OBSERVATIONS OF LARGE-SCALE RAINFALL, WIND, AND SEA SURFACE SALINITY VARIABILITY IN THE EASTERN TROPICAL PACIFIC

We examine profiling float-based measurements of rainfall, wind speed, and near-surface salinity in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean collected during the SPURS-2 field program. The data show large-scale meridional and zonal variability in these quantities, with considerable variability near the In...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Oceanography (Washington, D.C.) D.C.), 2019-06, Vol.32 (2), p.42-49
Main Authors: Riser, Stephen C., Yang, Jie, Drucker, Robert
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anomalies
Atmospheric convection
Convergence zones
Dolphins & porpoises
Fresh water
Intertropical convergence zone
Mixed layer
Moorings
Ocean currents
Oceans
Precipitation
Rain
Rainfall
Salinity
Salinity data
Sea surface
Seas
SPECIAL ISSUE ON SPURS-2: SALINITY PROCESSES IN THE UPPER-OCEAN REGIONAL STUDY 2
Storms
Surface salinity
Surface water
Tropical climate
Tropical regions
Variability
Wind speed
Wind velocity
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Summary:We examine profiling float-based measurements of rainfall, wind speed, and near-surface salinity in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean collected during the SPURS-2 field program. The data show large-scale meridional and zonal variability in these quantities, with considerable variability near the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). The eastern tropical Pacific data show strong, intermittent, near-surface, low-salinity events driven by rainfall along the ITCZ that generally do not occur elsewhere in the tropical Pacific. The float salinity data suggest that low-salinity surface water can be entrained 50 m or more into the mixed layer from mid-summer to early in the following calendar year, although the annual periods of strong wind and high precipitation do not coincide. Many of the low-salinity anomalies observed during the SPURS-2 program appear to result from strong, transient storms generated by atmospheric convection along the ITCZ that move across the region.
ISSN:1042-8275
2377-617X
DOI:10.5670/oceanog.2019.211