Upper Ocean Response to the Atmospheric Cold Pools Associated With the Madden-Julian Oscillation

Authors

Suyang Pei, Texas A&M University
Toshiaki Shinoda, Texas A&M University
Alexander Soloviev, Nova Southeastern UniversityFollow
Ren-Chieh Lien, University of Washington - Seattle

ORCID

0000-0001-6519-1547

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Geophysical Research Letters

ISSN

0094-8276

Publication Date

5-28-2010

Keywords

Atmospheric cold pools, MJO, Air-sea interactions, SST, Upper ocean processes, DYNAMO

Abstract

Atmospheric cold pools are frequently observed during the Madden‐Julian Oscillation events and play an important role in the development and organization of large‐scale convection. They are generally associated with heavy precipitation and strong winds, inducing large air‐sea fluxes and significant sea surface temperature (SST) fluctuations. This study provides a first detailed investigation of the upper ocean response to the strong cold pools associated with the Madden‐Julian Oscillation, based on the analysis of in situ data collected during the Dynamics of the Madden‐Julian Oscillation (DYNAMO) field campaign and one‐dimensional ocean model simulations validated by the data. During strong cold pools, SST drops rapidly due to the atmospheric cooling in a shoaled mixed layer caused by the enhanced near‐surface salinity stratification generated by heavy precipitation. Significant contribution also comes from the component of surface heat flux produced by the cold rain temperature. After the period of heavy rain, while net surface cooling remains, SST gradually recovers due to the enhanced entrainment of warmer waters below the mixed layer.

DOI

10.1029/2018GL077825

Volume

45

Issue

10

First Page

5020

Last Page

5029

Comments

©2018. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved.

Additional Comments

NOAA grant #s: NA150AR431074, NA17OAR4310256; NSF grant #s: OCE-1658218, AGS-1347132; NASA grant #: NNX17AH25G

NSUWorks Citation

Suyang Pei, Toshiaki Shinoda, Alexander Soloviev, and Ren-Chieh Lien. 2010. Upper Ocean Response to the Atmospheric Cold Pools Associated With the Madden-Julian Oscillation .Geophysical Research Letters , (10) : 5020 -5029. https://nsuworks.nova.edu/occ_facarticles/930.