Contribution of high-mode near-inertial waves to enhanced typhoon-induced sea surface temperature cooling in the South China Sea

Abstract

Sea surface temperature cooling (SSTC) is an important indicator of the ocean response to typhoons and is a factor in the evolution of typhoons. Understanding the intricate mechanisms underlying the SSTC induced by different typhoons is important. Based on the numerical simulation, we investigated the SSTC induced by typhoons Megi (2010), Linfa (2015), and Sarika (2011), which had relatively similar tracks in the South China Sea. As the strongest (weakest) typhoon, Megi (Sarika) induced the largest (smallest) SSTC, which is consistent with the traditional understanding that stronger typhoons usually induce larger SSTC than weaker typhoons. However, the SSTC induced by the moderate typhoon Linfa was nearly comparable to that induced by Megi, while Linfa had a wind power input an order of magnitude smaller. A comparison of near-inertial waves (NIWs) induced by Linfa and Megi showed that the former contained a larger proportion of high modes, substantially contributing to vertical shear. Consequently, the vertical mixing coefficient during Linfa reached one third of that during Megi. Because the SSTC is primarily influenced by vertical mixing, which is dominated by vertical diffusion at the mixed layer depth, the relatively strong vertical mixing coefficient and large temperature gradient during Linfa ultimately resulted in the SSTC nearly comparable to that induced by Megi. The results of this study enhance the understanding of typhoon-induced SSTC.