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On the spatial and temporal distribution of near‐inertial energy in the Southern Ocean
Author(s) -
Rath Willi,
Greatbatch Richard J.,
Zhai Xiaoming
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: oceans
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2169-9291
pISSN - 2169-9275
DOI - 10.1002/2013jc009246
Subject(s) - inertial frame of reference , inertial wave , eddy , climatology , mode (computer interface) , spatial distribution , anticyclone , geology , environmental science , geodesy , atmospheric sciences , meteorology , geography , turbulence , physics , remote sensing , classical mechanics , quantum mechanics , computer science , wave propagation , operating system , mechanical wave , longitudinal wave
We use an eddying realistic primitive‐equation model of the Southern Ocean to examine the spatial and temporal distribution of near‐inertial wind‐power input (WPI) and near‐inertial energy (NIE) in the Southern Ocean. We find that the modeled near‐inertial WPI is almost proportional to inertial wind‐stress variance (IWSV), while the modeled NIE is modulated by the inverse of the mixed‐layer depth. We go on to assess recent decadal trends of near‐inertial WPI from trends of IWSV based on reanalysis wind stress. Averaged over the Southern Ocean, annual‐mean IWSV is found to have increased by 16% over the years 1979–2011. Part of the increase of IWSV is found to be related to the positive trend of the Southern‐Annular Mode over the same period. Finally, we show that there are horizontal local maxima of NIE at depth that are almost exclusively associated with anticyclonic eddies.