Model Simulations of Mesoscale Eddies and Deep Convection in the Labrador Sea

Deep convection in the Labrador Sea is confined within a small region in the southwest part of the basin.The strength of deep convection in this region is related to the local atmospheric and ocean characteristics,which favor processes of deep convection preconditioning and intense air-sea exchange during the winter season.In this study,we explored the effect of eddy-induced flux transport on the stratification of the Labrador Sea and the properties of deep convection.Simulations from an eddy-resolving ocean model are presented for the Labrador Sea.The general circulation was well simulated by the model,including the seasonal cycle of the deep Labrador Current.The simulated distribution of the surface eddy kinetic energy was also close to that derived from Topex-Poseidon satellite altimeter data,but with smaller magnitude.The energy transfer diagnostics indicated that Irminger rings are generated by both baroclinic and barotropic processes; however,when they propagate into the interior basin,the barotropic process also disperses them by converting the eddy energy to the mean flow.In contrast to eddy-permitting simulations,deep convection in the Labrador Sea was better represented in the eddyresolving model regarding their lateral position.Further analysis indicated that the improvement might be due to the lateral eddy flux associated with the resolved Irminger rings in the eddy-resolving model,which contributes to a realistic position of the isopycnal dome in the Labrador Sea and correspondingly a realistic site of deep convection.

Interdecadal Variations of ENSO around 1999/2000

This paper discusses the interdecadal changes of the climate in the tropical Pacific with a focus on the correspond- ing changes in the characteristics of the E1 Nifio-Southern Oscillation （ENSO）. Compared with 1979-1999, the whole tropical Pacific climate system, including both the ocean and atmosphere, shifted to a lower variability regime after 1999/2000. Meanwhile, the frequency of ENSO became less regular and was closer to a white noise process. The lead time of the equatorial Pacific＇s subsurface ocean heat content in preceding ENSO decreased remarkably, in addition to a reduction in the maximum correlation between them. The weakening of the correlation and the shorten- ing of the lead time pose more challenges for ENSO prediction, and is the likely reason behind the decrease in skill with respect to ENSO prediction after 2000. Coincident with the changes in tropical Pacific climate variability, the mean states of the atmospheric and oceanic components also experienced physically coherent changes. The warm an- omaly of SST in the western Pacific and cold anomaly in the eastern Pacific resulted in an increased zonal SST gradi- ent, linked to an enhancement in surface wind stress and strengthening of the Walker circulation, as well as an in- crease in the slope of the thermocline. These changes were consistent with an increase （a decrease） in precipitation and an enhancement （a suppression） of the deep convection in the western （eastern） equatorial Pacific. Possible con- nections between the mean state and ENSO variability and frequency changes in the tropical Pacific are also dis- cussed.