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- Title
Drivers, Dynamics, and Persistence of the 2017/2018 Tasman Sea Marine Heatwave.
- Authors
Kajtar, Jules B.; Bachman, Scott D.; Holbrook, Neil J.; Pilo, Gabriela S.
- Abstract
During the austral summer of 2017/2018, the Tasman Sea experienced an intense marine heatwave over an extensive area. It persisted for approximately 3 months and caused substantial ecological impacts. The marine heatwave was understood to have been driven primarily by increased net downward heat flux associated with a high pressure system. However, it has been unclear why the marine heatwave persisted. Using an ultra‐high‐resolution (∼1 km) regional ocean model simulation, the drivers, dynamics, and persistence of the 2017/2018 marine heatwave are explored in detail. It is found that a burst of warm water advection helped to initiate the event, but a shallower than usual mixed layer, coupled with near continuous net downward air‐sea heat flux, caused the marine heatwave to persist. Submesoscale dynamics were found to be relatively unimportant to the marine heatwave's persistence. Plain Language Summary: Marine heatwaves are occurrences when the ocean temperature is much warmer than usual for an extended period. A large‐scale marine heatwave, lasting around 3 months, occurred in the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand during the austral summer of 2017/2018, causing severe impacts on the local marine ecology. The marine heatwave is known to have been driven by atmospheric heating, but it is unclear why it lasted as long as it did. Using an ultra‐high‐resolution ocean model simulation, a clearer picture has emerged of how ocean dynamics helped to initiate the marine heatwave, while heating by the atmosphere and a shallower than normal mixed layer caused it to persist. Key Points: An ultra‐high‐resolution simulation explored the drivers and ocean dynamics in maintaining the record 2017/2018 Tasman Sea marine heatwaveA warm water burst helped to initiate it, but a shallower than usual mixed layer and ongoing atmospheric heating caused it to persistSubmesoscale dynamics were found to be relatively unimportant
- Subjects
NEW Zealand; AUSTRALIA; MARINE heatwaves; HEAT waves (Meteorology); OCEAN temperature; MIXING height (Atmospheric chemistry); OCEAN dynamics; MARINE ecology; GAMMA ray bursts
- Publication
Journal of Geophysical Research. Oceans, 2022, Vol 127, Issue 8, p1
- ISSN
2169-9275
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1029/2022JC018931