Surface flux and ocean heat transport convergence contributions to seasonal and interannual variations of ocean heat content

We present an observation‐based heat budget analysis for seasonal and interannual variations of ocean heat content (H) in the mixed layer (Hmld) and full‐depth ocean (Htot). Surface heat flux and ocean heat content estimates are combined using a novel Kalman smoother‐based method. Regional contribut...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of geophysical research. Oceans 2017-01, Vol.122 (1), p.726-744
Main Authors: Roberts, C. D., Palmer, M. D., Allan, R. P., Desbruyeres, D.G., Hyder, P., Liu, C., Smith, D.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aerodynamics
Air temperature
Air-sea flux
Annual variations
Anomalies
Atmosphere
Convection
Convergence
Dense water
Depth
Dynamics
Eddy currents
Enthalpy
Equatorial regions
Fluctuations
Genetic transformation
Geophysics
Heat
Heat budget
Heat content
Heat flux
Heat transfer
Heat transport
heat transports
interannual
Interannual variations
Marine
Mixed layer
Ocean currents
Ocean dynamics
Ocean temperature
Oceans
Sea level
Sea surface temperature
surface fluxes
Surface temperature
Temperature
Temperature anomalies
Temperature effects
Time
Transport
Transport processes
Turbulence
Variability
Water depth
Water mass transformation
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Summary:We present an observation‐based heat budget analysis for seasonal and interannual variations of ocean heat content (H) in the mixed layer (Hmld) and full‐depth ocean (Htot). Surface heat flux and ocean heat content estimates are combined using a novel Kalman smoother‐based method. Regional contributions from ocean heat transport convergences are inferred as a residual and the dominant drivers of Hmld and Htot are quantified for seasonal and interannual time scales. We find that non‐Ekman ocean heat transport processes dominate Hmld variations in the equatorial oceans and regions of strong ocean currents and substantial eddy activity. In these locations, surface temperature anomalies generated by ocean dynamics result in turbulent flux anomalies that drive the overlying atmosphere. In addition, we find large regions of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans where heat transports combine with local air‐sea fluxes to generate mixed layer temperature anomalies. In all locations, except regions of deep convection and water mass transformation, interannual variations in Htot are dominated by the internal rearrangement of heat by ocean dynamics rather than the loss or addition of heat at the surface. Our analysis suggests that, even in extratropical latitudes, initialization of ocean dynamical processes could be an important source of skill for interannual predictability of Hmld and Htot. Furthermore, we expect variations in Htot (and thus thermosteric sea level) to be more predictable than near surface temperature anomalies due to the increased importance of ocean heat transport processes for full‐depth heat budgets. Key Points Observation‐based assessment of the drivers of mixed layer and full‐depth heat content variability on seasonal and interannual time scales Ocean heat transports dominate interannual mixed layer heat budgets in the equatorial oceans and regions of strong ocean currents Except in regions of dense water formation, interannual variability of full‐depth heat content is dominated by heat transport convergences
ISSN:2169-9275
2169-9291
DOI:10.1002/2016JC012278