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The Impact of High‐Frequency Weather Systems on SST and Surface Mixed Layer in the Central Arabian Sea
Author(s) -
Zhou Shenjie,
Zhai Xiaoming,
Renfrew Ian A.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: oceans
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2169-9291
pISSN - 2169-9275
DOI - 10.1002/2017jc013609
Subject(s) - environmental science , mixed layer , wind speed , climatology , sea surface temperature , atmospheric sciences , wind stress , humidity , relative humidity , monsoon , surface layer , cloud cover , meteorology , geology , layer (electronics) , geography , materials science , cloud computing , computer science , composite material , operating system
The role of high‐frequency (subdaily time scales) weather systems in modulating the sea surface temperature (SST) and the mixed layer (ML) depth in the central Arabian Sea is investigated using one‐dimensional mixed‐layer models for different monsoon seasons. Simulations forced by subhourly sampled meteorological variables, including surface wind, air temperature, humidity, and cloud, are compared to simulations forced by daily‐averaged meteorological variables. It is found that including high‐frequency signals in the meteorological variables lowers the daily‐mean SST (by 0.8°C on average) and damps its variability (the standard deviation decreases by 1.0°C) but has little systematic effect on the SST diurnal variability. There is a small but consistent deepening of the ML depth associated with the slightly intensified wind stress and heat loss due to high‐frequency weather systems at this site. The cooling effect on the daily‐mean SST is found to be closely related to the ML depth on daily‐to‐seasonal time scales. The impact of high‐frequency weather systems is primarily driven by the high‐frequency wind via the turbulent heat and momentum fluxes.