The Impact of Warm Core Rings on Middle Atlantic Bight Shelf Temperature and Shelf Break Velocity
Name
JGR Oceans - 2022 - Forsyth - The Impact of Warm Core Rings on Middle Atlantic Bight Shelf Temperature and Shelf Break.pdf
Size
1.29 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
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Author(s)
Forsyth, Jacob
Gawarkiewicz, Glen
Andres, Magdalena
Date Issued
February 28, 2022
Journal
Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans
Publisher
American Geophysical Union
Citation
Forsyth, J., Gawarkiewicz, G., & Andres, M. (2022). The impact of Warm Core Rings on Middle Atlantic Bight shelf temperature and shelf break velocity. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 127, e2021JC017759.
Version
Final published version
Abstract
Warm Core Rings (WCRs) are known to disrupt the shelf flow as well as drive strong heat transport onto the Middle Atlantic Bight shelf. We examine 27 rings sampled by the container ship Oleander, 16 rings which have in-situ velocity data and 11 rings identified from satellite sea surface height but with in-situ temperature data, to study the variability in rings' impact on shelf break velocities and on the temperature of the adjacent shelf. WCRs that have higher rotational velocities and are closer to the shelf are found to exert greater influence on the along-shelf velocities, with the fastest and closest rings reversing the direction of flow at the shelf break. As rings approach the study site, the Shelfbreak Jet is faster than when the rings are about to exit the study site, likely due to first steepening then flattening of the isopycnals at the Shelfbreak Front. Rings also have lasting impacts on the shelf temperature: rings with faster rotational velocities cool the shelf and rings with slower rotational velocities warm the shelf. The evolution of temperature on the shelf as a ring passes is strongly tied to the season. During warmer seasons, when temperature stratification on the shelf is strong, a ring cools the shelf; during periods of weak thermal stratification, rings tend to warm the shelf. Rings which cool the shelf are additionally associated with increased upwelling as they pass the study site.
MIT Department
Joint Program in Physical Oceanography
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences
Terms of Use
Creative Commons Attribution
Persistent DSpace Link
DOI of Published Version
https://doi.org/10.1029/2021JC017759
