The diurnal Sea surface temperature variability observed by tropical mooring array in the western Pacific warm pool

This study uses time series of temperature at 1.5 m depth and sea surface meteorological elements acquired with tropical moorings in the western equatorial Pacific to investigate diurnal variability of near sea surface temperature. The mooring observation captured large diurnal amplitude of temperature at 1.5 m depth, which has double peak in May-June and October-November. This diurnal signal also modulates in interannual time scale. Variation of amplitude for the diurnal signal of the temperature at 1.5 m depth is correlated with that for shortwave radiation and relative humidity. Detailed relationships among these elements are also discussed.