Submesoscale Kinetic Energy Induced by Vertical Buoyancy Fluxes During the Tropical Cyclone Haitang

Abstract

Submesoscale process is an important part in the kinetic energy cascade from large-scale circulation to turbulent dissipation, and a key component of the global heat budget. Its dynamic response to weather event is an important process in forecasting marine bio-chemical matter transport. So how will submesoscale instabilities response to tropical cyclones (TCs) is worth studying. Based on underwater glider observations and 1-km high resolution numerical modeling, we investigated two TCs (Roke and Haitang)-induced submesoscale baroclinic instabilities and their dynamic mechanisms in the Northern South China Sea. The TC Haitang induced significant surface cooling, mixed layer deepening, front sharpening, and enhanced the mixed layer baroclinic and symmetric instabilities. The submesoscale kinetic energy also enhanced sharply after TC Haitang, which was higher correlated with increased mesoscale strain rates. The submesoscale energetics analysis revealed that the enhanced frontal submesoscale kinetic energy after TC Haitang was mainly from potential energy release via baroclinic energy conversion. Four groups of sensitivity numerical experiments revealed that the turbulent heat buoyancy flux and the Ekman buoyancy flux contributed equally to the positive baroclinic energy conversion during the TC Haitang. This study helps us to understand the multiscale oceanic energy transfers and submesoscale air-sea interaction processes.