The Critical Role of Thermal Stratification Associated With the Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass in Modulating Winter Sea Surface Temperature
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Published:2024-02
Issue:2
Volume:129
Page:
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ISSN:2169-9275
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Container-title:Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans
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language:en
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Short-container-title:JGR Oceans
Author:
Liu Xingchuan1ORCID,
Yu Fei12ORCID,
Chen Zifei1,
Si Guangcheng12,
Nan Feng12ORCID,
Wang Jianfeng12ORCID,
Ren Qiang12,
Hu Yibo13
Affiliation:
1. Key Laboratory of Ocean Circulation and Waves Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences Qingdao China
2. Center for Ocean Mega‐Science Chinese Academy of Sciences Qingdao China
3. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
Abstract
AbstractThe Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass (YSCWM), a seasonal bottom‐layer water mass in the Yellow Sea (YS) most prominent in summer, has always been overlooked in previous studies investigating variations in the winter Sea Surface Temperature. Here, using observations and high‐resolution numerical modeling, we reveal for the first time the significant contribution of thermal stratification associated with the YSCWM to the sea surface cooling and the formation of the westward‐shifted Yellow Sea Warm Water Tongue (YSWT) in early winter. Heat budget analyses indicated that the impact of the YSCWM to surface cooling manifests in two aspects. First, the upward mixing of bottom cold water from the remnant YSCWM triggers cooling in the mixed layer. Second, the shallower local mixed layer above the YSCWM facilitates more pronounced cooling processes compared to the YSWT region under similar heat flux. The formation of the westward‐shifted YSWT is the result of intensified surface cooling in both the coastal shallow waters and the YSCWM region in the central YS. During the formation process of the YSWT, its main axis aligns with the western boundary of the YSCWM. As the YSCWM dissipates, the YSWT shows an eastward apparent displacement and eventually stabilizes near approximately 123°E. This study enriches our understanding of the transition from stratification to vertical homogeneity in the water temperature structure of the YS during early winter.
Funder
China Postdoctoral Science Foundation
Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province
Publisher
American Geophysical Union (AGU)
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