Editorial Type:
Article
Article Type:
Research Article

Formation Mechanism for Isopycnal Temperature–Salinity Anomalies Propagating from the Eastern South Pacific to the Equatorial Region

Masami Nonaka Frontier Research Center for Global Change, JAMSTEC, Yokohama, Japan

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Hideharu Sasaki Earth Simulator Center, JAMSTEC, Yokohama, Japan

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Print Publication:
01 Apr 2007
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI4065.1
Page(s):
1305–1315
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Abstract

Equatorward propagation of temperature–salinity (or spiciness) anomalies on an isopycnal surface emanating from the eastern subtropical South Pacific and their formation mechanism are investigated based on a hindcast simulation with an eddy-resolving quasi-global ocean general circulation model. Because of density-compensating meridional distributions of temperature and salinity, the meridional density gradient is weak at the sea surface in the eastern subtropical South Pacific. With these mean fields, cool sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTAs) can make the outcrop line of an isopycnal surface migrate equatorward more than 5° and induce warm and salty anomalies on the isopycnal surface. Subducted warm, salty anomalies propagate to the equatorial region over approximately 5 yr and may influence equatorial isopycnal temperature–salinity anomalies. Although the associated effects are unclear, if these anomalies could further induce warm eastern equatorial SSTAs that are positively correlated with eastern South Pacific SSTAs, opposite sign temperature–salinity anomalies would be formed in the subtropical South Pacific, and a closed cycle having a decadal time scale might be induced.

Corresponding author address: Masami Nonaka, Frontier Research Center for Global Change, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, 3173-25 Showa-machi, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama 236-0001, Japan. Email: nona@jamstec.go.jp

Abstract

Equatorward propagation of temperature–salinity (or spiciness) anomalies on an isopycnal surface emanating from the eastern subtropical South Pacific and their formation mechanism are investigated based on a hindcast simulation with an eddy-resolving quasi-global ocean general circulation model. Because of density-compensating meridional distributions of temperature and salinity, the meridional density gradient is weak at the sea surface in the eastern subtropical South Pacific. With these mean fields, cool sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTAs) can make the outcrop line of an isopycnal surface migrate equatorward more than 5° and induce warm and salty anomalies on the isopycnal surface. Subducted warm, salty anomalies propagate to the equatorial region over approximately 5 yr and may influence equatorial isopycnal temperature–salinity anomalies. Although the associated effects are unclear, if these anomalies could further induce warm eastern equatorial SSTAs that are positively correlated with eastern South Pacific SSTAs, opposite sign temperature–salinity anomalies would be formed in the subtropical South Pacific, and a closed cycle having a decadal time scale might be induced.

Corresponding author address: Masami Nonaka, Frontier Research Center for Global Change, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, 3173-25 Showa-machi, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama 236-0001, Japan. Email: nona@jamstec.go.jp

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