Enhanced Oceanic Environmental Responses and Feedbacks to Super Typhoon Nida (2009) during the Sudden-Turning Stage

The ocean surface and subsurface biophysical responses and their feedbacks to super typhoon Nida were comprehensively investigated based on a substantial dataset of multiple-satellite observations, Argo profiles, and reanalysis data. Nida experienced two Category 5 stages: a rapid intensification stage that was fast moving along a straight-line track, and a rapid weakening stage that was slowly moving along a sharp-left sudden-turning track. During the straight-line stage, Nida caused an average sea surface temperature (SST) cooling of 1.44 degrees C and a chlorophyll-a (chl-a) concentration increase of 0.03 mg m(-3). During the sudden-turning stage, cyclonic sudden-turning induced a strong cold cyclonic eddy (SSHA < -60 cm) by strong upwelling, which caused the maximum SST cooling of 6.68 degrees C and a long-lasting chl-a bloom of 0.6 mg m(-3) on the left-hand side of the track, resulting in substantial impacts on the ocean ecological environment. Furthermore, the enhanced ocean cold wake and the longer air-sea interaction in turn decreased the average inner-core SST of 4 degrees C and the corresponding enthalpy flux of 780 W m(-2), which induced a notable negative feedback to the typhoon intensity by weakening it from Category 5 to Category 2. The left bias response and notable negative feedback are special due to sharp-left sudden-turning of typhoon. Comparing with the previously found slow translation speed (similar to 4 m s(-1)) of significant ocean response, the negative feedback requires even more restriction of translation speed (<2 m s(-1)) and sharp sudden-turning could effectively relax restrictions by making equivalent translation speed lower and air-sea interaction time longer. Our findings point out that there are some unique features in ocean-typhoon interactions under sudden-turning and/or lingering tracks comparing with ordinary tracks.

Automated summary

The study comprehensively investigated the biophysical responses of the ocean to super typhoon Nida, revealing significant impact on sea surface and subsurface conditions. The typhoon experienced two Category 5 stages with different effects on sea surface temperature and chlorophyll-a concentration. The abrupt turning of the typhoon induced a notable negative feedback, weakening the typhoon intensity.