On the spatial and temporal distribution of near-inertial energy in the Southern Ocean

Rath, Willi, Greatbatch, Richard J. and Zhai, Xiaoming (2014) On the spatial and temporal distribution of near-inertial energy in the Southern Ocean. Journal of Geophysical Research - Oceans, 119 (1). pp. 359-376. ISSN 2169-9275

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Abstract

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.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	near-inertial energy,wind-power input,wind stress,recent decadal trends
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Science > School of Environmental Sciences Faculty of Science > School of Natural Sciences
UEA Research Groups:	Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Centre for Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences
Depositing User:	Pure Connector
Date Deposited:	13 Oct 2014 13:58
Last Modified:	21 Oct 2022 14:32
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/50474
DOI:	10.1002/2013JC009246

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