Physical processes that drive the seasonal evolution of the Southwestern Tropical Atlantic Warm Pool

Author(s)

Cintra, Marcio M. ^[1] ; Lentini, Carlos A. D. ^[2] ; Servain, Jacques ^{[3, 4]} ; Araujo, Moacyr ^[5] ; Marone, Eduardo ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Fed Parana UFPR, CEM, Pontal do Parana, PR BR-83255000 - Brazil

^[2] Univ Fed Bahia UFBA, Dept Fis Terra & Meio Ambiente, BR-40170280 Salvador, BA - Brazil

^[3] Univ Paris 06, UMR 7159, LOCEAN IRD CNRS UPMC MNHN, F-75252 Paris - France

^[4] Fundacao Cearense Meteorol & Recursos Hidricos FU, BR-60115221 Fortaleza, Ceara - Brazil

^[5] Univ Fed Pernambuco UFPE, Dept Oceanog, BR-50740550 Recife, PE - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: DYNAMICS OF ATMOSPHERES AND OCEANS; v. 72, p. 1-11, DEC 2015.
• Web of Science Citations: 7

Abstract

The thermodynamics of the seasonal evolution of the Southwestern Tropical Atlantic Warm Pool (hereafter SWTAWP), which is delimited by the 28 degrees C isotherm, is investigated using the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS). Results indicate that the net heat flux is responsible for the appearance and extinction of the SWTAWP. From March to May, the SWTAWP attains its maximum development and sometimes merges with equatorial warm waters towards the African continent, whose development follows the same period. Along the equator, the combination of oceanic terms (i.e., advection and diffusion) is important to promote the separation when it occurs of equatorial warm waters from southwestern tropical waters, which develops off the Brazilian coast. An analysis of the relative contribution of the temperature tendency terms of the mixed layer (ML) heat budget over the appearance, development and extinction of the SWTAWP is also done. The most important term for warming and cooling inside of the ML is the net heat flux at the sea surface. The ML is heated by the atmosphere between October and April, whereas the upper ocean cools down between May and September. The highest heat content values occur during the lower-temperature period (August to October), which is linked to the deepening of the ML during this time period. The horizontal advection along the equator is important, particularly at the eastern domain, which is influenced by the cold tongue. In this area, the vertical diffusive term is also significant; however, it presents values near zero outside the equator. These results contribute to a better understanding of the behavior of the heat budget within the tropical Atlantic, as previous studies over this region focused along the equator only. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 15/09767-8 - Internal solitary waves and linear features observed in SAR images and Sunglint on the Amazon River mouth region
• Grantee: João Antonio Lorenzzetti
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Visiting Researcher Grant - Brazil