FN Archimer Export Format
PT J
TI Temperature versus salinity gradients below the ocean mixed layer
BT 
AF HELBER, Robert W.
   KARA, A. Birol
   RICHMAN, James G.
   CARNES, Michael R.
   BARRON, Charlie N.
   HURLBURT, Harley E.
   BOYER, Timothy
AS 1:1;2:1;3:1;4:1;5:1;6:1;7:2;
FF 1:;2:;3:;4:;5:;6:;7:;
C1 USN, Div Oceanog, Res Lab, Stennis Space Ctr, MS 39529 USA.
   NOAA, Natl Oceanog Data Ctr, Silver Spring, MD 20910 USA.
C2 USN, USA
   NOAA, USA
IF 2.939
TC 27
UR https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00383/49452/49917.pdf
   https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00383/49452/49918.txt
   https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00383/49452/49919.pdf
   https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00383/49452/49920.txt
   https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00383/49452/49921.txt
LA English
DT Article
CR OISO - OCÉAN INDIEN SERVICE D'OBSERVATION
DE ;density compensation;mixed layer depth;transition layer
AB We characterize the global ocean seasonal variability of the temperature versus salinity gradients in the transition layer just below the mixed layer using observations of conductivity temperature and depth and profiling float data from the National Ocean Data Center's World Ocean Data set. The balance of these gradients determines the temperature versus salinity control at the mixed layer depth (MLD). We define the MLD as the shallowest of the isothermal, isohaline, and isopycnal layer depths (ITLD, IHLD, and IPLD), each with a shared dependence on a 0.2 degrees C temperature offset. Data are gridded monthly using a variational technique that minimizes the squared analysis slope and data misfit. Surface layers of vertically uniform temperature, salinity, and density have substantially different characteristics. By examining differences between IPLD, ITLD, and IHLD, we determine the annual evolution of temperature or salinity or both temperature and salinity vertical gradients responsible for the observed MLD. We find ITLD determines MLD for 63% and IHLD for 14% of the global ocean. The remaining 23% of the ocean has both ITLD and IHLD nearly identical. It is found that temperature tends to control MLD where surface heat fluxes are large and precipitation is small. Conversely, salinity controls MLD where precipitation is large and surface heat fluxes are small. In the tropical ocean, salinity controls MLD where surface heat fluxes can be moderate but precipitation is very large and dominant.
PY 2012
PD MAY
SO Journal Of Geophysical Research-oceans
SN 2169-9275
PU Amer Geophysical Union
VL 117
IS C05006
UT 000303670000002
BP 1
EP 19
DI 10.1029/2011JC007382
ID 49452
ER

EF