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Ocean eddies affect large‐scale circulation and induce a kinetic energy cascade through their non‐linear interactions. However, since global observations of eddy dynamics come from satellite altimetry maps that smooth eddies and distort their geometry, the strength of this cascade is underestimated. Here, we use deep learning to improve observational estimates of global surface geostrophic currents and explore the implications for the cascade. By synthesizing multi‐modal satellite observations of sea surface height (SSH) and temperature, we achieve up to a 30% improvement in spatial resolution over the community‐standard SSH product. This reveals numerous strongly interacting eddies that were previously obscured by smoothing. In many regions, these newly resolved eddies lead to nearly an order‐of‐magnitude increase in the upscale kinetic energy cascade that peaks in spring and is strong enough to drive the seasonality of large mesoscale eddies. Our study suggests that deep learning can be a powerful paradigm for satellite oceanography. Plain Language Summary: We developed a deep learning method to estimate global maps of surface ocean currents from satellite observations with significantly improved resolution and accuracy compared to existing methods. These maps dramatically improve our ability to observe eddy dynamics and the impact of eddies on the transfer of energy between scales in the ocean. Our study suggests that deep learning can be a powerful paradigm for satellite oceanography. Key Points: We develop the first deep learning global estimates of surface ocean currents from multi‐modal satellite observationsOur deep learning method is able to map surface currents with state‐of‐the‐art resolution and accuracyThe diagnosed kinetic energy cascade is an order of magnitude higher compared to conventional altimetry products [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the northwestern Barents Sea the warm and salty Atlantic Water meets the cold and fresh Polar Water, forming a distinct thermohaline front, the Barents Sea Polar Front. Here we present the structure of the front, its variability and associated mixing using observations from two cruises conducted in October 2020 and February 2021 during the Nansen Legacy project in the region between the Hopen Trench and the Olga Basin. Ocean stratification, currents and turbulence data were obtained during seven ship transects across the Polar Front near 77° N, 30° E. These transects are complemented by four missions using ocean gliders, one of which was equipped with microstructure sensors to measure turbulence. Across the front, we observe warm (> 1 °C) and salty (> 35.0 g kg -1) Atlantic Water intruding below the colder (< 0 °C) and fresher (< 34.6 g kg -1) Polar Water, setting up a baroclinic front and geostrophic currents reaching 25 cm s -1 , with estimated eastward transport of 0.2±0.6 Sv (1 Sv =1×106 m 3 s -1). We observe anomalous warm- and cold-water patches on the cold and warm side of the front, respectively, colocated with enhanced turbulence, where dissipation rates of turbulent kinetic energy range between 10-8 and 10-7 W kg -1. Short-term variability below the surface mixed layer arises from tidal currents and mesoscale eddies. While the effects of tidal currents are mainly confined to the bottom boundary layer, eddies induce significant shifts in the position of the front and alter the isopycnal slopes and the available potential energy of the front. Substantial water mass transformation is observed across the front, likely a result of eddy-driven isopycnal mixing. Despite the seasonal changes in the upper layers of the front (0–100 m) influenced by atmospheric forcing, sea ice formation and brine rejection, the position of the front beneath 100 m depth remained relatively unperturbed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Periodic eddies are a type of eddy that occur almost annually in fixed timeframes with similar patterns and trajectories. Nearly every year from April to June, under the combined effect of the barotropic instability of the mean flow and wind work, a cyclonic eddy (the Taiwan Cyclonic Eddy, TCE) forms in the southwest of Taiwan, then propagates westward, and finally dissipates near the Dongsha Islands. TCE exerts a significant impact on the Kuroshio intrusion into the South China Sea (SCS) and water exchange. Based on multi‐year in situ and satellite observations, this study reveals the thermohaline structure and evolutionary process of the TCE. The evolutions of the three‐dimensional structures of temperature, salinity, and geostrophic velocity of the TCE are analyzed based on reconstructed data. The TCE shows important interannual variations associated with El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), and the relationship between ENSO and the TCE is modulated by the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO). In the negative phase of the PDO, the intensity of the TCE is significantly correlated with the Niño‐3.4 index. In contrast, in the positive phase, the ENSO–TCE relationship becomes weak and non‐significant. Further investigations indicate that these differences are related to the establishment of the low‐latitude Pacific–East Asian Teleconnection, influencing local wind stress curl in the region. This offers a new perspective on understanding the interannual variation of periodic mesoscale eddies in the SCS. Plain Language Summary: The Taiwan Cyclonic Eddy (TCE) represents a significant periodic mesoscale eddy in the South China Sea (SCS), demonstrating annual occurrences and profound impacts on regional oceanography and climatological dynamics. This study expands on multi‐year in situ and satellite observations to elaborate the three‐dimensional thermohaline structure and dynamic behavior of the TCE, emphasizing its seasonal consistency and interannual variability influenced by major climatic oscillations such as El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO). The TCE's formation is primarily driven by the instability of the background current and significant wind forcing. Its interannual variation shows a non‐stationary relationship with ENSO, which is significantly modulated by the PDO. The study enhances our understanding of the interannual dynamics of the TCE by highlighting how shifts in large‐scale climatic conditions can directly alter the local structural and dynamic characteristics of the eddy. Understanding the TCE's formation and variation is vital as it affects water exchange in the SCS, and thus influences local marine ecosystems in the region. By studying this phenomenon, scientists can better predict the impacts of such eddies on marine and climatic environments. Key Points: The Taiwan Cyclonic Eddy (TCE) forms annually from April to June southwest of Taiwan due to current instability and wind forcingMulti‐year observations show the TCE has significant vertical extensions and temperature/salinity anomalies, impacting local conditionsThe TCE's evolution is tied to El Niño–Southern Oscillation and influenced by Pacific Decadal Oscillation phases, being stronger in negative phases due to enhanced teleconnections and wind adjustments [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exceptional precision and excellent resolution reconstruction of sea surface currents are beneficial for exploring complex oceanic dynamic processes. Normally, this required physical inversion models for global or regional oceans are constructed to reconstruct oceanic currents. These models are based on the analysis of sea surface geostrophic and Ekman currents derived from satellite observations of sea level and wind stress fields. Nevertheless, the presence of various typical dynamic processes in marine environments, such as mesoscale eddies and small-scale waves, continues to pose challenges in accurately reconstructing oceanic currents. Meanwhile, any product of surface current that neglects the contribution of wave motion would, at best, be incomplete. Therefore, in this paper, we introduce an accurate sea surface current product at a depth of 15 m, named GEST (Geostrophic-Ekman-Stokes-Tide). This product is produced by a multi-scale dynamics-informed neural network that learns the intricate representation of concealed characteristics in Ekman, geostrophic currents, wave-induced Stokes drift, and TPXO9 tidal currents. Its structure design is predicated upon the intricate coupling relationships between various ocean surface components and the veritable currents discerned by the deployment of drift buoys, with each ocean surface component correlating to discrete physical processes. Compared with the prevailing product, the GEST confers an elevation in precision by approximately 9.2 cm/s over the traditional multinomial fitting method, 10.4 cm/s beyond the OSCAR, and 8.81 cm/s surpassing GlobCurrent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ocean regulates the Earth's climate by transporting heat from the equator to the poles. Here, we use satellite‐based sea surface observations of air‐sea heat fluxes and eddy detection to investigate the mesoscale heat transport. "Mesoscale" refers to both the Eulerian perspective as the spatio‐temporal scales of ∼100 km and ∼1 month, as well as the Lagrangian aspect as isolated vortices identified from the dynamic topography. Paradoxically, there are a considerable number of mesoscale eddies inconsistent between their surface thermal and dynamic signals, that is, cold‐core anticyclones and warm‐core cyclones are globally prevalent. On account of such inconsistency, we show that the mesoscale meridional heat transport carried by geostrophic components is 10 times larger than (and opposite in direction to) that of the wind‐driven Ekman components. An offset between SSH‐SST coherent and incoherent eddies in the Ekman heat transport is apparent, whereas the geostrophic heat transport is contained within coherent eddies. Plain Language Summary: Rotating water masses in the ocean, termed as mesoscale eddies, are dynamically important features because they can transport nutrients and displace heat in the Earth's climate system. In the same manner as the atmospheric weather systems that are associated with high or low pressures, mesoscale eddies are accompanied by sea level anomalies and therefore can be observed by satellite images. Conventionally, anticyclonic eddies detected as clockwise vortices in the Northern Hemisphere display warm temperature anomalies at the center. However, recent studies have found that the sea surface temperature signal of an eddy might be uncertain and even contradictory to their dynamical circulation patterns. In this study, we combine sea surface observations of temperature and velocity fields to determine the patterns of global ocean heat transport associated with mesoscale eddies. Key Points: The geostrophic component of meridional heat transport (MHT) at the mesoscale is 10 times larger than the Ekman componentSSH‐SST coherent eddies dominate the spatial patterns of MHT at the mesoscaleThough incomparable in magnitude with the large scale MHT, mesoscale eddies can still transport 30 TW of heat near sea surface [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spatial distribution and seasonal variability of mesoscale eddies in the Sea of Japan have been investigated based on the regional database created from the AVISO Mesoscale Eddies Trajectory Atlas (1993–2020). The database contains information about the trajectories and parameters of mesoscale eddies in the Sea of Japan. The eddy detection method is based on the analysis of altimetric maps of absolute dynamic topography. A total of 578 eddies with a lifetime of more than 90 days have been identified (273 anticyclonic and 305 cyclonic). The average lifetime of eddies is 202 days for anticyclonic and 143 days for cyclonic and mean radius of 58 km for anticyclonic and 61 km for cyclonic. The mean speed of anticyclones and cyclones along their trajectories is 2.8 and 3.7 cm/s; the mean orbital velocities of geostrophic currents are 19.0 and 15.1 cm/s, respectively. The maximum number of cases of formation and destruction of anticyclones falls in July–September during the period with high values of water inflow through the Korea Strait. Most of the cyclonic eddies are generated between January and June and decay during the cold half of the year (October–March). A joint analysis of maps of the mean surface circulation in the Sea of Japan (satellite altimetry data) and the spatial distribution of mesoscale eddy shows that the stable eddies of the Sea of Japan are associated with the quasi-stationary meanders of the East Korea East Korea Warm Curent, Subpolar Front, and Tsushima current. The position of meanders is mainly determined by the interaction of the currents with the bottom topography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the northwestern Barents Sea the warm and salty Atlantic Water meets the cold and fresh Polar Water, forming a distinct thermohaline front (the Barents Sea Polar Front). Here we present the structure of the front, its variability and associated mixing using observations from two cruises conducted in October 2020 and February 2021 during the Nansen Legacy project, in the region between Hopen Trench and Olga Basin. Ocean stratification, currents, and turbulence data were obtained during seven ship transects across the Polar Front near 77° N, 30° E. These transects are complemented by four missions using ocean gliders, one of which was equipped with microstructure sensors to measure turbulence. Across the front, we observe warm (>2 °C) and salty (>34.8) Atlantic Water intruding below the colder (<0 °C) and fresher (<34.4) Polar Water, setting up a baroclinic front and geostrophic currents reaching 25 cm s-1, with estimated eastward transport of 0.3±0.2 Sv (1 Sv = 1×106 m³ s-1). We observe anomalous warm and cold-water patches on the cold and warm side of the front, respectively, collocated with enhanced turbulence, where dissipation rates of turbulent kinetic energy range between 10-8 and 10-7 W kg-1. Short-term variability below the surface mixed layer arises from tidal currents and mesoscale eddies. While the effects of tidal currents are mainly confined to the bottom boundary layer, eddies induce significant shifts in the position of the front, and alter the isopycnal slopes and the available potential energy of the front. Substantial water mass transformation is observed across the front, likely a result of eddy-driven isopycnal mixing. Despite the seasonal changes in the upper layers of the front (0–100 m) influenced by atmospheric forcing, sea ice formation, and brine rejection, the position of the front beneath 100 m depth remained relatively unperturbed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the northwestern Barents Sea the warm and salty Atlantic Water meets the cold and fresh Polar Water, forming a distinct thermohaline front (the Barents Sea Polar Front). Here we present the structure of the front, its variability and associated mixing using observations from two cruises conducted in October 2020 and February 2021 during the Nansen Legacy project, in the region between Hopen Trench and Olga Basin. Ocean stratification, currents, and turbulence data were obtained during seven ship transects across the Polar Front near 77° N, 30° E. These transects are complemented by four missions using ocean gliders, one of which was equipped with microstructure sensors to measure turbulence. Across the front, we observe warm (>2 °C) and salty (>34.8) Atlantic Water intruding below the colder (<0 °C) and fresher (<34.4) Polar Water, setting up a baroclinic front and geostrophic currents reaching 25 cm s-1, with estimated eastward transport of 0.3±0.2 Sv (1 Sv = 1×106 m3 s-1). We observe anomalous warm and cold-water patches on the cold and warm side of the front, respectively, collocated with enhanced turbulence, where dissipation rates of turbulent kinetic energy range between 10-8 and 10-7 W kg-1. Short-term variability below the surface mixed layer arises from tidal currents and mesoscale eddies. While the effects of tidal currents are mainly confined to the bottom boundary layer, eddies induce significant shifts in the position of the front, and alter the isopycnal slopes and the available potential energy of the front. Substantial water mass transformation is observed across the front, likely a result of eddy-driven isopycnal mixing. Despite the seasonal changes in the upper layers of the front (0–100 m) influenced by atmospheric forcing, sea ice formation, and brine rejection, the position of the front beneath 100 m depth remained relatively unperturbed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mesoscale eddies play a crucial role in the transport of mass, heat, salt and nutrients, exerting significant influence on ocean circulation patterns, biogeochemical processes and the global climate system. Based on Lagrangian-Averaged Vorticity Deviation (LAVD) method, this study applies 27 years (1993–2019) of geostrophic current velocity data to detect Rotationally Coherent Lagrangian Vortices (RCLVs) in the Northwest Pacific (NWP; 10°N–30°N, 115°E–155°E), with the spatiotemporal characteristics of Eulerian Sea Surface Height Eddies (SSH eddies) and RCLVs being compared. A higher number of SSH eddies and RCLVs can be observed in spring and winter, and their inter-annual variations are similar. SSH eddies show higher generation number and larger radius in the Subtropical Countercurrent region, while RCLVs occur more favorably in the ocean basin. The propagation speed distributions of both eddy types are nearly identical and decrease with increasing latitude. Due to the material coherent transport maintained by RCLVs within a finite time interval, the coherent cores of RCLVs are considerably smaller in scale as compared to those of SSH eddies. The average zonal transports induced by SSH eddies and RCLVs are estimated to be −0.82 Sv and −0.51 Sv (1 Sv = 106 m3/s), respectively. For non-overlapping SSH eddies with RCLVs, approximately 80% of the water within the eddy leaks out during the eddy's lifespan. In the case of overlapping SSH eddies, the ratio of coherent water inside the eddy decreases with increasing radius, and the leakage rate is around 58%. Finally, an examination of 36 shedding RCLVs events from the Kuroshio near the Luzon Strait, which induce an average zonal transport of −0.14 Sv, reveals that 54% of the water within the shedding RCLVs originates from the Kuroshio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The East Mediterranean Sea (EMS) circulation has previously been characterized as dominated by gyres, mesoscale eddies, and disjoint boundary currents. We develop nested high-resolution numerical simulations in the EMS to examine the circulation variability with an emphasis on the yet unexplored regional submesoscale currents. Rather than several disjoint currents, a continuous cyclonic boundary current (BC) encircling the Levantine basin is identified in both model solution and altimetry data. This EMS BC advects eddy chains downstream and is identified as a principal source of regional mesoscale and submesoscale current variability. During the seasonal fall to winter mixed layer deepening, energetic submesoscale [O(10) km] eddies, fronts, and filaments emerge throughout the basin, characterized by O(1) Rossby numbers. A submesoscale time scale range of ≈1–5 days is identified using spatiotemporal analysis of the numerical solutions and confirmed through mooring data. The submesoscale kinetic energy (KE) wavenumber (k) spectral slope is found to be k−2, shallower than the quasigeostrophic-like ∼k−3 slope diagnosed in summer. The shallowness of the winter spectral slope is shown to be due to divergent subinertial motions, consistent with the Boyd theoretical model, rather than with the surface quasigeostrophic model. Using a coarse-graining approach, we diagnose a seasonal inverse (forward) KE cascade above (below) 30-km scales due to rotational (divergent) motions and show that these commence after completion of the fall submesoscale energization. We also show that at scales larger than several hundred kilometers, the spectral density becomes near constant and a weak forward cascade occurs, from gyre scales to mesoscales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and its global impacts through teleconnection have been known for decades, if and how the mean currents and mesoscale eddies in the Caribbean Sea are linked to ENSO remains an open question. Here, by analyzing satellite observations and an ocean reanalysis product, we found a close connection between mean currents, eddies in the Caribbean Sea and ENSO on interannual timescales. Strong El Niño events result in enhanced north‐south sea surface height differences and consequently stronger mean currents in the Caribbean Sea, and the opposite happens during La Niña events. The eddy kinetic energy responds to ENSO via eddy‐mean flow interaction, primarily through baroclinic instability, which releases the available potential energy stored in the mean currents to mesoscale eddies. Our results suggest some predictability of the mean currents and eddies in the Caribbean Sea, particularly during strong El Niño and La Niña events. Plain Language Summary: We explored the potential impacts of El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on the circulation and mesoscale eddies in the Caribbean Sea. We found ENSO‐related synchronized changes in mean currents and eddies across the entire Caribbean Sea. The connection between mean currents and ENSO is established through ENSO's impact on the north‐south sea surface height (SSH) difference in the Caribbean Sea, which determines the strength of the geostrophic jet. During strong El Niño events, the easterly wind anomalies will increase the north‐south SSH difference through Ekman transport, and consequently generate stronger mean currents. During strong La Niña events, the opposite happens. Through baroclinic instability, available potential energy stored in the mean currents will be transferred to eddies and results in ENSO‐modified interannual variations of eddy kinetic energy. Our results suggest that interannual variations of mean currents and eddies in the Caribbean Sea might be predictable, particularly during strong El Niño and La Niña events. Key Points: Interannual variations of mean currents and eddies in the Caribbean Sea are linked to El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO)ENSO‐induced wind pattern changes modulate the north‐south sea surface height differences and hence the mean currents in the Caribbean SeaInterannual variation of eddy kinetic energy in the Caribbean Sea is controlled by baroclinic instability [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influences of sea surface wind on the oceanic mesoscale eddy are complex. By integrating our self-developed surface drifters with satellite observations, we examined the influence of sea surface wind on the distribution of water masses and biomass within the interior of an anticyclonic eddy. Ten drifters were deployed in the northern South China Sea in the spring of 2021. Eventually, six were trapped in an anticyclonic mesoscale eddy for an extended period. Interestingly, the drifters' trajectories were not symmetric around the eddy center, displaying a significant offset of the distance from the wind turns to the southerly wind. Particle tracking experiments demonstrated that this departure could mainly be attributed to wind-driven ageostrophic currents. This is due to the strength of wind-driven ageostrophic currents being more comparable to geostrophic currents when accompanied by a deflection between the directions of the wind-driven current and the eddy's translation. The drifters' derived data indicated that sub-mesoscale ageostrophic currents within the eddy contributed to this asymmetric trajectory, with Ekman and non-Ekman components playing a role. Furthermore, the evolution of ocean color data provided corroborating evidence of these dynamic processes, highlighting the importance of ageostrophic processes within mesoscale eddies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gridded sea surface height (SSH) maps estimated from satellite altimetry are widely used for estimating surface ocean geostrophic currents. Satellite altimeters observe SSH along one‐dimensional tracks widely spaced in space and time, making accurately reconstructing the two‐dimensional (2D) SSH field challenging. Traditionally, SSH is mapped using optimal interpolation (OI). However, OI artificially smooths the SSH field leading to high mapping errors in regions with rapidly‐evolving mesoscale features such as western boundary currents. Motivated by the dynamical relation between SSH and sea surface temperature (SST) and the notion that even the chaotic evolution of mesoscale ocean turbulence may contain repeating patterns, we outline a deep learning (DL) approach where a neural network is trained to reconstruct 2D SSH by synthesizing altimetry and SST observations. In the Gulf Stream Extension region, dominated by mesoscale variability, our DL method substantially improves the SSH reconstruction compared to existing methods. Our SSH map has 17% lower root‐mean‐square error and resolves spatial scales 30% smaller than OI compared against independent altimeter observations. Surface geostrophic currents calculated from our map are closer to surface drifter observations and appear qualitatively more realistic, with stronger currents, a clearer separation between the Gulf Stream and neighboring eddies, and the appearance of smaller coherent eddies missed by other methods. Our map yields significant re‐estimations of important dynamical quantities such as eddy kinetic energy, vorticity, and strain rate. Applying our DL method to produce a global SSH product may provide a more accurate and higher resolution product for studying mesoscale ocean turbulence. Plain Language Summary: Satellites observe small variations in the height of the sea surface but with large gaps in the observations. Having an estimate of the two‐dimensional sea surface height field allows one to estimate surface ocean currents, so filling in the gaps between the observations is an important problem. The traditionally‐used method for filling in the gaps between sea surface height observations struggles when there are lots of small‐scale, rapidly‐interacting ocean currents. We developed a deep learning (DL) model to estimate the sea surface height field more accurately. We achieved this by combining the sea surface height observations with satellite observations of sea surface temperature. The relationship between sea surface temperature and height is non‐trivial, but our DL model learned to use information from the sea surface temperature observations in the places where sea surface height wasn't observed to improve the accuracy of the sea surface height estimate. We applied and tested our method in the Gulf Stream and demonstrated that our sea surface height map is more accurate than that from the traditional method. Our method provides a more accurate sea surface height map which could allow us in future to learn new lessons about small‐scale surface currents in the ocean. Key Points: We developed a deep learning method that significantly improves the accuracy and resolution of gridded sea surface height anomaliesThis data‐driven method takes advantage of combining sea surface temperature and altimetry observationsInferred surface geostrophic currents are quantitatively and qualitatively more realistic than those from existing sea surface height maps [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contribution that fronts and frontogenesis make to subsurface chlorophyll a (CHL) concentration was investigated near the Kuroshio using data from multiple surveys across the Kuroshio during summer and fall and satellite sea surface height (SSH) data alongside high‐resolution reanalysis data set. An intensive survey was conducted during a period of frontogenesis as seen from the in‐situ and satellite‐derived velocity data as well as the analysis of the reanalysis data set. Physical and biological observation showed shoaling of the nitracline and a subsurface CHL maximum (SCM) near the evolving front. The CHL concentration at the SCM (CHLSCM) was large near the front compared with the concentration in ambient water. Sections of 10 repeat seasonal surveys also captured the frontal structure, the shoaling of the nitracline, and the increase in CHLSCM as well as their interrelationship. The CHLSCM was large, and the depth of the SCM (ZSCM) was shallow above a large horizontal density gradient (i.e., marked mesoscale frontal structure) in the ocean interior. In addition, we demonstrate that the lateral strain rate, which is a measure of frontogenesis obtained from the SSH, can be used to estimate ZSCM and CHLSCM. Frontogenesis, secondary circulation, symmetric instability, and vertical diffusion were considered to cause the nutrient supply to the subsurface layer. The surveys and analysis indicate that fronts and frontogenesis increase CHLSCM, and the physical data obtained from both in‐situ and satellite observations can be used to estimate CHL distribution in the ocean interior. Plain Language Summary: The contribution that oceanic front and its strengthening make to subsurface chlorophyll a (CHL) concentration was investigated near the Kuroshio south of Japan using data from multiple surveys and satellite altimetry alongside high‐resolution reanalysis data set. The Kuroshio front strengthened during an intensive survey across the Kuroshio as seen from in‐situ, satellite‐derived and reanalysis velocity data. Physical and biological observations showed nutrient upwelling and increase in subsurface chlorophyll a concentration near the strengthening front. Sections of 10 repeat surveys during summer and fall showed that the depth where the chlorophyll a concentration increased was shallow and the chlorophyll a concentration was large when the front was strong. In addition, we demonstrate that a measure of strengthening of fronts obtained from the satellite‐derived data is valid to estimate the distribution of subsurface chlorophyll a concentration. Key Points: Frontogenesis supplies nutrients and increases subsurface chlorophyll a concentrationChlorophyll a concentration is positively correlated with the strength of fronts and frontogenesisSubsurface chlorophyll a concentration is estimated using satellite‐derived geostrophic velocity [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high precision and fine resolution reconstruction of sea surface current is beneficial to the exploration of complicated ocean dynamic processes. Existing studies mainly use satellite sea level and wind stress fields to derive sea surface geostrophic and Ekman currents, and build physical inversion models for global or regional oceans. Despite the obvious success, there are a variety of typical dynamic processes in the ocean such as mesoscale eddies and small-scale waves, and any product of surface current that neglects the contribution of wave motion would be, at best, incomplete. In this context, we present a precise sea surface current product at 15 m depth named GEST (Geostrophic-Ekman-Stokes-Tide) by analyzing the coupling relationship between ocean surface components that correspond to different physical processes and the actual currents as observed by drifting buoys. The GEST was generated based on Ekman, geostrophic currents, and waved-induced Stokes drift and TPXO9 tidal currents. Specifically, in the calculation of Ekman currents, local applicability is taken into account to ensure that the friction layer of wind-driven current can reach where drifters could operate as normal. A comparison proves that combining multi-scale theory and the condition of local applicability improves estimation results by up to 3.6 cm/s compared with OSCAR product, and 0.3 cm/s with GlobCurrent. Furthermore, by comparing the reconstructed products with 1° and 0.25° resolution, we find that the higher resolution not only reveals more details of ocean currents especially mesoscale eddy energy associated with geostrophic currents, but also improves the accuracy by up to 5.62 cm/s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The straining regions of the ocean in between mesoscale eddies contain large vertical velocities that may be important in regulating phytoplankton accumulation rates. We analyze time series of variables measured by ocean Bio‐Argo floats (mixed layer depths [MLDs], chlorophyll, and carbon concentrations) in conjunction with variables derived from satellite altimetry (strain rates, Lyapunov exponents, vertical velocities) to determine the evolution of mixed layer phytoplankton biomass in response to straining by the mesoscale geostrophic flow. A Lagrangian (water parcel following) framework is justified by restricting the analysis to profiles whose value of a Quasi‐Planktonic Index—an index quantifying averaged distance between a float trajectory and a surface geostrophic trajectory over three consecutive time steps—is less than 5 km. Bin‐averaged Lagrangian derivatives of phytoplankton biomass and chlorophyll concentration are positive for elevated strain rate and upwelling quasigeostrophic vertical velocities. Lagrangian derivatives of MLD and phytoplankton carbon averaged at straining fronts (in rotated along‐ and across‐front coordinates) have features in common with submesoscale dynamics, including increasing phytoplankton carbon (and chlorophyll) and a shoaling mixed layer over the front. To elucidate a mechanism, we average time derivatives of modeled cell division rates, finding the pattern approximately matches the pattern of phytoplankton accumulation rates and is controlled primarily by the term modulating light stress, suggesting that frontal dynamics cause accelerations of division rates by increasing available light. Regions of increasing chlorophyll are also approximately co‐located with upwelling quasigeostrophic velocity, suggesting non‐Lagrangian behavior of floats causes some imprint of larger scale, more persistent mesoscale signals. Plain Language Summary: When mesoscale eddies (large, swirling flows) interact in the ocean, the currents at their edges strain tracers. Straining sharpens horizontal density gradients, disrupting force balances and causing large vertical velocities that can accelerate division rates of phytoplankton (small, drifting photosynthetic organisms) by supplying them with nutrients or bringing them closer to light. Bio‐Argo floats measure vertical profiles of temperature and salinity (constituents of seawater density) and backscattering (proportional to phytoplankton biomass) as they drift with currents. By evaluating time rates of change of these variables along a float track and collocating float profiles in space and time with straining fronts (identified from satellite altimetry), we obtain a picture of how phytoplankton evolve in response to strain. We find that straining fronts are characterized by increasing density stratification and biomass on the anticyclonic side of, and above, straining fronts, largely consistent with theoretical expectations. Further, by comparing with a model of cell division rates, we find increases in biomass at straining fronts are primarily due to increases in available light. With a larger data set of closely spaced float profiles, our methodology could clarify the importance of straining regions in the carbon cycle. Key Points: Positive phytoplankton accumulation rates are associated with elevated geostrophic strain and quasigeostrophic upwellingAveraged Lagrangian derivatives at straining fronts include positive accumulation rates and a shoaling mixed layer on the less dense sideFrontal dynamics drive increases in phytoplankton biomass by accelerating cell division rates primarily through increased available light [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe an idealized primitive-equation model for studying mesoscale turbulence and leverage a hierarchy of grid resolutions to make eddy-resolving calculations on the finest grids more affordable. The model has intermediate complexity, incorporating basin-scale geometry with idealized Atlantic and Southern oceans and with non-uniform ocean depth to allow for mesoscale eddy interactions with topography. The model is perfectly adiabatic and spans the Equator and thus fills a gap between quasi-geostrophic models, which cannot span two hemispheres, and idealized general circulation models, which generally include diabatic processes and buoyancy forcing. We show that the model solution is approaching convergence in mean kinetic energy for the ocean mesoscale processes of interest and has a rich range of dynamics with circulation features that emerge only due to resolving mesoscale turbulence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission, which can map the sea surface height with high spatial and temporal sampling rates simultaneously, has significant potential for detecting mesoscale and submesoscale eddy variations. At present, in the determination of geostrophic current from nadir altimeter or SWOT swath data, the optimal interpolation method is usually used to grid the observations with the space-time covariance function and use a percentage of the signal variance to reduce the long-wavelength error. However, this optimal interpolation method used for nadir altimeters may not be optimal for SWOT as the spatial and temporal characteristics is different. In this study, we propose to first derive the geostrophic currents in each swath from absolute dynamic topography by difference, to reduce the long-wavelength error which is constant along the tracks. And then, based on the temporal characteristics of the signal expected to be detected and high spatial SWOT observations, the spatial covariance function is used only to get the gridded geostrophic currents. The accuracy of the proposed method is verified by one year of simulated data in the Sea of Japan using MITgcm LLC4320 model and the SWOT errors. Compared with the absolute dynamic topography and geostrophic current from LLC4320 model, using the simulated data including errors, the proposed method makes high spatial sampling more effective and can obtain gridded absolute dynamic topography and geostrophic current with better accuracy especially when the number of observations is limited. In terms of the temporal variations of eddy kinetic energy, this method can significantly improve the reconstruction and detected temporal scales of mesoscale eddy variations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spatial distribution, and the monthly and seasonal variability of mesoscale eddy observations derived from the AVISO eddy atlas are assessed in the Caribbean Sea during 1993–2019. The average lifetime for the whole set of eddies is 62 ± 37 days, mean amplitude of 7 ± 4 cm for cyclonic and 7 ± 4 cm for anticyclonic and mean radius of 100 ± 31 km for cyclonic and 108 ± 32 km for anticyclonic. Cyclonic eddies are on average more nonlinear than anticyclonic ones. The spatio-temporal variability in the number of eddy observations is evaluated against the Mean Eddy Kinetic Energy (MEKE) derived from geostrophic currents as well as from seasonal winds. Spatial distribution of eddy observations is correlated with MEKE while the migration of the intertropical convergence zone explains the advection of eddies towards the southern part of the basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study describes the intra-to interannual variability of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) and the relative dynamical contributions to the total variability in an eddy-resolving 1/128 resolution ocean model. Based on a 53-yr-long hindcast and two 4-yr-long ensembles, we assess the total AMOC variability as well as the variability arising from small differences in the ocean initial state that rapidly imprints on the mesoscale eddy fields and subsequently on large-scale features. This initial-condition-dependent variability will henceforth be referred to as "chaotic" variability. We find that intra-annual AMOC fluctuations are mainly driven by the atmospheric forcing, with the chaotic variability fraction never exceeding 26% of the total variance in the whole meridional Atlantic domain. To understand the nature of the chaotic variability we decompose the AMOC (into its Ekman, geostrophic, barotropic, and residual components). The barotropic and geostrophic AMOC contributions exhibit strong, partly compensating fluctuations, which are linked to chaotic spatial variations of currents over topography. In the North Atlantic, the largest chaotic divergence of ensemble members is found around 248, 388, and 648N. At 26.58N, where the AMOC is monitored by the RAPID-MOCHA array, the chaotic fraction of the AMOC variability is 10%. This fraction is slightly overestimated with the reconstruction methodology as used in the observations (∼15%). This higher fraction of chaotic variability is due to the barotropic contribution not being completely captured by the monitoring system. We look at the strong AMOC decline observed in 2009/10 and find that the ensemble spread (our measure for chaotic variability) was not particularly large during this event. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The large discrepancy between Eulerian and Lagrangian work motivates us to examine the leakage of Eulerian eddies and quantify the contribution of coherent eddy transport in the South China Sea (SCS). In this study, Lagrangian particles with a resolution of 1/32° are advected by surface geostrophic currents derived from satellite observations spanning 23 years, and two types of methods are employed to identify sea surface height (SSH) eddies and Lagrangian coherent structures. SSH eddies are proven to be highly leaky during their lifetimes, with more than 80% of the original water leaking out of the eddy interior. As a result of zonal and meridional eddy propagation, the leaked water exhibits a spatial pattern of asymmetry relative to the eddy center. The degree of eddy leakage is found to be independent of several eddy parameters including the nonlinearity parameter U/c, which has been commonly used to assess eddy coherency. Finally, the Lagrangian coherent structures in the SCS are diagnosed and the associated coherent eddy diffusivity is calculated. It is found that coherent eddies contribute to less than 5% of the total eddy material transport in both zonal and meridional directions. These findings suggest that previous studies based on the Eulerian framework significantly overestimate the contribution of coherent eddy transport in the SCS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This study provided a new approach for constructing the eddy real-time internal structure using the gradient-dependent optimal interpolation (OI) method. • The reliability of reconstruction was evaluated by satellite observation, in-situ data, and numerical output. • From three eddy cases, the real-time structures reflect more small fluctuations with a great change comparing with the background structure. • The results indicated that the gradient-dependent OI was a hopeful technique for representing the real-time internal features during eddy evolution. The internal structures of mesoscale eddies are variable due to different generation mechanism, spatiotemporal scale, and movement characteristics. Based on the principle of data assimilation, this study provided a new approach for constructing the eddy real-time internal structure using the gradient-dependent optimal interpolation (OI) method. Three eddy cases with different types and locations were selected to validate the construction results. The reliability of construction was evaluated by satellite observation, in-situ comparisons, and contrast with the numerical output. The results showed that the real-time geostrophic current characters were basically consistent with the surface and deep current (observed by satellite and acoustic doppler current profiler, ADCP). The density features exhibited by constructed results (eddy centers, mean radii, and variation tendency) were similar to the expendable conductivity-temperature-depth (XCTD) survey data and numerical output. Compared to the composite structure, the real-time structures represented more small or mesoscale fluctuations. During eddy cases evolution, the mean radii at the same depth first increased and then decreased. The horizontal scale, influence depth, and internal stability of an anticyclonic eddy with low-latitude were more powerful than the other two eddy cases owing to the domination of warm water in the Kuroshio extension region. The results indicated that the gradient-dependent OI was a hopeful technique for representing the real-time internal features during eddy evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Southwestern Atlantic (SWA) is characterized by its large Eddy Kinetic Energy as the result of the confluence of two major western boundary currents, the northward flowing Malvinas Current (MC) and the southward flowing Brazil Current. The SWA study was addressed in the literature based on altimetry data, in situ measurements, regional models and ocean reanalysis. The present study constitutes the first effort to sample a portion of the SWA, with a dense drifter array (N = 62) deployment. The drifters, drogued at 15 m depths, were deployed across the MC and the Argentine Continental Shelf along two zonal transects located at 47°S and 47.25°S, between the 8th and the September 9, 2021. Drifters were set to deliver their position every 10 and 60 min, providing accurate Lagrangian trajectories that provide information on a large range of space and time scales of the surface currents. Three regions are clearly identified based on the analysis of the speed of the drifters, of their trajectories and of the spectral density of their velocities: the continental shelf, the slope and the open ocean. The comparison of the trajectories of the drifters with satellite altimetry images shows that, in general, drifters follow mesoscale features that are detectable in satellite altimetry maps. The analysis of the drifter trajectories also allowed us the study of submesoscale features of the flow (1–10 km) that are not observable in satellite altimetry data. Comparison with cloud-free, high-resolution color images, shows that drifter trajectories organized by the mesoscale flow might also locally follow sub-mesoscale features. In frontal regions it was found that drifter velocities double satellite altimetry geostrophic velocities, which suggests that the dynamics at those regions is largely dominated by ageostrophic components. The ageostrophic Ekman component might explain the direction of the drifters when strong winds from a given direction prevail for several days and the drifters are not in a region with large sea surface height (SSH) gradients. The joint analysis of drifters' trajectory and SSH clearly depicts that mesoscale features on the open ocean region control the cross-shelf exchanges between the MC and open ocean regions as well as the strength and width of the MC. Finally, the spatial density distribution of the drifters during the first hours after deployment and within a small eddy also allowed us to characterize the flow in terms of its divergence, vorticity and strain, indicating that the MC is geostrophic and has a jet-like behavior while the eddy is largely ageostrophic and has a dominant vorticity component over strain. We conclude observing that the analysis of a dense array of drifters provides valuable information of the flow that cannot be attained solely based on satellite data. A dedicated experiment based on the deployment of 62 surface drifters, an array of unprecedented dimension for the region, was devised to improve our understanding of the surface circulation of the Argentine Continental Shelf (ACS), the Patagonian Slope and, generally, the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean. The main highlights derived from the analysis are. • Three regions were clearly identified based on the analysis of the speed of the drifters, their trajectories and the spectral density of their velocities: the continental shelf, the slope and the open ocean. • Within the open ocean region, drifters might exceed 1.8 m s−1 when trapped by the Brazil-Malvinas Confluence (BMC), along the northern branch of the Subantarctic Front, or between large mesoscale eddies of different polarities. • Within the slope region, thanks to the deployment strategy adopted, fine scale details of the Malvinas Current (MC) have been unveiled for the first time: large shears between jets of the MC (up to 20 cm s−1 between drifters separated by only 2.5 km) and the clear modulation of the trajectories of the drifters due to tidal currents, despite the dominant MC. • Over the ACS, drifters showed how tides are, as expected, the main forcing of the shelf circulation. However, small scale patterns may also modulate shelf currents. The origin of these patterns should be further investigated. • Clear examples of the accuracy of the geostrophic currents predicted by satellite altimetry in the different regions are provided. In general, currents in the slope and open ocean region are very well represented by the satellite altimetry estimations, at least for features at the resolved mesoscale. • The analysis of drifter trajectories also allowed the study of submesoscale features of the flow (1–10 km) that are not observable in satellite altimetry data but are visible in color images. • In frontal regions it was found that the recorded drifter velocities double satellite altimetry geostrophic velocities, suggesting that the dynamics at those regions is largely dominated by unresolved components. • First in situ evidence that mesoscale features on the open ocean region control the cross-shelf exchanges between the slope and open ocean regions as well as the strength and width of the MC, is provided. • The analysis of drifter triplets allowed us to characterize the flow in terms of its divergence, vorticity and strain. The analysis confirms that within the MC strain dominates, indicating that the MC is in geostrophic balance and has a jet-like behavior. Within a small mesoscale cyclonic eddy that trapped three drifters for more than 20 days, negative vorticity prevailed. • The potential role of Ekman transport to promote exchanges between the slope and adjacent regions is discussed. It is proposed that wind may impact drifter trajectories only in regions exhibiting small Sea Surface Height (SSH) gradients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposes an approach to estimate the ocean sea surface height signature of coherent internal tides from a 25-year along-track altimetry record, with a single inversion over time, resolving both internal tide contributions and mesoscale eddy variability. The inversion is performed on a reduced-order basis of topography and practically achieved with a conjugate gradient. The particularity of this approach is to mitigate the potential aliasing effects between mesoscales and internal tide estimation from the uneven altimetry sampling (observing the sum of these components) by accounting for their statistics simultaneously, while other methods generally use a prior mesoscale. The four major tidal components are considered (M2, K1, S2, O1) over the period 1992–2017 on a global configuration. From the solution, we use altimetry data after 2017 for independent validation in order to evaluate the performance of the simultaneous inversion and compare it with an existing model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dynamics of mesoscale eddies in the Bering Sea is studied by the method for automated eddy identification on the basis of altimetry-derived sea-level anomaly fields (SLA method, AVISO+). For this purpose, a regional database has been created for the Bering Sea (1993–2018) on the basis of the "Mesoscale Eddy Trajectory Atlas Product" global dataset to estimate the polarity (cyclonic/anticyclonic), distribution, radius, intensity, nonlinearity, velocity, and motion trajectories of eddies and determine regions of their formation and decay. The results confirm that mesoscale eddies play a significant role in the Bering Sea. About 592 eddies with a minimum lifetime of 90 days were identified (361 anticyclonic and 231 cyclonic). Anticyclonic and cyclonic eddies had average radii of 53.2 and 63.5 km in the Bering Sea. The average orbital velocities of geostrophic currents in the outer closed loops of the eddies were 14.0 and 10.8 cm/s, respectively. The mean speed of anticyclones and cyclones along their trajectories was 5.1 and 6.2 cm/s. Most of the mesoscale eddies were associated with currents of the Bering Sea. This shows that eddies are mainly generated due to baroclinic/barotropic instability of the Bering Sea slope and Kamchatka currents. The eddy generation in the North Aleutian slope current should be influenced by water exchange through the straits of the Aleutian ridge. The number of "new" anticyclonic eddies is maximum in April–July. Most of the cyclonic eddies are generated in the cold half of the year (January–March). Seasonal variability of the Bering Sea circulation affects the intensity of eddy generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We develop a parameterization for representing the effects of submesoscale symmetric instability (SI) in the ocean interior. SI may contribute to water mass modification and mesoscale energy dissipation in flow systems throughout the World Ocean. Dense gravity currents forced by surface buoyancy loss over shallow shelves are a particularly compelling test case, as they are characterized by density fronts and shears susceptible to a wide range of submesoscale instabilities. We present idealized experiments of Arctic shelf overflows employing the GFDL‐MOM6 in z* and isopycnal coordinates. At the highest resolutions, the dense flow undergoes geostrophic adjustment and forms bottom‐ and surface‐intensified jets. The density front along the topography combined with geostrophic shear initiates SI, leading to onset of secondary shear instability, dissipation of geostrophic energy, and turbulent mixing. We explore the impact of vertical coordinate, resolution, and parameterization of shear‐driven mixing on the representation of water mass transformation. We find that in isopycnal and low‐resolution z* simulations, limited vertical resolution leads to inadequate representation of diapycnal mixing. This motivates our development of a parameterization for SI‐driven turbulence. The parameterization is based on identifying unstable regions through a balanced Richardson number criterion and slumping isopycnals toward a balanced state. The potential energy extracted from the large‐scale flow is assumed to correspond to the kinetic energy of SI which is dissipated through shear mixing. Parameterizing submesoscale instabilities by combining isopycnal slumping with diapycnal mixing becomes crucial as ocean models move toward resolving mesoscale eddies and fronts but not the submesoscale phenomena they host. Plain Language Summary: When developing numerical ocean models, processes occurring on scales smaller than the grid size must be approximated in terms of the resolved flow. The term "parameterization" refers to this approximation of small‐scale features and is essential for representing turbulent mixing. We consider the effect of a particularly ubiquitous small‐scale turbulent process known as symmetric instability (SI). SI occurs throughout the World Ocean and is important in setting oceanic properties through mixing and maintaining energy balance. SI is common in fronts, such as those arising from dense currents known as overflows. Overflows often originate in polar continental margins through cooling and secretion of dense brines as sea ice grows. As the dense waters flow offshore along the seafloor, they become susceptible to small‐scale instabilities such as SI. Although crucial for maintaining the density structure of the ocean, SI is presently unresolved in global ocean models. We develop a parameterization for SI using the test case of an Arctic shelf overflow. We test the scheme in various overflow simulations and find it to successfully capture the effects of SI. The need for such a parameterization emerges as models move toward resolving increasingly finer‐scale flows but not the small‐scale turbulent mixing within them. Key Points: We present idealized simulations of a symmetrically unstable dense gravity current in z* and isopycnal layer coordinates in the GFDL‐MOM6A parameterization for submesoscale symmetric instability is motivated and developedThe parameterization is implemented into the MOM6 code, tested, and found to perform remarkably well in representing the relevant dynamics [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To understand oceanic restratification in the subtropical northwestern Pacific and its influence on biogeochemical (BGC) processes, we examined post-storm restratification events observed from February to April 2018 by BGC-Argo floats, the BGC data from which were stoichiometrically analyzed by Sukigara et al. (2021; this issue). We found that during these events, restratification of the mixed layer (ML) was driven by geostrophic adjustment or ML eddy formation related to surface cooling during February to March. At the end of March, high surface chlorophyll a concentrations were observed within submesoscale eddies and at the edge of a mesoscale cyclonic feature observed from satellite data. Our results indicate that primary production in the subtropical northwestern Pacific is enhanced by the combined effects of mesoscale upwelling, storm-driven formation of a deep ML, subsequent formation of ML eddies, weak cooling, and the length of intervals between storms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Overview of NASA's EXport Processes in the Ocean from Remote Sensing 2021 Field Campaign in the North Atlantic (EXPORTS NA). • A multi-ship, multi-asset field program conducted Lagrangian sampling of a mesoscale eddy for carbon pump analyses. • Storms modulate springtime primary productivity through entrainment and wind-driven advection. This manuscript presents an overview of NASA's EXport Processes in the Ocean from Remote Sensing 2021 Field Campaign in the North Atlantic (EXPORTS NA) and provides quantitative and dynamical descriptions of the physical processes modulating water transformations during the study. A major programmatic goal was to conduct the sampling in a Lagrangian mode so that ocean ecological and biogeochemical changes can be observed independent from physical advective processes. To accomplish this goal, EXPORTS NA conducted a multi-ship, multi-asset field sampling program within a retentive, anticyclonic mode water eddy. Beneath depths of ∼ 100 m, Lagrangian sampling assets remained within the eddy core waters (ECWs) throughout the experiment, demonstrating that the ECWs within the mode water eddy were retentive. However, strong westerly winds from four storm events deepened the mixed layer (ML) of the surface core waters (SCWs) above the eddy's mode water core by 25–40 m and exchanged some of the SCWs with surface waters outside of the eddy via Ekman transport. Estimates of flushing times ranged from 5 to 8 days, with surface exchange fractions ranging from 20 to 75 % and were consistent with particle tracking advected by combined geostrophic and Ekman velocities. The relative contributions of horizontal and vertical advection on changes in ECW tracers depended on the horizontal and vertical gradients of that tracer. For example, horizontal advection played a large role in ECW salinity fluxes, while vertical entrainment played a larger role in the fluxes of nutrients into SCW ML. Each storm injected nutrients and low oxygen waters into the ML, after which the surface ocean ecosystem responded by reducing nutrient concentrations and increasing %O 2 saturation levels. Overall, ECW values of chlorophyll and POC were the largest at the onset of the field program and decreased throughout the campaign. The analysis presented provides a physical oceanographic context for the many measurements made during the EXPORTS NA field campaign while illustrating the many challenges of conducting a production-flux experiment, even in a Lagrangian frame, and the inherent uncertainties of interpreting biological carbon pump observations that were collected in a Eulerian frame of reference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Linear stability analysis is re‐conducted to fully understand the geostrophic distribution of the different types of baroclinic instability (BCI) in the global oceans, their correspondence to the different vertical structures of the observed mesoscale eddies, and the properties and formation mechanisms of the instability waves. Four principal vertical types of BCI are identified, which are found to exhibit large‐scale patterns in the global ocean. The surface‐ and bottom‐intensified type (called the Eady type hereafter) is mainly located in the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) region, locations of the bottom‐intensified type (Charney_b type) are scattered around the Eady type, the surface‐intensified type (Charney_s type) primarily occurs in the subtropics (10°–35°), and the interior‐intensified type (Phillips type) occurs primarily between 5° and 20° in both hemispheres. More specifically, both geostrophic locations and the depths of the maximum perturbation velocities of the Phillips type BCIs match those of observed subsurface eddies. Moreover, the BCI waves show regions of uniform propagation properties: eastward in the ACC and the mid‐latitudes (25°–45°), and westward in the low latitudes (30°S–30°N) of both hemispheres and in the high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere (>50°N). These waves resemble normal mode Rossby waves in structure (i.e., first baroclinic, second baroclinic, and topographic Rossby waves), but their propagation speeds are found to be Doppler shifted by the mean flows relevant for the corresponding BCI type. Propagating signals with the same dispersion relationships as the BCI waves are captured with numerical ocean general circulation models. Plain Language Summary: Mesoscale eddies are ubiquitous in the ocean, accounting for ∼90% of the ocean's kinetic energy. Eddies can be classified, according to their depths of maximum rotation velocity, into surface eddies, subsurface eddies, and bottom eddies. They are generally believed to be generated by baroclinic instability (BCI), a mechanism that extracts the potential energy stored in horizontal density gradient. Therefore, BCIs can be considered as the first stage of eddy generation. In order to shed light on the generation of different vertical structure of eddies, we identify four main types of BCIs according to their vertical structure: The Eady type (simultaneously surface‐ and bottom‐intensified, and weakened in the middle), the Charney surface type (surface‐intensified), the Charney bottom type (bottom‐intensified), and the Phillips type (subsurface‐intensified). Each type of BCI may evolve into a different type of eddy. The global distribution of the four BCI types exhibits a latitude‐dependence. However, if the BCIs do not eventually evolve into eddies, they may manifest as propagating instability waves. We show that, the perturbative waves that determine the vertical structure of the instability waves, and the mean ocean currents that determine the waves' propagation speed, are all BCI type‐dependent. Key Points: Four vertical types of baroclinic instability (BCI) are identified, and their global distributions are determinedThe BCI waves' propagation speeds are controlled by BCI type‐dependent mean flowsSubsurface‐intensified BCI waves dominate off‐equatorial regions that correspond to reported hotspots for subsurface eddies [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Satellite altimeters provide global observations of sea surface height (SSH) and present a unique data set for advancing our theoretical understanding of upper‐ocean dynamics and monitoring its variability. Considering that mesoscale SSH patterns can evolve on timescales comparable to or shorter than satellite return periods, it is challenging to accurately reconstruct the continuous SSH evolution as currently available altimetry observations are still spatially and temporally sparse. Here we explore the possibility of SSH interpolation via Deep Learning by using synthetic observations from an idealized quasigeostrophic model of baroclinic ocean turbulence. We demonstrate that Convolutional Neural Networks with Residual Learning are superior in SSH reconstruction to linear and recently developed dynamical interpolation techniques. Also, the deep neural networks can provide a skillful state estimate of unobserved deep ocean currents at mesoscales. These conspicuous results suggest that SSH patterns of eddies might contain substantial information about the underlying deep ocean currents that are necessary for SSH prediction. Our training data are focused on highly idealized physics and diversification of processes needs to be considered to more accurately represent the real ocean. In addition, methodological improvements such as transfer learning and implementation of dynamically aware loss functions might be necessary to consider before its ultimate use with real satellite observations. Nonetheless, by providing a proof of concept based on synthetic data, our results point to deep learning as a viable alternative to existing interpolation and, more generally, state estimation methods for satellite observations of eddying currents. Plain Language Summary: Satellite observations of sea surface height (SSH) are widely used to derive surface ocean currents on a global scale. However, due to gaps in SSH observations, it remains challenging to retrieve the dynamics of rapidly evolving upper‐ocean currents. To overcome this limitation, we propose a Deep Learning framework that is based on pattern recognition extracted from SSH observations. Using synthetic data generated from a simplified model of ocean turbulence, we demonstrate that deep learning can accurately estimate both surface and subsurface ocean currents, significantly outperforming the most commonly used techniques. By providing a proof of concept, our study highlights the strong potential of deep learning for estimating ocean currents from satellite observations. Key Points: The efficacy of Deep Learning in exploiting sparse sea surface height (SSH) data is demonstrated in a quasigeostrophic modelResidual Neural Networks are superior to linear and dynamical interpolation techniques for SSH reconstructionDeep networks skillfully reconstruct the unobserved deep flows from SSH data to provide a complete state estimate of geostrophic turbulence [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AVISO satellite data on the speeds of geostrophic currents from 2004 to 2018 are used to associate a substantial reduction in the saury catch in recent years with a change in the oceanographic situation in the Russian fishing grounds off the coast of the southern and middle Kuril Islands and Hokkaido Island. Lagrangian maps of the origin of water masses, calculated for this period of time on the basis of the AVISO field, and with overlaid positions of fishing vessels of Russia, Japan and Korea, show that this catastrophic reduction is due to a change in the pathways of the nutrient-rich subarctic waters of the Oyashio current in recent years. The greatest changes in the hydrological regime since 2015 were caused by intensification of the third branch of the Oyashio, which transports the waters of this current to the open ocean. At the same time, traditional fishing grounds off the eastern coasts of Hokkaido and southern Kurils have been reduced, while good fishing grounds have appeared in the open ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An understanding of the oceanic response to tropical cyclones is of importance for studies on climate change, ecological variability and environmental protection. Hurricane Irma (2017, Atlantic Ocean) broke many records, including the fact that it was the first category 5 hurricane making landfall in Cuba since 1924. In this study, we assess the oceanic response of the waters of the Cuban Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and the eastern Gulf of Mexico (GoM) to the passage of this hurricane. Overall, Irma led to a weak sea surface cooling in the EEZ, which was associated with the thermal structure of its waters and the fact that it was affected by the left-side quadrants of this hurricane. This cooling was driven by mixing and upwelling processes. In contrast, the chlorophyll-a (chl-a) concentration increase was comparable with climatological records, suggesting that horizontal advection of coastal waters and entrainment of chl-a rich waters from remote regions of the GoM influenced the post-storm chl-a concentration. Moreover, Irma increased the chl-a concentration in the northeastern GoM and stimulated the offshore transport of these chl-a-rich waters to the interior GoM. A high chl-a plume (HCP) extended southward across the eastern GoM during the first post-storm week of Irma, and these waters reached the northwestern Cuban coast following the Loop Current. An intensification of the geostrophic currents of an anticyclonic eddy at the upper front of the Loop Current, the formation of an anticyclonic-cyclonic eddy pair in the northeastern GoM and wind-driven advection governed the extension of this HCP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the water dynamics in the western Bering Sea, the time series of geostrophic velocities derived from satellite altimetry, Global total current (Copernicus Globcurrent) velocities, Argo buoys, and ship, borne data are analyzed. We demonstrate that the surface currents in the study area are characterized by a significant seasonal and interannual variability. In January, the southwestern currents are prevailing in the western Bering Sea, the geostrophic currents are connected to the continental slope, and mesoscale anticyclonic movement of waters is observed on the shelf. In July, the surface flow is oriented to the northeast along the continental slope, and cyclonic water movement prevails on the shelf. The formation of mesoscale anticyclones in late winter – early spring – is related to the supply of low-temperature and low-salinity Bering Sea shelf water. The temporal variability of the direction and current velocity in the western part of the Bering Sea during the summer period is associated with the wind and coastal upwelling. The presence of coastal upwelling and eddies should be considered as one of the factors leading to the high concentration of chlorophyll a on a shelf and continental slope in the summer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, 24 years of daily sea surface height (SSH) fields constructed by merging the measurements from two/multiple simultaneously operating altimeters are analysed to investigate mesoscale eddies. Based on efficient parallel identification and optimized tracking algorithms, we present two global daily mesoscale ocean eddy datasets () containing over 688,000 eddy trajectories that persist for at least 4 weeks as identified in the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS) Two-sat/All-sat datasets over the 1993–2016 period. These long-lived eddies have an average lifetime of 72 days and an average propagation speed of 5.1 k m d a y − 1 . The properties of the identified eddy contours include the amplitude, radius, area, geostrophic current speed, eddy kinetic energy (EKE), and relative vorticity, based on which a new optimized eddy tracking method is applied. The most stable properties of the eddies are included in a set of dimensionless similarity parameters. A comparison of the eddy track outputs from the 'Two-sat merged' and 'All-sat merged' data products using our algorithm (hereafter called I4Eddy) shows that the 'All-sat merged' data are more suitable for studying global eddy tracks. The eddy trajectory data are also compared with two other published global eddy trajectory products, and the results demonstrate the efficiency of our method. The accuracy of our method's eddy identification algorithm and its moderately conservative eddy tracking properties allow our algorithm to generate more continuous eddy tracks without large jumps. These elaborate datasets can be used to study the relationships between mesoscale eddies and other oceanic phenomena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combining cruise observations, satellite altimeter and Argos drifter data in the northeastern South China Sea in the spring of 2017, this paper reports a Luzon Cold Eddy (LCE), which originated near the northwestern coast of Luzon Island. Then it migrated northwestward and was sampled by the cruise transect to the southwest of Taiwan Island. In the core of the LCE, the isotherm, isohaline and isopycnal all uplifted by approximately 100 m within the depth range of 150–300 m. The corresponding geostrophic currents were consistent with satellite altimeter results. In addition, a double-index was applied to study the dynamical process for the LCE evolution. The index reflects well the intraseasonal variability of eddies and the Kuroshio pathway in the spring of 2017. During the second half of April, the enhancement of the LCE was regulated by the velocity shear resulting from a large anticyclonic eddy east of the Luzon Strait. Taken together, the results of this study demonstrate a better understanding of the circulation and mesoscale patterns and a potential implication for water mass renewal in the northeastern South China Sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mesoscale eddies are major features in ocean dynamics that significantly influence ocean production depending on their polarity, life-stage, location and time of formation. Eddies in the south-west Indian Ocean have been the focus of many studies, especially in the Mozambique Channel where southward-moving cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies feed into the Agulhas Current. However, eddies formed south of Madagascar that move westwards towards the coast of South Africa have been much less studied, despite their significant contribution to the Agulhas Current. This study aims to understand how the plankton communities (i.e. pico-, nano-, phyto-, microzoo- and mesozooplankton) are distributed in a cyclonic eddy generated off southern Madagascar. We also investigate a possible link between the Madagascar shelf and the eddy. Temperature, salinity, fluorescence and plankton abundance were measured at 25 stations spaced at 18.5 km intervals across a young (~ 1 month old) cyclonic eddy, and at three locations on the Madagascar shelf, in July 2013. A patch of enhanced chlorophyll a concentration was found at four stations in the eddy, homogeneously distributed vertically in the upper mixed layer and characterised by a higher proportion of diatoms compared to the other stations. Abundances of picoplankton, nanoplankton, ciliates and dinoflagellates were very similar within and outside the eddy. Zooplankton followed a contrasting pattern with higher biomass at four stations just to the west of this high diatom patch. The mesozooplankton composition at these four stations revealed greater species similarities with the Madagascar shelf than with the other stations, suggesting a link between the shelf and the western side of the eddy. The periphery of the eddy seems to have been primarily influenced by a strong geostrophic current propagating from the southern shelf of Madagascar which then wrapped itself around the eddy. This filament may be the source of the high zooplankton biomass in the eddy periphery, which would account for the similarities in zooplankton community composition between the eddy periphery and the shelf. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The intensity of the Kuroshio Current east of Taiwan shows a clear seasonality, and the Kuroshio is affected by mesoscale eddies east of Taiwan. Sea surface geostrophic velocity and mesoscale eddies derived from satellite altimeter data and gridded Argo-only geostrophic velocity data were used to analyze the mesoscale eddy contribution to the Kuroshio intensity seasonality in the East Taiwan Channel. The low potential vorticity water stacked at the northern side of the subtropical countercurrent (STCC) and eddy generation favored the cyclonic eddy. Between August and January, the STCC near the western boundary area (125°E-135°E) showed two branches and a significant negative zonal velocity meridional gradient between 19°N and 21°N from October to December, which led to a higher occurrence of cyclonic eddies. These eddies reached the area east of Taiwan in 100 days and resulted in the dominance of cyclonic eddies between January and April and a weakened Kuroshio Current. Highlights • Mesoscale eddy arrived east of Taiwan and its seasonality is analyzed. • Cyclonic eddies weaken the intensity of the Kuroshio Current between February and April. • We suggest that the seasonal subtropical countercurrent at lower latitudes controls the seasonality of eddies east of Taiwan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geostrophic current data near the coast of the Red Sea have large gaps. Hence, the sea level anomaly (SLA) data from Jason-2 have been reprocessed and extended towards the coast of the Red Sea and merged with AVISO data at the offshore region. This processing has been applied to build a gridded dataset to achieve the best results for the SLA and geostrophic current. The results obtained from the new extended data at the coast are more consistent with the observed data (conductivity–temperature–depth, CTD) and hence geostrophic current calculation. The patterns of SLA distribution and geostrophic currents are divided into two seasons: winter (October–May) and summer (June–September). The geostrophic currents in summer are flowing southward over the Red Sea except for narrow northward flow along the east coast. In winter, currents flow to the north for the entire Red Sea except for a small southward flow near the central eastern and western coast. This flow is modified by the presence of cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies, which are more concentrated in the central and northern Red Sea. The results show anticyclonic eddies (AEs) on the eastern side of the Red Sea and cyclonic eddies (CEs) on the western side during winter. In summer, cyclonic eddies are more dominant for the entire Red Sea. The result shows a change in some eddies from anticyclonic during winter to cyclonic during summer in the north between 26.3 and 27.5 ∘ N. Furthermore, the life span of cyclonic eddies is longer than that of anticyclonic eddies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In this article, there is an overview of the potential of different (mostly altimetry-derived) products for manifesting features of basin- and mesoscale circulation of the Western Mediterranean Basin. In terms of detection of mesoscale eddies and larger gyres, the comparison was performed between eddy statistics extracted directly from fields of sea surface temperature (SST), on the one hand, and reconstructed from different scalar and vector altimetry-derived fields, on the other hand. Among the products being analysed, there are fields of (i) sea level anomaly (SLA), (ii) geostrophic currents, and (iii) finite size Lyapunov exponents (FSLE). Comparison of the eddy statistics provided by such different data sources revealed that altimetry-based techniques tended to overestimate the number of big cyclones and thus failed to reproduce cyclonic/anticyclonic eddy asymmetry which was shown by fields of SST. Defining the spatial scale of eddies via altimetry-based techniques seemed particularly problematic. FSLE product analysed in the study showed significant disagreements with vortical structures observed in fields of SST both in terms of the spatial scale and the sign of rotation. In order to scrutinize basin-scale features of surface circulation in the region of interest, fields of (i) geostrophic currents, (ii) total currents reconstructed by the GlobCurrent project, and (iii) surface currents provided by the reanalysis technique were analysed. As a result of the comparison performed, a conclusion was made on the complementarity of the datasets analysed. Highlights • Results of different eddy detection techniques might significantly diverge. • Direct scrutiny of SST images revealed that biggest eddies were mostly anticyclonic. • Indirect eddy detection techniques tend to identify both anticyclones and cyclones. • Features seen in FSLE fields did not correspond to any vortical structures. • Different products on surface currents analysed seem complementary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on analysis of observational data it has been suggested that a negative feedback of ice–ocean stress coupling may limit freshwater accumulation in the Beaufort Gyre (BG). In this paper we explore how this feedback can significantly contribute to BG stabilization in an anticyclonic wind regime. We use an ice–ocean model and turn on and off the feedback in simulations to elucidate the role of the feedback. When a persistent anticyclonic wind anomaly is applied over the BG, liquid freshwater content (FWC) increases because of enhanced Ekman downwelling. As a consequence, ocean surface geostrophic currents speed up. However, the spinup of sea ice is weaker than the acceleration of surface geostrophic currents during wintertime, because of strong sea ice internal stress when ice concentration is high and ice is thick. This leads to cyclonic anomalies in the ice–ocean relative velocity and stress over the BG. The resultant seasonal Ekman upwelling anomaly reduces freshwater accumulation by about 1/4 as compared to a simulation with the negative feedback turned off in a control experiment, with a reduction range of 1/10–1/3 in all experiments conducted. We show that the feedback is more effective when the model's mesoscale eddy diffusivity is smaller or when sea ice internal stress is stronger. Finally, we argue that the ice–ocean stress feedback may become less significant as the Arctic warms and sea ice declines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An intensive field observation experiment using 12 Chinese gliders equipped with conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) sensors and 62 expendable CTD probes (XCTDs) was performed to investigate the 3-D structure and time evolution of an anticyclonic eddy in the northern South China Sea (NSCS). The observed results showed that the anticyclonic eddy had a horizontal radius of about 80 km at surface and a vertical depth of impact of more than 1000 m. The largest temperature and salinity anomalies compared with the averaged values of the temperature and salinity profiles were 3.5°C and 0.4 psu at 120 m depth, respectively. Combined analysis of altimeter sea level and water mass properties indicated that the anticyclonic eddy was shed from the Kuroshio loop current. The vertical axis of the anticyclonic eddy tilted from surface to the observed maximum depth (1000 m) along its translation direction against the 2000 m isobath. The center of the anticyclonic eddy remained in the region east of Dongsha Island for more than half a month. During this time, the long axis direction of the eddy changed from across the slope to along the slope. Then, the eddy moved southward along the 2000 m isobaths. Both the geostrophic current and temperature distribution revealed that the eddy intensity weakened during the observation period gradually. These observations indicated strong interaction between the anticyclonic eddy and the slope topography of Dongsha Island. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variability in the vertical distribution of the hydrobiont bioluminescence intensity and chlorophyll a concentration in autumn along the coast of Crimea and its causes are analyzed based on expedition data and satellite information. It is shown that minimum bioluminescence intensities of marine organisms and chlorophyll a concentration were observed in the abyssal sea of the water area under study in the region of a cyclonic mesoscale eddy, where the upwelling was detected, and the thickness of the upper mixed layer did not exceed 20 m. The maximum values of the chlorophyll a concentration and bioluminescence intensity were observed at stations positioned in the shallow-water littoral sea which is rich in biogenic elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal HF radar systems provide operational measurements of coastal surface currents with high spatial (~ 1-5 km) and temporal (~ hourly) sampling resolution while the near continuous altimetry missions afford, from 1993 to nowadays, information of geostrophic currents in the global ocean with typical along-track and temporal sampling resolutions of > 7 km and > 9 days, respectively. During the last years, the altimetry community has made a step forward in improving these data in the coastal area, where the data present lower quality than in the open ocean. The combination of HF radar and altimetry measurements arises as a promising strategy to improve the continuous monitoring of the coastal area (e.g. by expanding the measurements made by HF radars to adjacent areas covered by the altimetry, or by validating/confirming improvements brought by specific coastal algorithms or new altimeter missions). A first step towards this combination is the comparison of both datasets in the overlapping areas. In this study, a HF radar system and two Jason-2 satellite altimetry products with different processing (CTOH and CMEMS) are compared over the period from 1 January 2009 to 24 July 2015. The results provide an evaluation of the performance of different coastal altimetry datasets within the study area and a better understanding of the ocean variability contained in the HF radar and both altimetry data sets. The variability of the radar and altimetry measurements is higher near the coast, and both observing systems detect the Iberian Poleward Current and eddies, which are the main mesoscale processes within the study area. The highest correlations between radar and altimetry (up to 0.64) take place in the slope, where the Iberian Poleward Current represents a significant part of the mesoscale variability. Besides, the use of a simple Ekman model to add the wind-induced current component to the to the altimetry-derived geostrophic currents increases the agreement between both data sets (increasing the correlation in around 10 %). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mascarene Plateau lies in the south-west Indian Ocean between the islands of Mauritius and the Seychelles Bank, and is characterised by a series of shallow banks separated by deep (>1 000 m), narrow channels. The plateau acts as an obstruction to the general ocean circulation in this region, separating the westward-flowing South Equatorial Current (SEC) into two branches downstream of the plateau. In this article, we present the results of a survey conducted along the entire Mascarene Plateau during the Northeast Monsoon, in October–November 2008. In addition, data from Argo floats were used to determine the origin of water masses entering this region. The plateau contains three gaps through which branches of the SEC are channelled. The northern, central and southern gaps receive 14.93 Sv, 14.41 Sv and 6.19 Sv, respectively. Although there are differences in water-mass properties to the west and east of the Mascarene Plateau due to mixing, the SEC acts as a sharp boundary between water masses of southern and northern Indian Ocean origin. Mixing occurs in the central gap between intermediate water masses (Red Sea Water [RSW] and Antarctic Intermediate Water [AAIW]) as well as in the upper waters (Subtropical Surface Water [STSW] and Indonesian Throughflow Water [ITW]). Through the northern gap, mixing occurs between Arabian Sea High-Salinity Water (ASHSW), ITW and Tropical Surface Water (TSW), while through the southern gap, mixing occurs between STSW and ITW. North Indian Deep Water (NIDW) is present in the region but the plateau appears to have no effect on it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a new algorithm for parallel identification of mesoscale eddies from global satellite altimetry data. By simplifying the recognition process and the sea level anomaly (SLA) contours' search range, the method improves identification efficiency compared with the previous SSH-based method even in the single-threaded process. The global SLA map is divided into several regions. These regions are identified simultaneously with a new SSH-based method. All the eddy identification results of these regions are merged seamlessly into a global eddy map. A β-plane approximation is used to calculate the geostrophic speed in the equatorial band. Compared with the computation complexity of the previous SSH-based method, which is , the computation complexity of the new method is , where K is the number of threads and L is the number of regional SLA maps. When applying the new method to the global SLA map, the computation is ~100 times faster than the previous SSH-based method on an average computer. The new method characterizes an eddy structure by radius, amplitude, eddy core, closed SLA contour, and closed SLA contour with maximum average geostrophic speed. In situ data and another global eddy dataset are applied to validate the reliability of eddies detected by the new algorithm. Global eddy mean properties, variability, and the geographical distribution of both datasets are analyzed to demonstrate the performance of this new method and to help understand eddy activities on a global scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A set of absolute geostrophic current (AGC) data for the period January 2004 to December 2012 are calculated using the P-vector method based on monthly gridded Argo profiles in the world tropical oceans. The AGCs agree well with altimeter geostrophic currents, Ocean Surface Current Analysis-Real time currents, and moored current-meter measurements at 10-m depth, based on which the classical Sverdrup circulation theory is evaluated. Calculations have shown that errors of wind stress calculation, AGC transport, and depth ranges of vertical integration cannot explain non-Sverdrup transport, which is mainly in the subtropical western ocean basins and equatorial currents near the Equator in each ocean basin (except the North Indian Ocean, where the circulation is dominated by monsoons). The identified non-Sverdrup transport is thereby robust and attributed to the joint effect of baroclinicity and relief of the bottom (JEBAR) and mesoscale eddy nonlinearity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wind-driven geostrophic currents have been considered as one of the major energy sources for stimulating abyssal mixing that shapes the ocean overturning circulation. However, the mechanism governing the energy transfer from surface geostrophic currents to small dissipation scales available for abyssal mixing remains elusive. In this study, we identify a potential energy transfer pathway from surface geostrophic eddies to abyssal small-scale turbulence based on observations and numerical simulations of flows over seamounts in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. Our analyses reveal the generation of strong near-bottom anticyclonic circulations following the passage of surface geostrophic eddies across seamounts. These circulations drive downslope Ekman transports and convective instabilities, leading to enhanced turbulent mixing and thickened bottom mixed layers. Altimetry observations suggest that the energy transfer from surface eddies to deep currents and subsequent turbulence may be a dominant mechanism that accounts for 25–40% energy decay of mesoscale eddies passing seamounts. Strong near-bottom anticyclonic circulations associated with the surface geostrophic eddies are likely common for many seamounts and other topographic slopes in the global ocean, and may therefore play a significant role in the oceanic energy balance and water mass transformation in the abyssal ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mesoscale eddies can elevate turbulent mixing, but the mechanisms have not been fully understood. Based on a field experiment in two mesoscale eddies near the critical latitude of the M 2 internal tides in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, enhanced turbulent mixing was found both in and below the mixed layer. Microstructure observations indicate that enhanced turbulent mixing mainly appeared outside the eddy center in the mixed layer (approximately 117 m), which was speculated to be related to geostrophic current shear. By analyzing the CTD and Argo measurements through a fine-scale parameterization method, enhanced turbulent mixing was found to be concentrated at the southern flank of the anticyclonic eddy below 300 m, which showed little correlation with topographic roughness and local winds. Based on a ray-tracing model, the wind-generated near-inertial waves at higher latitudes were also excluded as the cause of the enhanced turbulent mixing. The enhanced turbulent mixing below 300 m was generally consistent with the features of subthermocline eddies and eddy-modulated parametric subharmonic instability (PSI) of the M 2 internal tides. However, due to the limitation of observations, the eddy-modulated PSI mechanism was not fully validated. • Enhanced turbulent mixing was found in and below mixed layer in mesoscale eddies. • Geostrophic current shear may elevate turbulent mixing in the mixed layer. • Enhanced mixing below 300 m was consistent with features of eddy-modulated PSI. • Subthermocline eddy may also contribute to the enhanced mixing below 300 m. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivated by the potential of oceanic mesoscale eddies to drive intrinsic low-frequency variability, this paper examines geostrophic turbulence in the frequency-wavenumber domain. Frequency-wavenumber spectra, spectral fluxes, and spectral transfers are computed from an idealized two-layer quasigeostrophic (QG) turbulence model, a realistic high-resolution global ocean general circulation model, and gridded satellite altimeter products. In the idealized QG model, energy in low wavenumbers, arising from nonlinear interactions via the well-known inverse cascade, is associated with energy in low frequencies and vice versa, although not in a simple way. The range of frequencies that are highly energized and engaged in nonlinear transfer is much greater than the range of highly energized and engaged wavenumbers. Low-frequency, low-wavenumber energy is maintained primarily by nonlinearities in the QG model, with forcing and friction playing important but secondary roles. In the high-resolution ocean model, nonlinearities also generally drive kinetic energy to low frequencies as well as to low wavenumbers. Implications for the maintenance of low-frequency oceanic variability are discussed. The cascade of surface kinetic energy to low frequencies that predominates in idealized and realistic models is seen in some regions of the gridded altimeter product, but not in others. Exercises conducted with the general circulation model suggest that the spatial and temporal filtering inherent in the construction of gridded satellite altimeter maps may contribute to the discrepancies between the direction of the frequency cascade in models versus gridded altimeter maps seen in some regions. Of course, another potential reason for the discrepancy is missing physics in the models utilized here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The changes in the field of the Arabian Sea level anomaly and the geostrophic currents are analyzed based on the data of satellite altimetry measurements in 1993-2008 within the framework of the AVISO project. On the intra-annual scale, the current field generally agrees with the circulation schemes published in a number earlier works. Their differences are due to the occurrence of the mesoscale eddies and jet currents revealed by the authors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]