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Title: Scale‐Dependent Vertical Heat Transport Inferred From Quasi‐Synoptic Submesoscale‐Resolving Observations
Oceanic motions across meso‐, submeso‐, and turbulent scales play distinct roles in vertical heat transport (VHT) between the ocean's surface and its interior. While it is commonly understood that during summertime the enhanced stratification due to increased solar radiation typically results in an reduced upper‐ocean vertical exchange, our study reveals a significant upward VHT associated with submesoscale fronts (<30 km) through high‐resolution observations in the eddy‐active South China Sea. The observation‐based VHT reaches ∼100 W m−2and extends to ∼150 m deep at the fronts between eddies. Combined with microstructure observations, this study demonstrates that mixing process can only partly offset the strong upward VHT by inducing a downward heat flux of 0.5–10 W m−2. Thus, the submesoscale‐associated VHT is effectively heating the subsurface layer. These findings offer a quantitative perspective on the scale‐dependent nature of VHT, with crucial implications for the climate system.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
2149041
PAR ID:
10586617
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ;
Publisher / Repository:
American Geophysical Union
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Geophysical Research Letters
Volume:
51
Issue:
12
ISSN:
0094-8276
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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