OS - recent papers

Thermohaline gradients and frontal regimes in the northwestern Tropical Atlantic

2026-08-13T21:24:20+02:00

Thermohaline gradients and frontal regimes in the northwestern Tropical Atlantic
Dante C. Napolitano, Jonathan Gula, Solange Coadou-Chaventon, Sabrina Speich, Cesar B. Rocha, James C. McWilliams, Dongxiao Zhang, and Xavier Carton
Ocean Sci., 22, 2425–2447, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-22-2425-2026, 2026
The Amazon River plume interaction with the North Brazil Current creates sharp temperature-salinity differences called fronts that are important for modulating air-sea interactions and biogeochemical cycles. This study uses data from robotic sailboats and a numerical model to provide a comprehensive picture of these fronts associated with the local dynamics. We characterize three distinct frontal regimes and the temperature-salinity relations linked to the Amazon discharge and current strength.

Water mass modification of the warm Atlantic Inflow towards the Arctic across the Iceland-Faroe Ridge

2026-08-12T21:24:20+02:00

Water mass modification of the warm Atlantic Inflow towards the Arctic across the Iceland-Faroe Ridge
Guðrið Eriksdóttir, Bogi Hansen, Karin Margretha H. Larsen, Steffen M. Olsen, Andrea M. U. Gierisch, and Sólveig Rósa Ólafsdóttir
Ocean Sci., 22, 2405–2423, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-22-2405-2026, 2026
The Atlantic inflow across the Iceland-Faroe Ridge carries almost half of the warm water towards the Arctic. This study explores the modifications of the Atlantic water on its way to and across this underwater ridge. While crossing the ridge, the water is strongly cooled and freshened, which can reduce the ability for deep-water formation. Understanding these processes is important for improving ocean and climate models so more realistic forecasts can be made in a warming climate.

Impact of mesoscale eddy parameterization on Arctic Atlantic Water circulation and heat transport in the eddy-permitting grey zone

2026-08-11T21:24:20+02:00

Impact of mesoscale eddy parameterization on Arctic Atlantic Water circulation and heat transport in the eddy-permitting grey zone
Per Pemberton, Iréne Wåhlström, and Sam T. Fredriksson
Ocean Sci., 22, 2375–2404, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-22-2375-2026, 2026
Mesoscale ocean eddies (10–100 km) are crucial for transporting heat and salt in global circulation. While traditionally parameterized in ocean models, advances in computational power allow them to be partly resolved, questioning whether parameterizations should be used in this regime. We examine implications for Atlantic water circulation and heat transport to the Arctic, highlighting challenges in using – or omitting – mesoscale eddy parameterizations.

Sea surface salinity downscaling using deep generative diffusion models

2026-08-05T21:24:20+02:00

Sea surface salinity downscaling using deep generative diffusion models
Enzo Forestier, Luther Ollier, Roy El Hourany, Jacqueline Boutin, Carlos Mejia, and Sylvie Thiria
Ocean Sci., 22, 2357–2373, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-22-2357-2026, 2026
This study evaluates deep generative diffusion models for downscaling sea surface salinity in the Gulf Stream. Using a reanalysis dataset as a controlled framework, it assesses the added value of high-resolution sea surface temperature and sea surface height as auxiliary constraints. The results show that diffusion-based reconstructions preserve plausible fine-scale variability, highlighting the method’s potential for future applications to satellite products.

Eddy kinetic energy and energy conversion rates along the Atlantic Water boundary current north of Svalbard

2026-08-04T21:24:20+02:00

Eddy kinetic energy and energy conversion rates along the Atlantic Water boundary current north of Svalbard
Kjersti Kalhagen, Ilker Fer, Till M. Baumann, Jon Albretsen, and Lukas Frank
Ocean Sci., 22, 2333–2355, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-22-2333-2026, 2026
Warm Atlantic Water flowing eastward north of Svalbard loses heat faster than can be explained by cooling to the atmosphere and mixing alone. Using year-long mooring observations and an ocean model, we found that mesoscale variability and energy transfer into eddies are largest in autumn and winter, when the boundary current is also at its strongest and warmest. This mesoscale activity enhances lateral heat exchange and likely contributes to the observed cooling of Atlantic Water along its path.

Climate modes synergistically influence marine heatwaves in the North Sea

2026-07-30T21:24:20+02:00

Climate modes synergistically influence marine heatwaves in the North Sea
Yuxin Lin, Zhiqiang Liu, Feng Zhou, Qicheng Meng, and Wenyan Zhang
Ocean Sci., 22, 2287–2305, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-22-2287-2026, 2026
Marine heatwaves, periods of unusually warm sea temperatures, are increasing worldwide. Using observed sea surface temperature data and statistical clustering, this study shows that the North Sea contains two regions with different seasonal responses to climate patterns. Winter heatwaves in the south are driven by regional circulation, while summer events in the north reflect Atlantic and Pacific influences. These insights can help improve regional forecasting.

North Atlantic response to a quasi-realistic Greenland meltwater forcing in eddy-rich EC-Earth3P-VHR hosing simulations

2026-07-30T21:24:20+02:00

North Atlantic response to a quasi-realistic Greenland meltwater forcing in eddy-rich EC-Earth3P-VHR hosing simulations
Eneko Martin-Martinez, Eduardo Moreno-Chamarro, Fraser William Goldsworth, Jin-Song von Storch, Cristina Arumi, Daria Kuznetsova, Saskia Loosveldt-Tomas, Pierre-Antoine Bretonnière, and Pablo Ortega
Ocean Sci., 22, 2307–2331, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-22-2307-2026, 2026
We investigate the impact of Greenland meltwaters on the ocean circulation and the North Atlantic region. To this end, we impose a quasi-realistic distribution of freshwater fluxes in a global climate model with 8-km horizontal resolution, much finer than the standard 100-km scale. The study reveals that the meltwaters disperse unevenly across the North Atlantic, guided by boundary currents and modulated by gradual changes in the large-scale circulation, which undergoes a progressive weakening.

Documenting the 2015–2017 freshening of the eastern Eurasian Basin of the Arctic Ocean and evaluating its drivers and consequences

2026-07-28T21:24:20+02:00

Documenting the 2015–2017 freshening of the eastern Eurasian Basin of the Arctic Ocean and evaluating its drivers and consequences
Dolly More, Igor V. Polyakov, and Andrey V. Pnyushkov
Ocean Sci., 22, 2267–2285, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-22-2267-2026, 2026
The Arctic Ocean is changing fast, and river runoff plays a key role. Between 2015 and 2017, unusually large flows from Siberia’s Yenisey and Ob Rivers made the eastern Arctic much fresher. This stabilized the ocean, slowed currents, and reduced heat from below, allowing thicker sea ice to persist through summer. The study shows how bursts of river discharge can reshape the Arctic and help sea ice survive.

Bottom topography effects on the internal wave climate in the Ionian Sea

2026-07-27T21:24:20+02:00

Bottom topography effects on the internal wave climate in the Ionian Sea
Florian Kokoszka, Stefania Sparnocchia, Davide Cavaliere, Vincenzo Artale, Mireno Borghini, Beatrice Giambenedetti, and Federico Falcini
Ocean Sci., 22, 2249–2265, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-22-2249-2026, 2026
The deep Ionian Sea strongly influences how the Mediterranean water masses circulate. By studying how internal waves interact with the seafloor, we found that rougher terrain changes how wave energy is spread out. Energy shifts from large to small scales, affecting deep water mixing. These findings help improve models of Mediterranean circulation by showing how seafloor shape impacts mixing in the deep sea.

The answer is blowing in the wind: seasonal hydrography and mixing of the inner sea of Tierra del Fuego, Southern Patagonia

2026-07-23T21:24:20+02:00

The answer is blowing in the wind: seasonal hydrography and mixing of the inner sea of Tierra del Fuego, Southern Patagonia
Manuel I. Castillo, Constanza Zuñiga, Carmen Barrios-Guzmán, Natalia Cisternas, José Garcés-Vargas, Mauricio F. Landaeta, Andrea Piñones, Marcela Rojas, Alicia I. Guerrero, and Maritza Sepúlveda
Ocean Sci., 22, 2221–2247, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-22-2221-2026, 2026
The study use Conductivity, Temperature and Depth (CTD) measurement (including seals-borne CTD) to describe the seasonality of the stratification and mixing of one of the southernmost Fjords of Patagonia: The Almirantazgo Fjord. The region, typically tidal was indicated as the most important forcing for mixing the inner-sea of Tierra del Fuego, here the study shows that the persistent an episodic strong along-fjord winds could perturb the pynoclyne and rivals to the estuarine circulation.

Linking large-scale climate modes to local wave climate and storm surge: insights from a weather typing approach

2026-07-22T21:24:20+02:00

Linking large-scale climate modes to local wave climate and storm surge: insights from a weather typing approach
Zehua Zhong, Hachem Kassem, Ivan D. Haigh, Dafni E. Sifnioti, Ye Liu, and Paula Camus
Ocean Sci., 22, 2197–2220, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-22-2197-2026, 2026
This work examines how large-scale climate modes affect waves and storm surges on the northeast coast of England. We combine weather types with a multivariate analysis of sea states. We find that the North Atlantic Oscillation and Scandinavian pattern influence local waves and surges by altering the occurrence probabilities of synoptic conditions associated with specific winds, storm locations, and pressure systems. Our results improve the understanding of climate impacts on coastal conditions.

Improving ocean bottom pressure fields using space gravity data in state estimation

2026-07-20T21:24:20+02:00

Improving ocean bottom pressure fields using space gravity data in state estimation
Rui M. Ponte, E. Nishchitha S. Silva, Ou Wang, Ichiro Fukumori, and Mengnan Zhao
Ocean Sci., 22, 2179–2196, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-22-2179-2026, 2026
Ocean bottom pressure (pb) is a key variable for monitoring the ocean circulation, yet global space gravimetry observations offer limited coverage in space and time. Our work examines how to improve estimates of pb by optimally combining information in available data with an ocean circulation model. Results indicate that gravimetry data contain information complementary to that available in other ocean datasets and are thus important for determining variations in pb and related circulations.

TS-Cast: deep learning for subsurface ocean reconstruction from satellite observations in the northwestern Pacific

2026-07-16T21:24:20+02:00

TS-Cast: deep learning for subsurface ocean reconstruction from satellite observations in the northwestern Pacific
Jeong-Yeob Chae, Kathleen A. Donohue, and Jae-Hun Park
Ocean Sci., 22, 2161–2177, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-22-2161-2026, 2026
We introduce TS (Temperature-Salinity)-Cast, a novel deep neural network that reconstructs subsurface thermohaline structures from satellite observations. Validated against independent time-series data, TS-Cast achieves root mean squared errors of < 1 °C and < 0.1 psu in the upper 500 m of the Kuroshio Extension, comparable or surpassing data-assimilated numerical models. Critically, we demonstrate that the physical limitations of the input satellite data fundamentally constrain the model's predictive skill.

Filamentogenesis and Filamentolysis of a Low-Density Filament: Dynamic Processes in the Near-Surface Ocean Under Tidal Forcing

2026-07-09T21:24:20+02:00

Filamentogenesis and Filamentolysis of a Low-Density Filament: Dynamic Processes in the Near-Surface Ocean Under Tidal Forcing
Michelle Albinus, Thomas H. Badewien, Lisa Gassen, Oliver Wurl, and Jens Meyerjürgens
Ocean Sci., 22, 2143–2160, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-22-2143-2026, 2026
This study reveals the structure and alteration of a narrow freshwater-driven ocean low-density filament and its evolution through tidal modulationa an dlocale filament kinematics. Using multi-platform in situ observations, it is shown that these submesoscale features can rapidly being altered and reshape in near-surface waters, influencing how energy and heat alter just below the ocean-atmosphere interface.

Wave-induced sediment resuspension potential in the Finnish Archipelago, Baltic Sea: integrating field measurements with large-scale numerical model simulations

2026-07-06T21:24:20+02:00

Wave-induced sediment resuspension potential in the Finnish Archipelago, Baltic Sea: integrating field measurements with large-scale numerical model simulations
Jan-Victor Björkqvist, Mari Savela, Heidi Pettersson, Victor Alari, and Alf Norkko
Ocean Sci., 22, 2123–2141, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-22-2123-2026, 2026
Strong motions caused by surface waves can set the material at the bottom in motion. How strong the wave motions need to be depends on the bottom type, for example mud or sand. We estimated how often waves can lift particles from the bottom by comparing wave model results to sea floor samples in the laboratory. We included the effect of seasonal biological activity, which was found to be significant.

A T-DINEOF model for multiple oceanic variables reconstruction

2026-07-03T21:24:20+02:00

A T-DINEOF model for multiple oceanic variables reconstruction
Bo Ping, Ruiting Yang, Yunshan Meng, Fenzhen Su, and Cunjin Xue
Ocean Sci., 22, 2101–2122, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-22-2101-2026, 2026
Satellite observations are often incomplete due to cloud cover, resulting in missing ocean data. To address this, we developed T-DINEOF (Data Interpolating Empirical Orthogonal Function), a reconstruction method that simultaneously estimates sea surface temperature, chlorophyll concentration, and wind conditions by learning relationships among variables. Results show that T-DINEOF improves reconstruction accuracy, especially in regions with sparse data or weak correlations, providing more reliable ocean information for environmental monitoring.

A multidecadal sea level rise and its hiatus in the tropical Atlantic margin off northwest Africa

2026-07-01T21:24:20+02:00

A multidecadal sea level rise and its hiatus in the tropical Atlantic margin off northwest Africa
Hamed D. Ibrahim and Yunfang Sun
Ocean Sci., 22, 2059–2081, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-22-2059-2026, 2026
This study characterizes a multidecadal sea level rise and its pause in the tropical North Atlantic margin off northwest Africa hosting important marine fisheries. The pause in sea level rise is owing to temperature-driven seawater contraction that counteracted salt-driven expansion and mass accumulation. Currents originating elsewhere freshened the margin with low-salinity water, highlighting a multidecadal linkage between salinity and sea level anomalies in different North Atlantic regions.

A Digital Twin Ocean: can we improve coastal ocean forecasts using targeted marine autonomy?

2026-07-01T21:24:20+02:00

A Digital Twin Ocean: can we improve coastal ocean forecasts using targeted marine autonomy?
Dale Partridge, Deep Banerjee, David Ford, Ke Wang, Jozef Skákala, Juliane Wihsgott, Prathyush P. Menon, Susan Kay, Daniel Clewley, Andrea Rochner, Emma Sullivan, and Matthew Palmer
Ocean Sci., 22, 2083–2100, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-22-2083-2026, 2026
This study outlines the development and testing of a Digital Twin Ocean (DTO) framework, aimed at improving coastal ocean forecasts through the use of autonomous underwater gliders. A fleet of gliders were deployed in the western English Channel during August–September 2024 to collect measurements of temperature, salinity, chlorophyll and oxygen, aiming to track the movement of the harmful algal bloom Karenia mikimotoi.

The past evolution of marine heatwaves and their drivers in the southern North Sea

2026-06-30T21:24:20+02:00

The past evolution of marine heatwaves and their drivers in the southern North Sea
Tobias Schulzki, Franziska U. Schwarzkopf, and Arne Biastoch
Ocean Sci., 22, 2027–2058, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-22-2027-2026, 2026
Marine heatwaves are periods of unusually warm ocean temperatures that can affect ecosystems and weather. In the North Sea, they have become more frequent over recent decades, but their peak intensity has decreased in many areas. Our results show that marine heatwaves depend on both short-term weather and longer seasonal to decadal variability. The local atmospheric conditions play a key role in the German Bight.

Dynamically downscaled future projections of the Northwest Atlantic Ocean across low to high emissions scenarios

2026-06-26T21:24:20+02:00

Dynamically downscaled future projections of the Northwest Atlantic Ocean across low to high emissions scenarios
Dongmin Kim, Andrew C. Ross, Sang-Ik Shin, Fabian A. Gomez, Jasmin G. John, Denis L. Volkov, Sang-Ki Lee, Michael A. Alexander, and Charles A. Stock
Ocean Sci., 22, 1987–2009, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-22-1987-2026, 2026
Using high-resolution Modular Ocean Model version 6, we projected Northwest Atlantic changes under four future emission scenarios. Results show a weakening Gulf Stream reduces upwelling, causing significant shelf warming and salinification. This also leads to dynamic sea-level rise along the US East Coast, particularly in the South Atlantic Bight, with critical implications for marine ecosystems and coastal risks.