Articles | Volume 21, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-1695-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-1695-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Subsurface manifestation of marine heat waves in the southwestern Indian Ocean
Department of Ocean and Atmosphere Science, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, South Africa
Egagasini Node, South African Environmental Observation Network, Cape Town, South Africa
Neil Malan
Climate Change Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Centre of Marine Science and Innovation,, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Daneeja Mawren
Department of Ocean and Atmosphere Science, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, South Africa
Egagasini Node, South African Environmental Observation Network, Cape Town, South Africa
Tamaryn Morris
Egagasini Node, South African Environmental Observation Network, Cape Town, South Africa
Janet Sprintall
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
Juliet C. Hermes
Department of Ocean and Atmosphere Science, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, South Africa
Egagasini Node, South African Environmental Observation Network, Cape Town, South Africa
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Michael P. Hemming, Moninya Roughan, Neil Malan, and Amandine Schaeffer
Ocean Sci., 19, 1145–1162, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-19-1145-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-19-1145-2023, 2023
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We estimate subsurface linear and non-linear temperature trends at five coastal sites adjacent to the East Australian Current (EAC). We see accelerating trends at both 34.1 and 42.6 °S and place our results in the context of previously reported trends, highlighting that magnitudes are depth-dependent and vary across latitude. Our results indicate the important role of regional dynamics and show the necessity of subsurface data for the improved understanding of regional climate change impacts.
Arachaporn Anutaliya, Uwe Send, Julie L. McClean, Janet Sprintall, Luc Rainville, Craig M. Lee, S. U. Priyantha Jinadasa, Alan J. Wallcraft, and E. Joseph Metzger
Ocean Sci., 13, 1035–1044, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-13-1035-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-13-1035-2017, 2017
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Observations and numerical models reveal the existence of the subsurface current in the opposite direction to the surface current off the Sri Lankan east coast. The undercurrent (200–1000 m layer) is most pronounced during the boreal spring and summer and transports more mass than the surface layer (0–200 m). Although the undercurrent is potentially a pathway of salt exchange between the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, the data and models suggest little salt transport by the undercurrent.
Andrew Delman, Janet Sprintall, Julie McClean, and Lynne Talley
Ocean Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/os-2016-1, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-2016-1, 2016
Revised manuscript not accepted
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Eastward-propagating Kelvin waves are important to the development of coupled climate modes such as El Niño and the Indian Ocean Dipole. The new decomposition method presented isolates the waves' signal from sea surface height variations. The Kelvin waves are tracked effectively even when superimposed with westward-propagating waves of higher amplitude in a noisy field. When applied to satellite data, the decomposition of eastward- and westward-propagating signals is consistent with theory.
Related subject area
Approach: In situ Observations | Properties and processes: Mesoscale to submesoscale dynamics
Statistical analysis of ocean currents in the eastern Mediterranean
An estimate of the eddy diffusivity tensor from observed and simulated Lagrangian trajectories in the Benguela Upwelling System
Mesoscale Dynamics and Transport in the North Brazil Current as revealed by the EUREC4A-OA experiment
Merging of a mesoscale eddy into the Lofoten Vortex in the Norwegian Sea captured by an ocean glider and SWOT observations
Mesoscale dynamics of an intrathermocline eddy in the Canary Eddy Corridor
Assessing the thermohaline coherence of mesoscale eddies as described from in situ data
An emerging pathway of Atlantic Water to the Barents Sea through the Svalbard Archipelago: drivers and variability
The Polar Front in the northwestern Barents Sea: structure, variability and mixing
Tipping of the double-diffusive regime in the southern Adriatic Pit in 2017 in connection with record high-salinity values
Characterization of physical properties of a coastal upwelling filament with evidence of enhanced submesoscale activity and transition from balanced to unbalanced motions in the Benguela upwelling region
Relative dispersion and kinematic properties of the coastal submesoscale circulation in the southeastern Ligurian Sea
Stirring across the Antarctic Circumpolar Current's southern boundary at the prime meridian, Weddell Sea
Evaluating altimetry-derived surface currents on the south Greenland shelf with surface drifters
Yosef Ashkenazy, Hezi Gildor, and Aviv Solodoch
Ocean Sci., 21, 1641–1661, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-1641-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-1641-2025, 2025
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We studied ocean currents in the eastern Mediterranean near Israel's coast (2016–2024) across depths of up to 1.3 km. The generalized gamma distribution best matched current-speed data. The speed increment time series fit a stretched exponential distribution better than a normal distribution. Comparisons with high-resolution and regional general circulation models showed discrepancies, highlighting the need to refine the models for better extreme current-speed event predictions.
Ria Oelerich, Birte Gülk, Julia Dräger-Dietel, and Alexa Griesel
Ocean Sci., 21, 727–747, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-727-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-727-2025, 2025
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The study explores how unresolved motions in the Benguela upwelling region affect diffusivity estimates and the need for full diffusivity tensors in models. Using a scalar for lateral mixing can be inaccurate due to directional mixing. Analysis of buoys and simulations shows that diffusivity from particle pairs is lower than expected and that removing the mean flow improves estimates. The study shows the importance of full diffusivity tensors for better model mixing and reducing warm biases in models.
Yan Barabinot, Sabrina Speich, Xavier Carton, Pierre L'Hégaret, Corentin Subirade, Rémi Laxenaire, and Johannes Karstensen
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-586, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-586, 2025
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Mesoscale eddies are rotating oceanic currents key to ocean variability. Off Brazil’s northeast coast, the North Brazil Current generates in average 4.5 eddies per year, which drift towards the West Indies, transporting waters from the southern hemisphere. Using data collected at sea by the EUREC4A-OA cruise, this study reveals that deep eddies transport five times more water than surface ones, reshaping our understanding of the regional water transport.
Gillian Mary Damerell, Anthony Bosse, and Ilker Fer
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-433, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-433, 2025
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The Lofoten Vortex is an unusual feature in the ocean: a permanent eddy which doesn’t dissipate as most eddies do. We have long thought that other eddies must merge into the Vortex in order to maintain its heat content and energetics, but such mergers are very difficult to observe due to their transient, unpredictable nature. For the first time, we have observed a merger using an ocean glider and high resolution satellite data and can document how the merger affects the properties of the Vortex.
Luis P. Valencia, Ángel Rodríguez-Santana, Borja Aguiar-Gonzaléz, Javier Arístegui, Xosé A. Álvarez-Salgado, Josep Coca, and Antonio Martínez-Marrero
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-99, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-99, 2025
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Our study investigates a rotating body of water south of the Canary Islands, known as an intrathermocline eddy. With an isolated core below the surface, it displayed unique energy distribution and structure. It intensified through interactions with productive coastal waters, while its year-long life cycle was regulated by nearby eddy interactions. By transporting coastal waters offshore, it influenced regional circulation, emphasizing the need for more studies on such eddies.
Yan Barabinot, Sabrina Speich, and Xavier Carton
Ocean Sci., 21, 151–179, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-151-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-151-2025, 2025
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Mesoscale eddies are ubiquitous rotating currents in the ocean. Some eddies, called "materially coherent", are able to transport a different water mass from the surrounding water. By analyzing 3D eddy structures sampled during oceanographic cruises, we found that eddies can be nonmaterially coherent, accounting only for their surface properties, but materially coherent considering their properties at depth. Future studies cannot rely solely on satellite data to evaluate heat and salt transport.
Kjersti Kalhagen, Ragnheid Skogseth, Till M. Baumann, Eva Falck, and Ilker Fer
Ocean Sci., 20, 981–1001, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-981-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-981-2024, 2024
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Atlantic water (AW) is a key driver of change in the Barents Sea. We studied an emerging pathway through the Svalbard Archipelago that allows AW to enter the Barents Sea. We found that the Atlantic sector near the study site has warmed over the past 2 decades; that Atlantic-origin waters intermittently enter the Barents Sea through the aforementioned pathway; and that heat transport is driven by tides, wind events, and variations in the upstream current system.
Eivind H. Kolås, Ilker Fer, and Till M. Baumann
Ocean Sci., 20, 895–916, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-895-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-895-2024, 2024
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In the northwestern Barents Sea, we study the Barents Sea Polar Front formed by Atlantic Water meeting Polar Water. Analyses of ship and glider data from October 2020 to February 2021 show a density front with warm, salty water intruding under cold, fresh water. Short-term variability is linked to tidal currents and mesoscale eddies, influencing front position, density slopes and water mass transformation. Despite seasonal changes in the upper layers, the front remains stable below 100 m depth.
Felipe L. L. Amorim, Julien Le Meur, Achim Wirth, and Vanessa Cardin
Ocean Sci., 20, 463–474, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-463-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-463-2024, 2024
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Analysis of a high-frequency time series of thermohaline data measured at the EMSO-E2M3A regional facility in the southern Adriatic Pit (SAP) reveals a significant change in the double-diffusive regime in 2017 associated with the intrusion of extremely salty waters into the area, suggesting salt fingering as the dominant regime. The strong heat loss at the surface during this winter allowed deep convection to transport this high-salinity water from the intermediate to deep layers of the pit.
Ryan P. North, Julia Dräger-Dietel, and Alexa Griesel
Ocean Sci., 20, 103–121, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-103-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-103-2024, 2024
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The Benguela upwelling region off the coast of Namibia supplies cold water from the deep ocean that is transported offshore in finger-like structures called filaments. We investigate one major filament using measurements from a ship that crossed it multiple times and with mutiple buoys that follow the ocean currents. We find that the motions associated with the filament enhance the kinetic energy at small scales and provide a pathway for mixing of water and turbulent dissipation of energy.
Pierre-Marie Poulain, Luca Centurioni, Carlo Brandini, Stefano Taddei, Maristella Berta, and Milena Menna
Ocean Sci., 19, 1617–1631, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-19-1617-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-19-1617-2023, 2023
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Drifters and a profiling float were deployed in the coastal waters of the southeastern Ligurian Sea to characterize the near-surface circulation at a scale of ~10 km. The drifters were trapped in an offshore-flowing filament and a cyclonic eddy that developed at the southwestern extremity of the filament. Drifter velocities are used to estimate differential kinematic properties and relative dispersion statistics of the surface currents.
Ria Oelerich, Karen J. Heywood, Gillian M. Damerell, Marcel du Plessis, Louise C. Biddle, and Sebastiaan Swart
Ocean Sci., 19, 1465–1482, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-19-1465-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-19-1465-2023, 2023
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At the southern boundary of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, relatively warm waters encounter the colder waters surrounding Antarctica. Observations from underwater vehicles and altimetry show that medium-sized cold-core eddies influence the southern boundary's barrier properties by strengthening the slopes of constant density lines across it and amplifying its associated jet. As a result, the ability of exchanging properties, such as heat, across the southern boundary is reduced.
Arthur Coquereau and Nicholas P. Foukal
Ocean Sci., 19, 1393–1411, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-19-1393-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-19-1393-2023, 2023
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Understanding meltwater circulation around Greenland is crucial as it could influence climate variability but difficult as data are scarce. Here, we use 34 surface drifters to evaluate satellite-derived surface currents and show that satellite data recover the general structure of the flow and can recreate the pathways of particles around the southern tip of Greenland. This result permits a wide range of work to proceed looking at long-term changes in the circulation of the region since 1993.
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Co-editor-in-chief
Marine heatwaves are of particular interest globally currently, both scientifically and for their impact on communities. While much work has been done on surface expressions of marine heatwaves, their subsurface expressions have been less well studied. This is particularly the case in the Southwest Indian Ocean. This region is climatically important and the ecological impacts of marine heatwaves (both surface and subsurface) in this area could be significant, with consequential negative socio-economic outcomes.
Marine heatwaves are of particular interest globally currently, both scientifically and for...
Short summary
Marine heat waves (MHWs) are prolonged periods of extreme ocean temperatures with significant impacts on marine ecosystems. Much research has focused on surface MHWs, but less is known about their subsurface extent. This study uses satellite and in situ data to investigate MHWs in the southwestern Indian Ocean (SWIO). We find that MHWs in the SWIO are closely linked to mesoscale eddies and that strong temperature anomalies extend below surface-identified MHWs.
Marine heat waves (MHWs) are prolonged periods of extreme ocean temperatures with significant...