Benjamin Jaimes

Mixed Layer Cooling in Mesoscale Oceanic Eddies during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

Abstract During favorable atmospheric conditions, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita deepened to category 5 over the Loop Current’s (LC) bulge associated with an amplifying warm core eddy. Both hurricanes subsequently weakened to category 3 after passing over a cold core eddy (CCE) prior to making landfall. Reduced (increased) oceanic mixed layer (OML) cooling of ∼1°C (4.5°C) was observed over the LC (CCE) where the storms rapidly deepened (weakened). Data acquired during and subsequent to the passage of both hurricanes indicate that the modulated velocity response in these geostrophic features was responsible for the contrasts in the upper-ocean cooling levels. For similar wind forcing, the OML velocity response was about 2 times larger inside the CCE that interacted with Katrina than in the LC region affected by Rita, depending on the prestorm OML thickness. Hurricane-induced upwelling and vertical mixing were increased (reduced) in the CCE (LC). Less wind-driven kinetic energy was available to increase vertic...

Near-Inertial Wave Wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita over Mesoscale Oceanic Eddies

Abstract Tropical cyclones (TCs) Katrina and Rita moved as major hurricanes over energetic geostrophic ocean features in the Gulf of Mexico. Increased and reduced oceanic mixed layer (OML) cooling was measured following the passage of both storms over cyclonic and anticyclonic geostrophic relative vorticity ζg, respectively. This contrasting thermal response is investigated here in terms of the evolution of the storms’ near-inertial wave wake in geostrophic eddies. Observational data and ray-tracing techniques in realistic geostrophic flow indicate that TC-forced OML near-inertial waves are trapped in regions of negative ζg, where they rapidly propagate into the thermocline. These anticyclonic-rotating regimes coincided with the distribution of reduced OML cooling because rapid downward dispersion of near-inertial energy reduced the amount of kinetic energy available to increase vertical shears at the OML base. By contrast, TC-forced OML near-inertial waves were stalled in upper layers of cyclonic circula...

The Response of Quasigeostrophic Oceanic Vortices to Tropical Cyclone Forcing

AbstractThe response of quasigeostrophic (QG) oceanic vortices to tropical cyclone (TC) forcing is investigated using an isopycnic ocean model. Idealized oceanic currents and wind fields derived from observational data acquired during Hurricane Katrina are used to initialize this model. It is found that the upwelling response is a function of the curl of wind-driven acceleration of oceanic mixed layer (OML) currents rather than a function of the wind stress curl. Upwelling (downwelling) regimes prevail under the TC’s eye as it translates over cyclonic (anticyclonic) QG vortices. OML cooling of ~1°C occurs over anticyclones because of the combined effects of downwelling, instantaneous turbulent entrainment over the deep warm water column (weak stratification), and vertical dispersion of near-inertial energy. By contrast, OML cooling of ~4°C occurs over cyclones due to the combined effects of upwelling, instantaneous turbulent entrainment over regions of tight vertical thermal gradients (strong stratificati...

Enthalpy and Momentum Fluxes during Hurricane Earl Relative to Underlying Ocean Features

Using dropsondes from 27 aircraft flights, in situ observations, and satellite data acquired during Tropical Cyclone Earl (category4 hurricane), bulk air‐sea fluxesof enthalpy and momentumare investigated in relation to intensity change and underlying upper-ocean thermal structure. During Earl’s rapid intensification (RI) period,oceanheatcontent(OHC)variabilityrelativetothe268Cisothermexceeded90kJcm 22 ,andseasurface cooling was less than 0.58C. Enthalpy fluxes of ;1.1kWm 22 were estimated for Earl’s peak intensity. Daily sea surface heat losses of 26:560:8, 27:861:1, and 12:360: 7k Jcm 22 were estimated for RI, mature, and weakening stages, respectively. A ratio CK/CD of the exchange coefficients of enthalpy (CK) and momentum (CD) between 0.54 and 0.7 produced reliable estimates for the fluxes relative to OHC changes, even during RI; ar atioCK/CD 51 overestimated the fluxes. The most important result is that bulk enthalpy fluxes were controlled by the thermodynamic disequilibrium between the sea surface and the near-surface air, independently of wind speed. This disequilibrium was strongly influenced by underlying warm oceanic features; localized maxima in enthalpy fluxes developed over tight horizontal gradients of moisture disequilibrium over these eddy features. These regions of local buoyant forcing preferentially developed during RI. The overall magnitude of the moisture disequilibrium (Dq 5 qs2qa )w as determined by thesaturation specifichumidityat sea surface temperature (qs)rather than by thespecific humidity of the atmospheric environment (qa). These results support the hypothesis that intense local buoyant forcing by the ocean could be an important intensification mechanism in tropical cyclones over warm oceanic features.

Enhanced Wind-Driven Downwelling Flow in Warm Oceanic Eddy Features during the Intensification of Tropical Cyclone Isaac (2012): Observations and Theory

AbstractTropical cyclones (TCs) typically produce intense oceanic upwelling underneath the storm’s center and weaker and broader downwelling outside upwelled regions. However, several cases of predominantly downwelling responses over warm, anticyclonic mesoscale oceanic features were recently reported, where the ensuing upper-ocean warming prevented significant cooling of the sea surface, and TCs rapidly attained and maintained major status. Elucidating downwelling responses is critical to better understanding TC intensification over warm mesoscale oceanic features. Airborne ocean profilers deployed over the Gulf of Mexico’s eddy features during the intensification of tropical storm Isaac into a hurricane measured isothermal downwelling of up to 60 m over a 12-h interval (5 m h−1) or twice the upwelling strength underneath the storm’s center. This displacement occurred over a warm-core eddy that extended underneath Isaac’s left side, where the ensuing upper-ocean warming was ~8 kW m−2; sea surface tempera...

Airborne Ocean Surveys of the Loop Current Complex From NOAA WP-3D in Support of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

Abstract : At the time of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion, the Loop Current (LC), a warm ocean current in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM), extended to 27.5 N just south of the rig. To measure the regional scale variability of the LC, oceanographic missions were flown on a NOAA WP-3D research aircraft to obtain ocean structural data during the spill and provide thermal structure profiles to ocean forecasters aiding in the oil spill disaster at 7 to 10 day intervals. The aircraft flew nine grid patterns over the eastern GoM between May and July 2010 deploying profilers to measure atmospheric and oceanic properties such as wind, humidity, temperature, salinity, and current. Ocean current profilers sampled as deep as 1500 m, conductivity, temperature, and depth profilers sampled to 1000 m, and bathythermographs sampled to either 350 or 800 m providing deep structural measurements. Profiler data were provided to modeling centers to predict possible trajectories of the oil and vector ships to regions of anomalous signals. In hindcast mode, assimilation of temperature profiles into the Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model improved the fidelity of the simulations by reducing RMS errors by as much as 30% and decreasing model biases by half relative to the simulated thermal structure from models that assimilated only satellite data. The synoptic snapshots also provided insight into the evolving LC variability, captured the shedding of the warm core eddy Franklin, and measured the small-scale cyclones along the LC periphery.

Observing Frontal Instabilities of the Florida Current Using High Frequency Radar

Recent results using high frequency (HF) radar to investigate shear-zone instability along the frontal regions of the Florida Current are presented. The ability of HF radar to map ocean surface currents over a two-dimensional area, in an operational long-term deployment, provides a unique dataset with which to study this rapidly evolving western boundary current. Two case studies demonstrate the power of HF radar to (1) reveal new information regarding flow field kinematics of previously studied features, and (2) measure transient phenomena that have been historically difficult to capture with ship and moored point measurements, or to resolve with satellite imagery. The first case study is an investigation into the flow field kinematics of a cyclonic submesoscale frontal eddy, and the second is an analysis of a near-inertial velocity signal along the anticyclonic flank of the Florida Current.

Ring‐slope interactions and the formation of the western boundary current in the Gulf of Mexico

Hydrographic data from the Gulf of Mexico (gulf) provide evidence that a western boundary current was set up by the interaction of an anticyclonic Loop Current (LC) ring with the continental margin of the western gulf during March-August 1985. The March 1985 geostrophic circulation reveals a remnant anticyclonic ring colliding with the slope. During this collision, two cyclonic rings were shed as the anticyclone transferred vorticity to the surrounding slope water. During July-August 1985, the ring triad weakened and evolved into a ∼900-km-long, north flowing, along-slope, western boundary current and cyclonic-anticyclonic ring pairs distributed throughout the central and western gulf. This western boundary current attained maximum northward flow speeds of 25 cm s−1 and an 8.3-Sv mass transport between 94°–96°W at 25°N. Our March-August 1985 observations reveal that the residence time and decay period of LC anticyclones in the western gulf may exceed 150 days. Within this time period the western gulfs cyclonic-anticyclonic vorticity field decayed ∼50%. Thus the western boundary currents evolutionary period, from its gestation to its absolute decay, is estimated to be of the order of 300 days. Although the presence of a western boundary current in the gulf has been attributed to the annual wind stress curl cycle [Sturges, 1993], our analyses of the western gulf March and July-August 1985 ring-driven geostrophic circulation and corresponding (January, February and May, June 1985) monthly mean synoptic wind stress curl distributions reveal that these constitute competing forcing mechanisms for the gulfs regional circulation. However, when very strong local forcing such as large eddies are present, the wind-driven background circulation is overwhelmed by such eddy forcing.

Observed ocean thermal response to Hurricanes Gustav and Ike

The 2008 Atlantic hurricane season featured two hurricanes, Gustav and Ike, crossing the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) within a 2 week period. Over 400 airborne expendable bathythermographs (AXBTs) were deployed in a GOM field campaign before, during, and after the passage of Gustav and Ike to measure the evolving upper ocean thermal structure. AXBT and drifter deployments specifically targeted the Loop Current (LC) complex, which was undergoing an eddy-shedding event during the field campaign. Hurricane Gustav forced a 50 m deepening of the ocean mixed layer (OML), dramatically altering the prestorm ocean conditions for Hurricane Ike. Wind-forced entrainment of colder thermocline water into the OML caused sea surface temperatures to cool by over 5°C in GOM common water, but only 1–2°C in the LC complex. Ekman pumping and a near-inertial wake were identified by fluctuations in the 20°C isotherm field observed by AXBTs and drifters following Hurricane Ike. Satellite estimates of the 20° and 26°C isotherm depths and ocean heat content were derived using a two-layer model driven by sea surface height anomalies. Generally, the satellite estimates correctly characterized prestorm conditions, but the two-layer model inherently could not resolve wind-forced mixing of the OML. This study highlights the importance of a coordinated satellite and in situ measurement strategy to accurately characterize the ocean state before, during, and after hurricane passage, particularly in the case of two consecutive storms traveling through the same domain.

Upper ocean observations in eastern Caribbean Sea reveal barrier layer within a warm core eddy

Three-dimensional measurements of a large warm core eddy (WCE) and the Caribbean Current are acquired using oceanic profilers deployed during a NOAA research aircraft study in September 2014 in the eastern Caribbean Sea. Measurements of the near-surface atmosphere are also collected to examine air-sea processes over the eddy. These novel measurements showcase temperature and salinity for the eddy and background flow, upper ocean stratification, a residing barrier layer (BL), velocity structure, and water mass characteristics. The eddys thermal structure is alike that of WCEs in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) whereas surrounding waters have relatively deeper isotherms compared to its GoM counterparts. Analyses suggest that upper ocean stratification within the study region is due to a BL. These are the first observations of a BL inside a WCE to the best of our knowledge. Reduced shear comparisons suggest that the upper ocean, especially within the WCE, would be more resistant to tropical cyclone (TC) induced mixing than the GoM because of the BL. The eddy is suspected to originate from North Brazil Current rings, given its fresh anomalies relative to climatology and surrounding waters and its trajectory prior to sampling. Atmospheric measurements suggest the WCE is influencing the lower atmosphere along its boundaries. These observations signify that not only does this WCE have deep thermal structure and modulate the near-surface atmosphere but it is unique because it has a BL. The findings and analyses suggest that a similar eddy could potentially influence air-sea processes, such as those during TC passage.