We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
An Intrathermocline Eddy Observed in the Southeastern Tropical Indian Ocean.
- Authors
Liu, Baochao; Su, Qinglei; Wang, Huiwu; Yang, Guang; Fang, Yue; Duan, Yongliang; Zu, Yongcan
- Abstract
An intrathermocline eddy (ITE) was observed over the southeastern tropical Indian Ocean (SETIO) from early February to early May 2020. The ITE was generated near the southwest of Java, and was long lived with a long propagation distance. It had pronounced surface anticyclonic anomalies during westward propagation. Observations from an anchored buoy and several Argo profiles suggested a typical lens‐like vertical structure within the thermocline during the passage of the ITE. The ITE carried a saline water mass with maximum salinity at core depths of 100–150 m. The saline water mass originated from the equatorial Indian Ocean and was transported to the southwest of Java in early January. The formation of the ITE was characterized by a rapid increase of positive sea level anomaly in the southwest of Java, which was closely associated with the local positive wind stress curl in late January and early February. Plain Language Summary: Intrathermocline eddies (ITEs) are a type of subsurface oceanic mesoscale eddy that are difficult to identify from satellite observations. The southeastern tropical Indian Ocean (SETIO) shows high mesoscale eddy activity. However, little is known about the behavior and generation of ITEs over the SETIO due to infrequent hydrographic surveys. An ITE was observed over the SETIO during February–May 2020 using an anchored buoy and several Argo profiles. The ITE had anticyclonic anomalies at the surface, a typical lens‐like structure within the thermocline, and a water mass with salinity higher than the surrounding water. The saline water mass trapped in the ITE was traced back to the equatorial Indian Ocean and was transported to the southwest of Java in early January 2020. However, the surface anticyclonic anomalies of the ITE did not form until early February 2020, when the local wind induced a strong positive wind stress curl to the southwest of Java. The water properties of the reported ITE differed from the statistical water properties of surface anticyclonic eddies over the SETIO. Calculation of mass transport could be affected by misrepresentation of the ITE as a surface anticyclonic eddy. Key Points: An intrathermocline eddy (ITE) was detected over the southeastern tropical Indian Ocean by an anchored buoy and several Argo profilesThe ITE had surface anticyclonic anomalies, a lens‐like vertical structure, and a water mass with high salinityWater mass in the ITE was from the equatorial Indian Ocean and anticyclonic anomalies was closely related to local positive wind stress curl
- Subjects
BUOYS; OCEAN; SALINE waters; EDDIES; MESOSCALE eddies; HYDROGRAPHIC surveying
- Publication
Geophysical Research Letters, 2023, Vol 50, Issue 22, p1
- ISSN
0094-8276
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1029/2023GL104462