the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Feedback of mesoscale ocean currents on atmospheric winds in high-resolution coupled models and implications for the forcing of ocean-only models
Abstract. The repercussions of surface ocean currents for the near-surface wind and the air-sea momentum flux are investigated in two versions of a global climate model with eddying ocean. The focus is on the effect of mesoscale ocean current features at scales of less than 150 km, by considering high-pass filtered, monthly-mean model output fields. We find a clear signature of a mesoscale oceanic imprint in the wind fields over the energetic areas of the oceans, particularly along the extensions of the western boundary currents and the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. These areas are characterized by a positive correlation between mesoscale perturbations in the curl of the surface currents and the wind curl. The coupling coefficients are spatially non-uniform and show a pronounced seasonal cycle. The positive feedback of mesoscale current features on the near-surface wind acts in opposition to their damping effect on the wind stress. A tentative incorporation of this feedback in the surface stress formulation of an eddy-permitting global ocean-only model leads to a gain in the kinetic energy of up to 10 %, suggesting a fundamental shortcoming of present ocean model configurations.
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RC1: 'Comments on "Feedback of mesoscale ocean currents on atmospheric winds in high-resolution coupled models and implications for the forcing of ocean-only models" by Abel et al.', Anonymous Referee #1, 15 May 2017
- AC1: 'Replies to review #1', Rafael Abel, 20 Jul 2017
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RC2: 'Comments on 'Feedback of mesoscale ocean currents on atmospheric winds in high-resolution coupled models and implications for the forcing of ocean-only models'', Anonymous Referee #2, 15 May 2017
- AC2: 'Replies to review #2', Rafael Abel, 20 Jul 2017
- EC1: 'let us know if you need more time for revision', Matthew Hecht, 14 Jun 2017
- AC3: 'Mark-up manuscript version', Rafael Abel, 20 Jul 2017
-
RC1: 'Comments on "Feedback of mesoscale ocean currents on atmospheric winds in high-resolution coupled models and implications for the forcing of ocean-only models" by Abel et al.', Anonymous Referee #1, 15 May 2017
- AC1: 'Replies to review #1', Rafael Abel, 20 Jul 2017
-
RC2: 'Comments on 'Feedback of mesoscale ocean currents on atmospheric winds in high-resolution coupled models and implications for the forcing of ocean-only models'', Anonymous Referee #2, 15 May 2017
- AC2: 'Replies to review #2', Rafael Abel, 20 Jul 2017
- EC1: 'let us know if you need more time for revision', Matthew Hecht, 14 Jun 2017
- AC3: 'Mark-up manuscript version', Rafael Abel, 20 Jul 2017
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