Seasonal variation of atmospheric coupling with oceanic mesoscale eddies in the North Pacific Subtropical Countercurrent

This study investigated the seasonal variation in the atmospheric response to oceanic mesoscale eddies in the North Pacific Subtropical Countercurrent (STCC) and its mechanism, based on satellite altimetric and reanalysis datasets. Although mesoscale eddy in the study area is more active in summer, the sea surface temperature (SST) anomaly associated with mesoscale eddies is more intense and dipolar in winter, which is largely due to the larger background SST gradient. Similarly, the impact of the oceanic eddy on sea surface wind speed and heat flux is strongest in winter, whereas its effect on precipitation rate is more significant in summer. The study revealed that the SST gradient in STCC could impact the atmosphere layer by up to 800 hPa (900 hPa) in boreal winter (summer) through the dominant vertical mixing mechanism. Moreover, the intensity of the SST gradient causes such seasonal variation in mesoscale air-sea coupling in the study region. In brief, a stronger (weaker) background SST gradient field in wintertime (summertime) leads to a larger (smaller) eddy-induced SST anomaly, thus differently impacting atmosphere instability and transitional kinetic energy flux over oceanic eddies, leading to seasonal variation in mesoscale air-sea coupling intensity.

Automated summary

This study investigates the seasonal variation in the atmospheric response to oceanic mesoscale eddies in the North Pacific Subtropical Countercurrent, with findings showing that the impact of eddies on sea surface temperature and wind speed is stronger in winter, while their effect on precipitation rate is more significant in summer.