Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Warming of the lower ocean layer modulated by vertical advection prior to typhoon arrival

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Climate Dynamics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

A Correction to this article was published on 02 April 2024

This article has been updated

Abstract

During the period from 25 August 2012 to 11 December 2013, five typhoons were tracked passing by an observation station near the Xisha Islands in the northern South China Sea (NSCS). An analysis of the temperature observations revealed that the lower ocean layer (below the thermocline) experiences warming prior to the typhoon’s arrival. A three-dimensional model was used to analyze the dynamic processes of lower layer ocean warming. The simulations indicate that the upper layer (above the thermocline) is controlled by Ekman dynamics, with intense vertical mixing leading to upper-ocean cooling, consistent with previous understanding. Below the thermocline, the barotropic quasigeostrophic constraint emerges as the pivotal dynamic control of the waters preceding the typhoon, where the vertical velocity induced by Ekman suction drives the circulation in the lower layer. The geostrophic imbalance contributed by the pressure gradient force supplies anticlockwise acceleration and enhances divergence. Due to the negative Ekman suction and the lower layer ocean divergence, there is strong downwelling prior to the typhoon, which induces vertical warm advection leading to the warming of the intermediate ocean. Finally, a simplified estimate is formulated for the lower layer ocean warming preceding the typhoon's arrival.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15
Fig. 16
Fig. 17

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

The JTWC data were obtained at https://metoc.ndbc.noaa.gov/, the FNLs data at http://rda.ucar.edu, the ASCAT data at http://apdrc.soest.hawaii.edu:80/dods/public_data/satellite_product/ASCAT/daily, the OSTIA data at http://ghrsst-pp.metoffice.com/pages/latest_analysis/ostia.html.

Change history

References

  • Bentamy A, Denis CF (2012) Gridded surface wind fields from Metop/ASCAT measurements. Int J Remote Sens 33(6):1729–1754

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blumberg AF, Mellor GL (1987) A description of a three-dimensional coastal ocean circulation model. In: Heaps N (ed) Three-dimensional coastal ocean models. AGU, Washington, pp 1–16

    Google Scholar 

  • Boyer T, Levitus S, Garcia H, Locarnini R, Stephens C, Antonov J (2005) Objective analyses of annual, seasonal, and monthly temperature and salinity for the world ocean on a 0.25 grid. J Clim 25:931–945

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cornillon P, Stramma L, Price JF (1987) Satellite measurements of sea surface cooling during hurricane Gloria. Nature 326:373–375

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • D’Asaro EA (1989) The decay of wind-forced mixed layer inertial oscillations due to the b effect. J Geophys Res 94:2045–2056

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fang Y, Tana C, Sun SW, Liu BC (2013) Impact of the climate change on the western boundary current in the south China sea: an assessment based on numerical simulations. Malays J Sci 32(32):347–356

    Google Scholar 

  • Garrett C (2001) What is the “near-inertial” band and why is it different from the rest of the internal wave spectrum? J Phys Oceanogr 31:962–971

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gill A (1984) On the behavior of internal waves in the wakes of storms. J Phys Oceanogr 14(7):1129–1151

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ginis I, Sutyrin G (1995) Hurricane-generated depth-averaged currents and sea surface elevation. J Phys Oceanogr 25:1218–1242

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Greatbatch RJ (1985) On the role played by upwelling of water in lowering sea surface temperatures during the passage of a storm. J Geophys Res 90:11751–11755

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guan S, Zhao W, Huthnance J, Tian J, Wang J (2014) Observed upper ocean response to typhoon Megi (2010) in the Northern South China Sea. J Geophys Res Oceans 119:3134–3157

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holland GJ (1980) An analytic model of the wind and pressure profiles in hurricanes. Mon Wea Rev 108:1212–1218

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hsu P-C, Ho C-R (2019) Typhoon-induced ocean subsurface variations from glider data in the Kuroshio region adjacent to Taiwan. J Oceanogr 75:1–21

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jacob SD, Shay LK (2003) The role of oceanic mesoscale features on the tropical cyclone-induced mixed layer response: a case study. J Phys Oceanogr 33:649–676

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leipper DF (1967) Observed ocean conditions and hurricane Hilda. J Atmos Sci 24:182–196

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lin S, Zhang WZ, Shang SP, Hong HS (2017) Ocean response to typhoons in the western North Pacific: composite results from Argo data. Deep Sea Res Part I 123:62–74

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu Z, Gan J (2017) Three-dimensional pathways of water masses in the South China Sea: a modeling study. J Geophys Res Oceans 122:6039–6054

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu ZH, Yang HJ, Liu Q (2000) Regional dynamics of seasonal variability in the south China Sea. J Phys Oceanogr 31:272–284

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu H, Liu B, Xie L, Zhang K (2012) Simulation of ocean responses to an idealized landfalling tropical cyclone using a coupled atmosphere-wave-ocean modeling system. Trop Cycl Res Rev 1(3):373–389

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu X, Zhai F, Yan J, Gu Y, Wang Y, Li P, Wu K (2022) Three-dimensional temperature responses to northward-moving typhoons in the shallow stratified yellow sea in summer. J Geophys Res Oceans 127(12):e2022JC019091

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lu ZM, Huang RX (2010) The three-dimensional steady circulation in a homogenous ocean induced by a stationary hurricane. J Phys Oceanogr 40:1441–1457

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lu Z, Wang G, Shang X (2021) Strength and spatial structure of the perturbation induced by a tropical cyclone to the underlying eddies. J Geophys Res Oceans 125:e2020JC016097

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lu ZM, Wang GH, Shang XD, Xie XH (2023a) Uncertainties in altimetry observations of eddy changes induced by tropical cyclones. J Phys Oceanogr 53:113–129

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lu ZM, Wang GH, Shang XD (2023b) Observable large-scale impacts of tropical cyclones on subtropical gyre. J Phys Oceanogr 53:2189–2209

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maeda A (1964) On the variation of the vertical thermal structure. J Oceanogr Soc Japan 20(6):255–263

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mitchell DA, Teague WJ, Jarosz E, Wang DW (2005) Observed currents over the outer continental shelf during Hurricane Ivan. Geophys Res Lett 32:L11610

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Monaldo FM et al (1997) Satellite imagery of sea surface temperature cooling in the wake of hurricane Edouard (1996). Mon Weather Rev 125:2716–2721

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morozov EG, Velarde MG (2008) Inertial oscillations as deep ocean response to hurricanes. J Oceanogr 64:495–509

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nelson NB (1996) The wake of hurricane Felix. Int J Remote Sens 17(15):2893–2895

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pedlosky J (1996) Ocean circulation theory. Spring-Verlag, p 453

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Price JF (1981) Upper ocean response to a hurricane. J Phys Oceanogr 11:153–175

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Price JF (1983) Internal wave wake of a moving storm. Part I: scales, energy budget and observations. J Phys Oceanogr 13:949–965

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Qi H, De Szoeke RA, Paulson CA, Eriksen CC (1995) The structure of near-inertial waves during ocean storms. J Phys Oceanogr 25:2853–2871

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sanford TB, Girton JB, Price JF (2011) Upper Ocean Response to Hurricane Frances (2004) Observed by profiling EM-APEX floats. J Phys Oceanogr 41:1041–1056

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shay LK, Elsberry RL (1987) Near-inertial ocean current response to Hurricane Frederic. J Phys Oceanogr 17:1249–1269

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shay LK, Goni GJ, Black PG (2000) Effects of warm oceanic feature on hurricane opal. Mon Weath Rev 128:1367–1383

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sun L, Zheng Q, Tang T, Chuang W, Li L, Hu J, Wang D (2012) Upper ocean near-inertial response to 1998 Typhoon Faith in the South China Sea. Acta Oceanol Sin 31(2):25–32

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sun J, Oey L, Chang R, Xu FH, Huang SM (2015) Ocean response to typhoon Nuri (2008) in western Pacific and South China Sea. Ocean Dyn 65:735–749

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sun S, Fang Y, Zu Y, Liu B, Ta N, Samah A (2020) Seasonal characteristics of mesoscale coupling between the sea surface temperature and wind speed in the South China Sea. J Clim 33:625–638

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tsai YL, Chern CS, Wang J (2012) Numerical study of typhoon-induced ocean thermal content variations on the northern shelf of the South China Sea. Continental Shelf Res 42:64–77

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wada A (2002) The process of SST cooling by typhoon passage and case study of typhoon Rex with a Mixed layer ocean model. Meteorol Geophys 52(2):31–66

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang Q, Zhou WD, Wang DX (2014) Implementation of new time integration methods in POM. Ocean Dyn 64(5):643–654

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang G, Wu L, Johnson N, Ling Z (2016) Observed three-dimensional structure of ocean cooling induced by Pacific tropical cyclones. Geophys Res Lett 43(14):7632–7638

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang D, Wang Q, Cai S, Shang X, Peng S, Shu Y, Xiao J, Xie X, Zhang Z, Liu Z, Lan J, Chen D, Xue H, Wang G, Gan J, Xie X, Zhang R, Chen H, Yang Q (2019) Advances in research of the mid-deep South China Sea circulation. Sci China Earth Sci 62:1992–2004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang Q, Zeng L, Shu Y, Liu Q, Tingting Zu, Jian Li Ju, Chen YH, Wang D (2020) Interannual variability of South China Sea winter circulation: response to Luzon Strait transport and El Niño wind. Clim Dyn 54:1145–1159

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang GH, Wu LW, Wei M, Xie S-P (2022a) Ocean currents show global intensification of weak tropical cyclones. Nature 611:496–500

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang Q, Zhang B, Zeng L, He Y, Wu Z, Chen J (2022b) Properties and drivers of marine heatwaves in the northern South China Sea. J Phys Oceanogr 52:917–927

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang Q, Zeng L, Chen J, He Y, Liu Q, Sui D, Wang D (2023) Phase shift of the winter South China Sea western boundary current over the past two decades and its drivers. Geophys Res Lett 50:e2023GL103145

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wentz FJ, Gentemann C, Smith D, Chelton D (2000) Satellite measurements of sea surface temperature through clouds. Science 288:847–850

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang H (2023) Modulation of upper ocean vertical temperature structure and heat content by a fast-moving tropical cyclone. J Phys Oceanogr 53(2):493–508

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang H, Wu R, Chen D, Liu X, He H, Tang Y et al (2018) Net modulation of upper ocean thermal structure by Typhoon Kalmaegi (2014). J Geophys Res Oceans 123(10):7154–7171

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Y, Zhang Z, Chen D, Qiu B, Wang W (2020) Strengthening of the Kuroshio Current by intensifying tropical cyclones. Science 368:988–993

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao R, Zhu X, Park J (2017) Near 5-day nonisostatic response to atmospheric surface pressure and coastal trapped waves observed in the northern South China Sea. J Phys Oceanogr 47:2291–2303

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zheng H, Zhang C, Zhao R, Zhu X, Zhu Z, Liu Z, Wang M (2021) Structure and variability of abyssal current in northern south china sea based on CPIES observations. J Geophys Res Oceans 126:e2020JC016780

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zheng Y, Ma Z, Tang J, Zhang Z (2023) The coastal effect on ahead-of-eye-center cooling induced by tropical cyclones. J Phys Oceanogr 53(6):1519–1534

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The JTWC data were obtained at https://metoc.ndbc.noaa.gov/, the FNLs data at http://rda.ucar.edu, the ASCAT data at http://apdrc.soest.hawaii.edu:80/dods/public_data/satellite_product/ASCAT/daily, the OSTIA data at http://ghrsst-pp.metoffice.com/pages/latest_analysis/ostia.html. This study is supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grants 92158204), the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Grants 2022YFE0136600), National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grants 42076209, 41876017, 42176027, 42006022), the Science and Technology Program of Guangzhou (202102020841), Rising Star Foundation of the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology (Grants NHXX2019WL0101). The mooring datas are supplied by the Xisha Deep Sea Observatory, a member of the Network of Field Observation and Research Stations of the Chinese Academy of Science. The numerical calculation is supported by the high performance computing division and Ms. Dandan Sui and Dr. Wei Zhou of the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology.

Funding

This study is supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grants 92158204), the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Grants 2022YFE0136600), National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grants 42076209, 41876017, 42176027, 42006022), the Science and Technology Program of Guangzhou (202102020841), Rising Star Foundation of the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology (Grants NHXX2019WL0101).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Tropical Oceanography, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China

    Qiang Wang, Ju Chen & Yunkai He

  2. School of Marine Science, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai, China

    Dongxiao Wang

  3. State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China

    Peng Xiu

Authors
  1. Qiang Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ju Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yunkai He
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Dongxiao Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Peng Xiu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

QW is the first author who analyzed and wrote the manuscript. JC and YH collected the data and analyzed the variability. DW participated in the discussion and writing of the main manuscript text. PX analyzed the model results. All authors reviewed the manuscript.

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Qiang Wang or Peng Xiu.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare no conflict of interests.

Ethics approval and consent to participate

Not applicable.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

The original online version of this article was revised: In this article fig.6 was wrongly appeared. It has been corrected.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Wang, Q., Chen, J., He, Y. et al. Warming of the lower ocean layer modulated by vertical advection prior to typhoon arrival. Clim Dyn (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-024-07157-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-024-07157-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation