On the shape of sea level anomaly signal on periphery of mesoscale ocean eddies

Abstract Good knowledge of mesoscale eddy properties and their spatial and temporal distribution in the world ocean is important for an accurate estimate of their role in heat, salt, and/or momentum transports. Composites of satellite sea level anomaly, used to evaluate internal eddy structure, comm...

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Main Authors: A. Amores, S. Monserrat, O. Melnichenko, N. Maximenko
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2017-07-01
Series:Geophysical Research Letters
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/2017GL073978
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author A. Amores
S. Monserrat
O. Melnichenko
N. Maximenko
author_facet A. Amores
S. Monserrat
O. Melnichenko
N. Maximenko
author_sort A. Amores
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Good knowledge of mesoscale eddy properties and their spatial and temporal distribution in the world ocean is important for an accurate estimate of their role in heat, salt, and/or momentum transports. Composites of satellite sea level anomaly, used to evaluate internal eddy structure, commonly produce, at larger radii, a series of rings of alternating sign. We suggest that these secondary rings are not a part of the dynamical structure of the “central” eddy but are a rectified signature of the surrounding eddies. We show that statistical distribution of eddy polarities is not random but that an eddy of given polarity tends to be surrounded by eddies of opposite polarity. This observed spatial eddy polarity distribution, which is hypothesized to be a result of eddy self‐organization, is not only responsible for the secondary rings observed in the composite estimates but also causes a reduction of around 20% of the eddy composite amplitude and an increment of around 10% in the maximum rotational velocity, while it has negligible effect on the estimated eddy scale.
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spelling doaj-art-49e9c72e6f2b44d38f3db5a8e7cbae652025-08-20T03:10:28ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072017-07-0144136926693210.1002/2017GL073978On the shape of sea level anomaly signal on periphery of mesoscale ocean eddiesA. Amores0S. Monserrat1O. Melnichenko2N. Maximenko3International Pacific Research Center SOEST Honolulu Hawaii USADepartament de Fisica Universitat de les Illes Balears, Edifici Mateu Orfila Palma SpainInternational Pacific Research Center SOEST Honolulu Hawaii USAInternational Pacific Research Center SOEST Honolulu Hawaii USAAbstract Good knowledge of mesoscale eddy properties and their spatial and temporal distribution in the world ocean is important for an accurate estimate of their role in heat, salt, and/or momentum transports. Composites of satellite sea level anomaly, used to evaluate internal eddy structure, commonly produce, at larger radii, a series of rings of alternating sign. We suggest that these secondary rings are not a part of the dynamical structure of the “central” eddy but are a rectified signature of the surrounding eddies. We show that statistical distribution of eddy polarities is not random but that an eddy of given polarity tends to be surrounded by eddies of opposite polarity. This observed spatial eddy polarity distribution, which is hypothesized to be a result of eddy self‐organization, is not only responsible for the secondary rings observed in the composite estimates but also causes a reduction of around 20% of the eddy composite amplitude and an increment of around 10% in the maximum rotational velocity, while it has negligible effect on the estimated eddy scale.https://doi.org/10.1002/2017GL073978mesoscale eddiesSLA eddy compositesnonrandom polarity distribution
spellingShingle A. Amores
S. Monserrat
O. Melnichenko
N. Maximenko
On the shape of sea level anomaly signal on periphery of mesoscale ocean eddies
Geophysical Research Letters
mesoscale eddies
SLA eddy composites
nonrandom polarity distribution
title On the shape of sea level anomaly signal on periphery of mesoscale ocean eddies
title_full On the shape of sea level anomaly signal on periphery of mesoscale ocean eddies
title_fullStr On the shape of sea level anomaly signal on periphery of mesoscale ocean eddies
title_full_unstemmed On the shape of sea level anomaly signal on periphery of mesoscale ocean eddies
title_short On the shape of sea level anomaly signal on periphery of mesoscale ocean eddies
title_sort on the shape of sea level anomaly signal on periphery of mesoscale ocean eddies
topic mesoscale eddies
SLA eddy composites
nonrandom polarity distribution
url https://doi.org/10.1002/2017GL073978
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