Ocean Mesoscale Eddies Caused by Tropical Cyclones

Abstract:

The strong wind forcing of tropical cyclones may cause substantial cooling of ocean upper layer due to the enhanced mixing and upwelling. In-situ and satellite data analyses show that the ocean upper layer cooling can last for several weeks after disappearance of the cyclonic wind forcing, and the density disturbance occurs down to the depth of several hundred meters. Associated with the cooling in the cyclone center, the horizontal density gradient helps to develop cyclonic ocean eddies. Numerical modeling of the upper ocean with cyclonic wind forcing suggests the baroclinicity induced by the strong wind forcing is responsible for the ocean mesoscale eddy development that may further affected by the translation speed of a cyclone.