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Submesoscale streamers exchange water on the north wall of the Gulf Stream
Author(s) -
Klymak Jody M.,
Shearman R. Kipp,
Gula Jonathan,
Lee Craig M.,
D'Asaro Eric A.,
Thomas Leif N.,
Harcourt Ramsey R.,
Shcherbina Andrey Y.,
Sundermeyer Miles A.,
Molemaker Jeroen,
McWilliams James C.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1002/2015gl067152
Subject(s) - water mass , gulf stream , mode water , geology , oceanography , front (military) , north atlantic deep water , salinity , mesoscale meteorology , circumpolar deep water , flux (metallurgy) , mixing (physics) , subtropics , thermohaline circulation , ocean gyre , fishery , metallurgy , materials science , physics , quantum mechanics , biology
Abstract The Gulf Stream is a major conduit of warm surface water from the tropics to the subpolar North Atlantic. Here we observe and simulate a submesoscale (<20 km) mechanism by which the Gulf Stream exchanges water with subpolar water to the north. Along isopycnals, the front has a sharp compensated temperature‐salinity contrast, with distinct mixed water between the two water masses 2 and 4 km wide. This mixed water does not increase downstream despite substantial energy available for mixing. A series of streamers detrain this water at the crest of meanders. Subpolar water replaces the mixed water and resharpens the front. The water mass exchange accounts for a northward flux of salt of 0.5–2.5 psu m 2 s −1 , (large‐scale diffusivity O (100 m 2 s −1 )). This is similar to bulk‐scale flux estimates of 1.2 psu m 2 s −1 and supplies fresher water to the Gulf Stream required for the production of 18° subtropical mode water.