m) in the Black Sea. A criterion based on curvature method, which determines MLD according to first maximum of curvature of T may fail in representing deep MLDs in the Aegean Sea when the water column is well mixed. MLD fields obtained from all definitions are found to be strongly correlated to each other over the seasonal cycle, confirming the strong seasonal cycle. While the curvature method gives shallow MLDs only during winter, it has relatively large skill in comparison to the density-based MLD criterion. In general, MLD fields suffer from lack of input T and S profiles in the Marmara and Azov Seas, thus they may not be representative. Monthly MLD fields presented in this paper are available for various applications, such as mixed layer studies, ocean biology, ocean modeling and acoustic propagation.

Hydraulic Management Drives Heat Budgets and Temperature Trends in a Mediterranean Reservoir

AbstractBy contrast to the more regular and predictable temperate lakes, heat budgets and temperature dynamics in Mediterranean reservoirs are characterized by a marked interannual variability. In the present paper, the heat content, annual Birgean heat budget (ABHB), and thermal structure of Sau Reservoir were examined during a period of hypolimnetic withdrawal between 1980 and 1985, and during a period of withdrawal at intermediate depths between 1996 and 2003. The two study periods were also characterized by a wide range of stored water volume fluctuations. Results were used to develop and validate an empirical model to predict annual and monthly heat dynamics statistics and mixed layer depth as a function of hydraulic management parameters such as water volume and selective withdrawal depth. During the hypolimnetic withdrawal period elevated ABHB and deep mixed layer depths were recorded in the reservoir, which behaved as a heat trap. By contrast, intermediate depth withdrawal promoted a shallower and more stable thermocline, thus increasing the cold hypolimnetic water volume and decreasing heat content and ABHB. The study reveals that hydraulic management constitutes the main driver of the heat and thermal dynamics in reservoirs with multiple withdrawal outlets. By contrast with the increasing temperature trends recorded in many natural lakes, the hydraulic management in Sau Reservoir induced a progressive reduction in water temperature and heat content in the system, thus partially counteracting the possible deleterious effects of global warming. Our intensive study in a single, highly‐dynamic ecosystem constitutes a new approximation to the study of thermal structure and heat dynamics in water bodies. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &amp; Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

From climate regime shifts to lower-trophic level phenology: Synthesis of recent progress in retrospective studies of the western North Pacific

Pelagic ecosystems of the western North Pacific have experienced dramatic changes in recent decades. Prior retrospective analysis of several regions has shown that ecosystem or population changes have occurred coincident with or shortly following significant changes in ocean climate and atmospheric forcing. Here, we summarize these changes and attempt to identify specific mechanisms responsible for the changes in three regions in the western North Pacific: the Oyashio (OY), the subtropical water (ST), and the southern Japan/East Sea (JES). A cooling condition after the climate regime shift of 1976–1977 deepened the winter mixed layer depth (MLD) in both the OY and ST, but influenced lower-trophic level productivity differently between these regions. The deep MLD reduced winter phytoplankton and zooplankton biomass in the subarctic OY, presumably due to a decrease in wintertime light availability. Concurrently, it increased spring plankton biomass in the ST, presumably due to the replenishment of springtime nutrients. When a warming condition became prevalent after the 1988–1989 regime shift, the shallow winter MLD increased the winter plankton biomass in the OY, but decreased the spring plankton biomass in the ST through the same mechanism controlling light and nutrient availability. In the JES, with a complex water column structure consisting of the surface warm current and dense subsurface cold water, the hydrographic conditions and ecosystem responses could not be explained by the mechanisms for the OY and ST. We also detected cooling and warming phase shifts induced a phenological change in the OY. A model hindcast for the OY estimated an average 5-day (max. 20-day) delay in the timing of the primary production peak during the cool phase after the mid-1970s. This timing became earlier after the mid-1990s, several years after the 1988–1989 regime shift, reaching the level before the mid-1970s. The observed increase and decrease in winter and spring phytoplankton biomass, respectively, during the warm phase in the 1990s, indicate a moderate but prolonged productive season, which differs from the conventional seasonal variation pattern of the OY with an extensive but short spring bloom. This alternate phytoplankton seasonality coupled with the direct influence of a warm temperature anomaly might dramatically alter the zooplankton community structure in the OY after the 1990s, as suggested by the marked increase in the occurrence of warm-water copepods in spring. Based on these findings, we warn that retrospective analyses based on annual averages and lacking careful consideration of seasonal variation may result in erroneous findings of causes and consequences.

Chlorophyll a variation in the Kuroshio Extension revealed with a mixed‐layer tracking float: implication on the long‐term change of Pacific saury (Cololabis saira)

AbstractVariation of chlorophyll a from March 2004 to July 2005 in the formation region of Subtropical Mode Water in the Kuroshio Extension was observed with a mixed‐layer tracking profiling float parking at around 40 m depth. Chlorophyll a concentration in the mixed‐layer is seasonally high from winter to early spring (January–April) even in the deep mixed layer; whereas during winter it tends to be lower for the corresponding deeper mixed layer. The chlorophyll a integrated over the winter mixed‐layer depth (MLD) increases with MLD for MLD &lt;200 m and for MLD &gt; 250 m the integrated chlorophyll a almost disappears, probably because of the large MLD exceeds in the critical depth with light limitation. These results suggest that the wintertime MLD influences the recruitment of Pacific saury (Cololabis saira) in the Kuroshio Extension because the wintertime food environment for larvae and juvenile of the Pacific saury could be better in the shallow wintertime MLD period of the 1950s and 1990s and worse in the deep MLD period of the 1970s and early 1980s.

The upper ocean response to tropical cyclones in the northwestern Pacific analyzed with Argo data

A large number of autonomous profiling floats deployed in global oceans have provided abundant temperature and salinity profiles of the upper ocean. Many floats occasionally profile observations during the passage of tropical cyclones. These in-situ observations are valuable and useful in studying the ocean’s response to tropical cyclones, which are rarely observed due to harsh weather conditions. In this paper, the upper ocean response to the tropical cyclones in the northwestern Pacific during 2000–2005 is analyzed and discussed based on the data from Argo profiling floats. Results suggest that the passage of tropical cyclones caused the deepening of mixed layer depth (MLD), cooling of mixed layer temperature (MLT), and freshening of mixed layer salinity (MLS). The change in MLT is negatively correlated to wind speed. The cooling of the MLT extended for 50–150 km on the right side of the cyclone track. The change of MLS is almost symmetrical in distribution on both sides of the track, and the change of MLD is negatively correlated to pre-cyclone initial MLD.

Daily inter-annual simulations of SST and MLD using atmospherically forced OGCMs: Model evaluation in comparison to buoy time series

A systematic methodology for model–data comparisons of sea surface temperature (SST) and mixed layer depth (MLD) is presented using inter-annual simulations from an ocean general circulation model (OGCM), the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) Layered Ocean Model (NLOM), over 1980–1998. The model–data comparisons performed here are applicable to other OGCMs and are sufficiently detailed to allow easy comparison of results from other models with NLOM, including statistics at specific buoy locations in specific years. There are three model configurations: coarse resolution (1/2°global) and fine resolution (1/8° global and 1/16° Pacific). These are used to assess the sensitivity to OGCM resolution, including the impact of increasing non-determinicity due to flow instabilities in the 1/8° marginally eddy-resolving and 1/1°6 fully eddy-resolving simulations. In addition, sensitivity to the choice of atmospheric forcing product is investigated. For all three models the atmospheric forcing is from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) during 1980–1998, and for the 1/16° Pacific configuration only the forcing from the Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center (FNMOC) Navy Operational Global Atmospheric Prediction System (NOGAPS) during 1990–1998 is also used. Availability of NOGAPS thermal forcing begins in 1998. Daily averaged buoy time series from the National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) and the Tropical Atmosphere Ocean (TAO) array are used for inter-annual evaluation of these atmospherically forced OGCMs with no assimilation of SST data and no date-specific assimilation of any data type. For the purpose of model evaluation several statistical metrics are calculated comparing buoy and model time series: mean error (ME), root-mean-square difference (RMSD), correlation coefficient ( R), non-dimensional skill score (SS), and normalized RMSD (NRMSD). SST comparisons to the 340 yearlong daily buoy SST time series spanning 1980–1998 gave median values of − 0.09 °C for ME, 0.82 °C for RMSD, 0.92 for R, and 0.73 for SS for the 1/2° global model. Positive SS values, an indication of model success, are found for 286 out of 340 buoys (≈ 84%). An advantage of using a floating mixed layer approach in the global model is demonstrated for simulation of deep and shallow MLD at a buoy location in the Arabian Sea during the 1994–1995 Monsoon period. Model–data comparisons for 1998, when the equatorial Pacific ocean experienced a sharp transition from a strong El Niño to a strong La Niña event, revealed almost no sensitivity to the choice of thermal forcing product. In general, the sensitivity of SST accuracy to model resolution or atmospheric forcing choice was also low based on comparisons to 194 yearlong daily SST time series during 1990–1998. The median RMSD values are 0.68°, 0.61°, 0.84° and 0.84 °C for 1/2°, 1/8°, 1/16° ECMWF-forced simulations and the 1/16° with NOGAPS wind forcing and ECMWF thermal forcing. However, some regional differences exist, e.g., median RMSD values of 0.85 °C for the ECMWF-forced vs. 0.88 °C for the NOGAPS-forced simulations against the 127 TAO buoys, and 0.76 °C for NOGAPS-forced vs. 0.84 °C for ECMWF-forced simulations against the 67 NDBC buoys, all outside the equatorial region. Overall, the results of this paper revealed that 6 hourly wind and thermal forcing products exist that are sufficiently accurate to allow simulated SSTs and MLDs in an OGCM that are typically accurate to within < 1 °C in comparison to daily buoy time series, when there is no assimilation of SST data and when model SST is used in the calculation of latent and sensible heat fluxes. These results indicate that the atmospheric forcing products and the OGCM are suitable for assimilation and forecasting of SST over the global ocean.

Seasonal variability of the mixed layer in the central Bay of Bengal and associated changes in nutrients and chlorophyll

Hydrographic data from National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC) and Responsible National Oceanographic Data Centre (RNODC) were used to study the seasonal variability of the mixed layer in the central Bay of Bengal (8–20°N and 87–91°E), while meteorological data from Comprehensive Ocean Atmosphere Data Set (COADS) were used to explore atmospheric forcing responsible for the variability. The observed changes in the mixed-layer depth (MLD) clearly demarcated a distinct north–south regime with 15°N as the limiting latitude. North of this latitude MLD remained shallow (∼20 m) for most of the year without showing any appreciable seasonality. Lack of seasonality suggests that the low-salinity water, which is perennially present in the northern Bay, controls the stability and MLD. The observed winter freshening is driven by the winter rainfall and associated river discharge, which is advected offshore under the prevailing circulation. The resulting stratification was so strong that even a 4 °C cooling in sea-surface temperature (SST) during winter was unable to initiate convective mixing. In contrast, the southern region showed a strong semi-annual variability with deep MLD during summer and winter and a shallow MLD during spring and fall intermonsoons. The shallow MLD in spring and fall results from primary and secondary heating associated with increased incoming solar radiation and lighter winds during this period. The deep mixed layer during summer results from two processes: the increased wind forcing and the intrusion of high-salinity waters of Arabian Sea origin. The high winds associated with summer monsoon initiate greater wind-driven mixing, while the intrusion of high-salinity waters erodes the halocline and weakens the upper-layer stratification of the water column and aids in vertical mixing. The deep MLD in the south during winter was driven by wind-mixing, when the upper water column was comparatively less stable. The deep MLD between 15 and 17°N during March–May cannot be explained in the context of local atmospheric forcing. We show that this is associated with the propagation of Rossby waves from the eastern Bay. We also show that the nitrate and chlorophyll distribution in the upper ocean during spring intermonsoon is strongly coupled to the MLD, whereas during summer river runoff and cold-core eddies appear to play a major role in regulating the nutrients and chlorophyll.

How Does Solar Attenuation Depth Affect the Ocean Mixed Layer? Water Turbidity and Atmospheric Forcing Impacts on the Simulation of Seasonal Mixed Layer Variability in the Turbid Black Sea*

Abstract A fine-resolution (≈3.2 km) Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM) is used to investigate the impact of solar radiation attenuation with depth on the predictions of monthly mean sea surface height (SSH), mixed layer depth (MLD), buoyancy and heat fluxes, and near-sea surface circulation as well. The model uses spatially and temporally varying attenuation of photosynthetically available radiation (kPAR) climatologies as processed from the remotely sensed Sea-Viewing Wide Field-of-View Sensor (SeaWiFS) to take water turbidity into account in the Black Sea. An examination of the kPAR climatology reveals a strong seasonal cycle in the water turbidity, with a basin-averaged annual climatological mean value of 0.19 m−1 over the Black Sea. Climatologically forced HYCOM simulations demonstrate that shortwave radiation below the mixed layer can be quite different based on the water turbidity, thereby affecting prediction of upper-ocean quantities in the Black Sea. The clear water constant solar attenuation depth assumption results in relatively deeper MLD (e.g., ≈+15 m in winter) in comparison to standard simulations due to the unrealistically large amount of shortwave radiation below the mixed layer, up to 100 W m−2 during April to October. Such unrealistic sub–mixed layer heating causes weaker stratification at the base of the mixed layer. The buoyancy gain associated with high solar heating in summer effectively stabilizes the upper ocean producing shallow mixed layers and elevated SSH over the most of the Black Sea. In particular, the increased stability resulting from the water turbidity reduces vertical mixing in the upper ocean and causes changes in surface-layer currents, especially in the easternmost part of the Black Sea. Monthly mean SSH anomalies from the climatologically forced HYCOM simulations were evaluated against a monthly mean SSH anomaly climatology, which was constructed using satellite altimeter data from TOPEX/ Poseidon (T/P), Geosat Follow-On (GFO), and the Earth Remote Sensing Satellite-2 (ERS-2) over 1993–2002. Model–data comparisons show that the basin-averaged root-mean-square (rms) difference is ≈4 cm between the satellite-based SSH climatology and that obtained from HYCOM simulations using spatial and temporal kPAR fields. In contrast, when all solar radiation is absorbed at the sea surface or clear water constant solar attenuation depth values of 16.7 m are used in the model simulations, the basin-averaged SSH rms difference with respect to the climatology is ≈6 cm (≈50% more). This demonstrates positive impact from using monthly varying solar attenuation depths in simulating upper-ocean quantities in the Black Sea. The monthly mean kPAR and SSH anomaly climatologies presented in this paper can also be used for other Black Sea studies.

A New Solar Radiation Penetration Scheme for Use in Ocean Mixed Layer Studies: An Application to the Black Sea Using a Fine-Resolution Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM)*

Abstract A 1/25° × 1/25° cos(lat) (longitude × latitude) (≈3.2-km resolution) eddy-resolving Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM) is introduced for the Black Sea and used to examine the effects of ocean turbidity on upper-ocean circulation features including sea surface height and mixed layer depth (MLD) on annual mean climatological time scales. The model is a primitive equation model with a K-profile parameterization (KPP) mixed layer submodel. It uses a hybrid vertical coordinate that combines the advantages of isopycnal, σ, and z-level coordinates in optimally simulating coastal and open-ocean circulation features. This model approach is applied to the Black Sea for the first time. HYCOM uses a newly developed time-varying solar penetration scheme that treats attenuation as a continuous quantity. This scheme includes two bands of solar radiation penetration, one that is needed in the top 10 m of the water column and another that penetrates to greater depths depending on the turbidity. Thus, it is suitable for any ocean general circulation model that has fine vertical resolution near the surface. With this scheme, the optical depth–dependent attenuation of subsurface heating in HYCOM is given by monthly mean fields for the attenuation of photosynthetically active radiation (kPAR) during 1997–2001. These satellite-based climatological kPAR fields are derived from Sea-Viewing Wide Field-of-View Sensor (SeaWiFS) data for the spectral diffuse attenuation coefficient at 490 nm (k490) and have been processed to have the smoothly varying and continuous coverage necessary for use in the Black Sea model applications. HYCOM simulations are driven by two sets of high-frequency climatological forcing, but no assimilation of ocean data is then used to demonstrate the importance of including spatial and temporal varying attenuation depths for the annual mean prediction of upper-ocean quantities in the Black Sea, which is very turbid (kPAR &amp;gt; 0.15 m−1, in general). Results are reported from three model simulations driven by each atmospheric forcing set using different values for the kPAR. A constant solar-attenuation optical depth of ≈17 m (clear water assumption), as opposed to using spatially and temporally varying attenuation depths, changes the surface circulation, especially in the eastern Black Sea. Unrealistic sub–mixed layer heating in the former results in weaker stratification at the base of the mixed layer and a deeper MLD than observed. As a result, the deep MLD off Sinop (at around 42.5°N, 35.5°E) weakens the surface currents regardless of the atmospheric forcing used in the model simulations. Using the SeaWiFS-based monthly turbidity climatology gives a shallower MLD with much stronger stratification at the base and much better agreement with observations. Because of the high Black Sea turbidity, the simulation with all solar radiation absorbed at the surface case gives results similar to the simulations using turbidity from SeaWiFS in the annual means, the aspect of the results investigated in this paper.

The Wintertime Water Mass Formation in the Northern Arabian Sea: A Model Study

Abstract Using a level 2 one-dimensional turbulent closure model, the evolution of the Arabian Sea High Salinity Water mass (ASHSW) has been studied. Model-derived heat fluxes, sea surface temperature (SST), and mixed layer depths (MLD) are found to be in reasonable agreement with the observations. Winter cooling is characterized by a net heat loss of 40 W m−2 from the ocean, while there is a mild heat loss in summer. Wind-driven turbulent mixing is considerably stronger than buoyancy forcing during the summer monsoon and explains the mechanism for governing deep MLD and cool SST. During winter, a large latent heat release by the ocean due to prevailing dry air from the north, together with reduced solar radiation and increased longwave radiation due to lower cloudiness, decreases the net heat flux considerably. Negative buoyancy flux plays a major role in the formation of ASHSW during winter, while kinetic energy-driven vertical mixing is relatively weaker than during the summer monsoon. A sensitivity te...