A streamfunction EOF method is applied to a time series of hydrographic sections in the Southern Ocean south of Australia to study water mass variations. Results show that there are large thermohaline variations north...A streamfunction EOF method is applied to a time series of hydrographic sections in the Southern Ocean south of Australia to study water mass variations. Results show that there are large thermohaline variations north of the Subantarctic Front (SAF) at 300–1500 dbar level, indicating upwelling and downwelling of the Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW) along isopycnal surfaces. Based on the latest altimeter product, Absolute Dynamic Topography, a mechanism due to frontal wave propagation is proposed to explain this phenomenon, and an index for frontal waves is defined. When the frontal wave is in positive (negative) phase, the SAF flows northeastward (southeastward) with the fresh AAIW downwelling (upwelling). Such mesoscale processes greatly enhance cross-frontal exchanges of water masses. Spectral analysis shows that frontal waves in the Southern Ocean south of Australia are dominated by a period of about 130 days with a phase speed of 4 cm/s and a wavelength of 450 km.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 41006114)the National Science and Technology Major Project (Grant No. 2012YQ12003907)+2 种基金the National Key Basic Research Program of China (Grant Nos. 2012CB417401 and 2013CB956202)the CAS Strategic Priority Research Program (Grant No. XDA11010101)the NSFC-Shandong Joint Fund for Marine Science Research Center (Grant No. U1406401)
文摘A streamfunction EOF method is applied to a time series of hydrographic sections in the Southern Ocean south of Australia to study water mass variations. Results show that there are large thermohaline variations north of the Subantarctic Front (SAF) at 300–1500 dbar level, indicating upwelling and downwelling of the Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW) along isopycnal surfaces. Based on the latest altimeter product, Absolute Dynamic Topography, a mechanism due to frontal wave propagation is proposed to explain this phenomenon, and an index for frontal waves is defined. When the frontal wave is in positive (negative) phase, the SAF flows northeastward (southeastward) with the fresh AAIW downwelling (upwelling). Such mesoscale processes greatly enhance cross-frontal exchanges of water masses. Spectral analysis shows that frontal waves in the Southern Ocean south of Australia are dominated by a period of about 130 days with a phase speed of 4 cm/s and a wavelength of 450 km.
