First year of practical experiences of the new Arctic AWIPEV-COSYNA cabled Underwater Observatory in Kongsfjorden, Spitsbergen - Philipp Fischer; Max Schwanitz; Reiner Loth; Uwe Posner; Markus Brand; Friedhelm Schröder (Ocean Science, 2017)
A combined year-round assessment of selected oceanographic data and a macrobiotic community assessment was performed from October 2013 to November 2014 in the littoral zone of the Kongsfjorden polar fjord system on the western coast of Svalbard (Norway). State of the art remote controlled cabled underwater observatory technology was used for daily vertical profiles of temperature, salinity, and turbidity together with a stereo-optical assessment of the macrobiotic community, including fish. The results reveal a distinct seasonal cycle in total species abundances, with a significantly higher total abundance and species richness during the polar winter when no light is available underwater compared to the summer months when 24 h light is available. During the winter months, a temporally highly segmented community was observed with respect to species occurrence, with single species dominating the winter community for restricted times. In contrast, the summer community showed an overall lower total abundance as well as a significantly lower number of species. The study clearly demonstrates the high potential of cable connected remote controlled digital sampling devices, especially in remote areas, such as polar fjord systems, with harsh environmental conditions and limited accessibility. A smart combination of such new digital sampling methods with classic sampling procedures can provide a possibility to significantly extend the sampling time and frequency, especially in remote and difficult to access areas. This can help to provide a sufficient data density and therefore statistical power for a sound scientific analysis without increasing the invasive sampling pressure in ecologically sensitive environments.

Validation of an ocean shelf model for the prediction of mixed-layer properties in the Mediterranean Sea west of Sardinia - Reiner Onken (Ocean Science, 2017)
The Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) has been employed to explore the sensitivity of the forecast skill of mixed-layer properties to initial conditions, boundary conditions, and vertical mixing parameterisations. The initial and lateral boundary conditions were provided by the Mediterranean Forecasting System (MFS) or by the MERCATOR global ocean circulation model via one-way nesting; the initial conditions were additionally updated through the assimilation of observations. Nowcasts and forecasts from the weather forecast models COSMO-ME and COSMO-IT, partly melded with observations, served as surface boundary conditions. The vertical mixing was parameterised by the GLS (generic length scale) scheme Umlauf and Burchard (2003) in four different set-ups. All ROMS forecasts were validated against the observations which were taken during the REP14-MED survey to the west of Sardinia. Nesting ROMS in MERCATOR and updating the initial conditions through data assimilation provided the best agreement of the predicted mixed-layer properties with the time series from a moored thermistor chain. Further improvement was obtained by the usage of COSMO-ME atmospheric forcing, which was melded with real observations, and by the application of the k-ω vertical mixing scheme with increased vertical eddy diffusivity. The predicted temporal variability of the mixed-layer temperature was reasonably well correlated with the observed variability, while the modelled variability of the mixed-layer depth exhibited only agreement with the observations near the diurnal frequency peak. For the forecasted horizontal variability, reasonable agreement was found with observations from a ScanFish section, but only for the mesoscale wave number band; the observed sub-mesoscale variability was not reproduced by ROMS.

On the mesoscale monitoring capability of Argo floats in the Mediterranean Sea - Antonio Sánchez-Román; Simón Ruiz; Ananda Pascual; Baptiste Mourre; Stéphanie Guinehut (Ocean Science, 2017)
In this work a simplified observing system simulation experiment (OSSE) approach is used to investigate which Argo design sampling in the Mediterranean Sea would be necessary to properly capture the mesoscale dynamics in this basin. The monitoring of the mesoscale features is not an initial objective of the Argo network. However, it is an interesting question from the perspective of future network extensions in order to improve the ocean state estimates. The true field used to conduct the OSSEs is provided by a specific altimetry-gridded merged product for the Mediterranean Sea. Synthetic observations were obtained by sub-sampling this Nature Run according to different configurations of the ARGO network. The observation errors required to perform the OSSEs were obtained through the comparison of sea level anomalies (SLAs) from altimetry and dynamic height anomalies (DHAs) computed from the real in situ Argo network. This analysis also contributes to validate satellite SLAs with an increased confidence. The simulation experiments show that a configuration similar to the current Argo array in the Mediterranean (with a spatial resolution of 2° × 2°) is only able to recover the large-scale signals of the basin. Increasing the spatial resolution to nearly 75 km × 75 km, allows the capture of most of the mesoscale signal in the basin and to retrieve the SLA field with a RMSE of 3 cm for spatial scales larger than 150 km, similar to those presently captured by the altimetry. This would represent a theoretical reduction of 40 % of the actual RMSE. Such a high-resolution Argo array composed of around 450 floats, cycling every 10 days, is expected to increase the actual network cost by approximately a factor of 6.

Inorganic and organic geochemical fingerprinting of sediment sources and ocean circulation on a complex continental margin (São Paulo Bight, Brazil) - Michel Michaelovitch de Mahiques; Till Jens Jörg Hanebuth; Renata Hanae Nagai; Marcia Caruso Bícego; Rubens Cesar Lopes Figueira; Silvia Helena Mello Sousa; Leticia Burone; Paula Franco-Fraguas; Satie Taniguchi; Alexandre Barbosa Salaroli; Gilberto Pereira Dias; Denise Menezes Prates; et al. (Ocean Science, 2017)
In this study, we use inorganic (metal) and organic (bulk and molecular) markers in sediment samples of the south-eastern Brazilian margin to investigate the response of geochemical fingerprints to the complex hydrodynamic processes present in the area. Results indicate the potential of export of terrigenous siliciclastic and organic constituents to the upper slope, even in an area with limited fluvial supply.Metal contents and especially the ln(Ti ∕ Al) and ln(Fe ∕ K) ratios make it possible to recognise the extension of shelf sediments toward the upper slope. Potassium, here expressed as ln(K ∕ Sc) and ln(K ∕ Al) ratios used as proxies of illite–kaolinite variations, proved to be an important parameter, especially because it allowed us to decipher the imprint of the northward flow of the Intermediate Western Boundary Current (IWBC) in comparison to the southward flows of the Brazil Current (BC) and Deep Western Boundary Current (DWBC). Using organic matter analyses, we were able to evaluate the extent of terrestrial contributions to the outer shelf and slope, even without the presence of significant fluvial input. In addition, molecular markers signify a slight increase in the input of C4-derived plants to the slope sediments, transported from distant areas by the main alongshore boundary currents, indicating that the terrestrial fraction of the organic matter deposited on the slope has a distinct origin when compared to shelf sediments.

The Mediterranean outflow in the Strait of Gibraltar and its connection with upstream conditions in the Alborán Sea - Jesús García-Lafuente; Cristina Naranjo; Simone Sammartino; José C. Sánchez-Garrido; Javier Delgado (Ocean Science, 2017)
The present study addresses the hypothesis that the Western Alborán Gyre in the Alborán Sea (the westernmost Mediterranean basin adjacent to the Strait of Gibraltar) influences the composition of the outflow through the Strait of Gibraltar. The process invoked is that strong and well-developed gyres help to evacuate the Western Mediterranean Deep Water from the Alborán basin, thus increasing its presence in the outflow, whereas weak gyres facilitate the outflow of Levantine and other intermediate waters. To this aim, in situ observations collected at the Camarinal (the main) and Espartel (the westernmost) sills of the strait have been analysed along with altimetry data, which were employed to obtain a proxy of the strength of the gyre. An encouraging correlation of the expected sign was observed between the time series of potential temperature at the Espartel Sill, which is shown to keep information on the outflow composition, and the proxy of the Western Alborán Gyre, suggesting the correctness of the hypothesis, although the weakness of the involved signals does not allow for drawing definitive conclusions.

Characteristics and causes of Deep Western Boundary Current transport variability at 34.5° S during 2009–2014 - Christopher S. Meinen; Silvia L. Garzoli; Renellys C. Perez; Edmo Campos; Alberto R. Piola; Maria Paz Chidichimo; Shenfu Dong; Olga T. Sato (Ocean Science, 2017)
The Deep Western Boundary Current (DWBC) at 34.5° S in the South Atlantic carries a significant fraction of the cold deep limb of the Meridional Overturning Circulation (MOC), and therefore its variability affects the meridional heat transport and consequently the regional and global climate. Nearly 6 years of observations from a line of pressure-equipped inverted echo sounders (PIESs) have yielded an unprecedented data set for studying the characteristics of the time-varying DWBC volume transport at 34.5° S. Furthermore, the horizontal resolution of the observing array was greatly improved in December 2012 with the addition of two current-and-pressure-equipped inverted echo sounders (CPIESs) at the midpoints of the two westernmost pairs of PIES moorings. Regular hydrographic sections along the PIES/CPIES line confirm the presence of recently ventilated North Atlantic Deep Water carried by the DWBC. The time-mean absolute geostrophic transport integrated within the DWBC layer, defined between 800–4800 dbar and within longitude bounds of 51.5 to 44.5° W, is −15 Sv (1 Sv = 106 m3 s−1; negative indicates southward flow). The observed peak-to-peak range in volume transport using these integration limits is from −89 to +50 Sv, and the temporal standard deviation is 23 Sv. Testing different vertical integration limits based on time-mean water-mass property levels yields small changes to these values, but no significant alteration to the character of the transport time series. The time-mean southward DWBC flow at this latitude is confined west of 49.5° W, with recirculations dominating the flow further offshore. As with other latitudes where the DWBC has been observed for multiple years, the time variability greatly exceeds the time mean, suggesting the presence of strong coherent vortices and/or Rossby Wave-like signals propagating to the boundary from the interior.

Bridging the gap between observational oceanography and users - Christiane A. Eschenbach (Ocean Science, 2017)
In order to ensure relevance and societal impact of research and to meet the various requirements of different target groups, the Coastal Observing System for Northern and Arctic Seas (COSYNA) developed and pursued a broad range of activities for knowledge transfer and stakeholder interaction. Potential user groups of data and data products include (but are not limited to) science, administration, renewable energies, engineering, tourism, and nature conservation. COSYNA data and data products are publicly accessible and available free of charge via the Internet (data portal; www.cosyna.de). The stakeholder interaction is integrated into the COSYNA product life cycle outlined here and the steps undertaken are exemplified for the product Surface Current Fields in the German Bight. Initial surveys revealed COSYNA's potential relevance in the national and international context. After the technological and mathematical realization of high-quality parameter fields, external experts evaluated the scientific value, informational value, innovative leap, cost/benefit aspects, operability, etc., of the data products. In order to improve products and their usability and to pave the way for future co-operation, interviews and workshops with potential users from the offshore wind energy industry were conducted. The stakeholder interaction process was successful, revealing relevant insights into user demands and usability of (possible) products. Analysis of data download provided some evidence for impact beyond academia. Other criteria for the increasingly demanded evaluation of the impact of coastal research are discussed. By sharing first-hand experiences, this study contributes to the emerging knowledge on integration of science and end users.

Seiche excitation in a highly stratified fjord of southern Chile: the Reloncaví fjord - Manuel I. Castillo; Oscar Pizarro; Nadin Ramírez; Mario Cáceres (Ocean Science, 2017)
We describe a seiche process based on current, temperature, and sea-level data obtained from the Reloncaví fjord (41.6° S, 72.5° W) in southern Chile. We combined 4 months of acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) data with sea-level, temperature, and wind time series to analyze the dynamics of low-frequency (periods > 1 day) internal oscillations in the fjord. Additionally, seasonal conductivity, temperature, and depth (CTD) data from 19 along-fjord stations were used to characterize the seasonality of the density field. The density profiles were used to estimate the internal long-wave phase speed (c) using two approximations: (1) a simple reduced gravity model (RGM) and (2) a continuously stratified model (CSM). No major seasonal changes in c were observed using either approximation (e.g., the CSM yielded 0.73

Quality assessment of the TOPAZ4 reanalysis in the Arctic over the period 1991–2013 - Jiping Xie; Laurent Bertino; François Counillon; Knut A. Lisæter; Pavel Sakov (Ocean Science, 2017)
Long dynamical atmospheric reanalyses are widely used for climate studies, but data-assimilative reanalyses of ocean and sea ice in the Arctic are less common. TOPAZ4 is a coupled ocean and sea ice data assimilation system for the North Atlantic and the Arctic that is based on the HYCOM ocean model and the ensemble Kalman filter data assimilation method using 100 dynamical members. A 23-year reanalysis has been completed for the period 1991–2013 and is the multi-year physical product in the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS) Arctic Marine Forecasting Center (ARC MFC). This study presents its quantitative quality assessment, compared to both assimilated and unassimilated observations available in the whole Arctic region, in order to document the strengths and weaknesses of the system for potential users. It is found that TOPAZ4 performs well with respect to near-surface ocean variables, but some limitations appear in the interior of the ocean and for ice thickness, where observations are sparse. In the course of the reanalysis, the skills of the system are improving as the observation network becomes denser, in particular during the International Polar Year. The online bias estimation successfully maintains a low bias in our system. In addition, statistics of the reduced centered random variables (RCRVs) confirm the reliability of the ensemble for most of the assimilated variables. Occasional discontinuities of these statistics are caused by the changes of the input data sets or the data assimilation settings, but the statistics remain otherwise stable throughout the reanalysis, regardless of the density of observations. Furthermore, no data type is severely less dispersed than the others, even though the lack of consistently reprocessed observation time series at the beginning of the reanalysis has proven challenging.

Synoptic fluctuation of the Taiwan Warm Current in winter on the East China Sea shelf - Jiliang Xuan; Daji Huang; Thomas Pohlmann; Jian Su; Bernhard Mayer; Ruibin Ding; Feng Zhou (Ocean Science, 2017)
The seasonal mean and synoptic fluctuation of the wintertime Taiwan Warm Current (TWC) were investigated using a well-validated finite volume community ocean model. The spatial distribution and dynamics of the synoptic fluctuation were highlighted. The seasonal mean of the wintertime TWC has two branches: an inshore branch between the 30 and 100 m isobaths and an offshore branch between the 100 and 200 m isobaths. The Coriolis term is much larger than the inertia term and is almost balanced by the pressure gradient term in both branches, indicating geostrophic balance of the mean current. Two areas with significant fluctuations of the TWC were identified during wintertime. One of the areas is located to the north of Taiwan with velocities varying in the cross-shore direction. These significant cross-shore fluctuations are driven by barotropic pressure gradients associated with the intrusion of the Taiwan Strait Current (TSC). When a strong TSC intrudes to the north of Taiwan, the isobaric slope tilts downward from south to north, leading to a cross-shore current from the coastal area to the offshore area. When the TSC intrusion is weak, the cross-shore current to the north of Taiwan is directed from offshore to inshore. The other area of significant fluctuation is located in the inshore area between the 30 and 100 m isobaths. The fluctuations are generally strong both in the alongshore and cross-shore directions, in particular at the latitudes 26.5 and 28° N. Wind affects the synoptic fluctuation through episodic events. When the northeasterly monsoon prevails, the southwestward Zhe-Min coastal current dominates the inshore area associated with a deepening of the mixed layer. When the winter monsoon is weakened or the southwesterly wind prevails, the northeastward TWC dominates in the inshore area.

A simple method for retrieving significant wave height from Dopplerized X-band radar - Ruben Carrasco; Michael Streßer; Jochen Horstmann (Ocean Science, 2017)
Retrieving spectral wave parameters such as the peak wave direction and wave period from marine radar backscatter intensity is very well developed. However, the retrieval of significant wave height is difficult because the radar image spectrum (a backscatter intensity variance spectrum) has to be transferred to a wave spectrum (a surface elevation variance spectrum) using a modulation transfer function (MTF) which requires extensive calibration for each individual radar setup. In contrast to the backscatter intensity, the Doppler velocity measured by a coherent radar is induced by the radial velocity (or line-of-sight velocity) of the surface scattering and its periodic component is mainly the contribution of surface waves. Therefore, the variance of the Doppler velocity can be utilized to retrieve the significant wave height. Analyzing approximately 100 days of Doppler velocity measurements of a coherent-on-receive radar operating at X-band with vertical polarization in transmit and receive, a simple relation was derived and validated to retrieve significant wave heights. Comparison to wave measurements of a wave rider buoy as well as an acoustic wave and current profiler resulted in a root mean square error of 0.24 m with a bias of 0.08 m. Furthermore, the different sources of error are discussed and investigated.

Seasonal resonance of diurnal coastal trapped waves in the southern Weddell Sea, Antarctica - Stefanie Semper; Elin Darelius (Ocean Science, 2017)
The summer enhancement of diurnal tidal currents at the shelf break in the southern Weddell Sea is studied using velocity measurements from 29 moorings during the period 1968 to 2014. Kinetic energy associated with diurnal tidal frequencies is largest at the shelf break and decreases rapidly with distance from it. The diurnal tidal energy increases from austral winter to summer by, on average, 50 %. The austral summer enhancement is observed in all deployments. The observations are compared to results from an idealised numerical solution of the properties of coastal trapped waves (CTWs) for a given bathymetry, stratification and an along-slope current. The frequency at which the dispersion curve for mode 1 CTWs displays a maximum (i.e. where the group velocity is zero and resonance is possible) is found within or near the diurnal frequency band, and it is sensitive to the stratification in the upper part of the water column and to the background current. The maximum of the dispersion curve is shifted towards higher frequencies, above the diurnal band, for weak stratification and a strong background current (i.e. austral winter-like conditions) and towards lower frequencies for strong upper-layer stratification and a weak background current (austral summer). The seasonal evolution of hydrography and currents in the region is inferred from available mooring data and conductivity–temperature–depth profiles. Near-resonance of diurnal tidal CTWs during austral summer can explain the observed seasonality in tidal currents.

Numerical investigation of the Arctic ice–ocean boundary layer and implications for air–sea gas fluxes - Arash Bigdeli; Brice Loose; An T. Nguyen; Sylvia T. Cole (Ocean Science, 2017)
In ice-covered regions it is challenging to determine constituent budgets – for heat and momentum, but also for biologically and climatically active gases like carbon dioxide and methane. The harsh environment and relative data scarcity make it difficult to characterize even the physical properties of the ocean surface. Here, we sought to evaluate if numerical model output helps us to better estimate the physical forcing that drives the air–sea gas exchange rate (k) in sea ice zones. We used the budget of radioactive 222Rn in the mixed layer to illustrate the effect that sea ice forcing has on gas budgets and air–sea gas exchange. Appropriate constraint of the 222Rn budget requires estimates of sea ice velocity, concentration, mixed-layer depth, and water velocities, as well as their evolution in time and space along the Lagrangian drift track of a mixed-layer water parcel. We used 36, 9 and 2 km horizontal resolution of regional Massachusetts Institute of Technology general circulation model (MITgcm) configuration with fine vertical spacing to evaluate the capability of the model to reproduce these parameters. We then compared the model results to existing field data including satellite, moorings and ice-tethered profilers. We found that mode sea ice coverage agrees with satellite-derived observation 88 to 98 % of the time when averaged over the Beaufort Gyre, and model sea ice speeds have 82 % correlation with observations. The model demonstrated the capacity to capture the broad trends in the mixed layer, although with a significant bias. Model water velocities showed only 29 % correlation with point-wise in situ data. This correlation remained low in all three model resolution simulations and we argued that is largely due to the quality of the input atmospheric forcing. Overall, we found that even the coarse-resolution model can make a modest contribution to gas exchange parameterization, by resolving the time variation of parameters that drive the 222Rn budget, including rate of mixed-layer change and sea ice forcings.

Changes in extreme regional sea level under global warming - S.-E. Brunnabend; H. A. Dijkstra; M. A. Kliphuis; H. E. Bal; F. Seinstra; B. van Werkhoven; J. Maassen; M. van Meersbergen (Ocean Science, 2017)
An important contribution to future changes in regional sea level extremes is due to the changes in intrinsic ocean variability, in particular ocean eddies. Here, we study a scenario of future dynamic sea level (DSL) extremes using a high-resolution version of the Parallel Ocean Program and generalized extreme value theory. This model is forced with atmospheric fluxes from a coupled climate model which has been integrated under the IPCC-SRES-A1B scenario over the period 2000–2100. Changes in 10-year return time DSL extremes are very inhomogeneous over the globe and are related to changes in ocean currents and corresponding regional shifts in ocean eddy pathways. In this scenario, several regions in the North Atlantic experience an increase in mean DSL of up to 0.4 m over the period 2000–2100. DSL extremes with a 10-year return time increase up to 0.2 m with largest values in the northern and eastern Atlantic.

Different approaches to model the nearshore circulation in the south shore of O'ahu, Hawaii - Joao Marcos Azevedo Correia de Souza; Brian Powell (Ocean Science, 2017)
The dynamical interaction between currents, bathymetry, waves, and estuarine outflow has significant impacts on the surf zone. We investigate the impacts of two strategies to include the effect of surface gravity waves on an ocean circulation model of the south shore of O'ahu, Hawaii. This area provides an ideal laboratory for the development of nearshore circulation modeling systems for reef-protected coastlines. We use two numerical models for circulation and waves: Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) and Simulating Waves Nearshore (SWAN) model, respectively. The circulation model is nested within larger-scale models that capture the tidal, regional, and wind-forced circulation of the Hawaiian archipelago. Two strategies are explored for circulation modeling: forcing by the output of the wave model and online, two-way coupling of the circulation and wave models. In addition, the circulation model alone provides the reference for the circulation without the effect of the waves. These strategies are applied to two experiments: (1) typical trade-wind conditions that are frequent during summer months, and (2) the arrival of a large winter swell that wraps around the island. The results show the importance of considering the effect of the waves on the circulation and, particularly, the circulation–wave coupled processes. Both approaches show a similar nearshore circulation pattern, with the presence of an offshore current in the middle beaches of Waikiki. Although the pattern of the offshore circulation remains the same, the coupled waves and circulation produce larger significant wave heights ( ≈ 10 %) and the formation of strong alongshore and cross-shore currents ( ≈ 1 m s−1).

Observability of fine-scale ocean dynamics in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea - Rosemary Morrow; Alice Carret; Florence Birol; Fernando Nino; Guillaume Valladeau; Francois Boy; Celine Bachelier; Bruno Zakardjian (Ocean Science, 2017)
Technological advances in the recent satellite altimeter missions of Jason-2, SARAL/AltiKa and CryoSat-2 have improved their signal-to-noise ratio, allowing us to observe finer-scale ocean processes with along-track data. Here, we analyse the noise levels and observable ocean scales in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea, using spectral analyses of along-track sea surface height from the three missions. Jason-2 has a higher mean noise level with strong seasonal variations, with higher noise in winter due to the rougher sea state. SARAL/AltiKa has the lowest noise, again with strong seasonal variations. CryoSat-2 is in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) mode in the Mediterranean Sea but with lower-resolution ocean corrections; its statistical noise level is moderate with little seasonal variation. These noise levels impact on the ocean scales we can observe. In winter, when the mixed layers are deepest and the submesoscale is energetic, all of the altimeter missions can observe wavelengths down to 40–50 km (individual feature diameters of 20–25 km). In summer when the submesoscales are weaker, SARAL can detect ocean scales down to 35 km wavelength, whereas the higher noise from Jason-2 and CryoSat-2 blocks the observation of scales less than 50–55 km wavelength. This statistical analysis is completed by individual case studies, where filtered along-track altimeter data are compared with co-located glider and high-frequency (HF) radar data. The glider comparisons work well for larger ocean structures, but observations of the smaller, rapidly moving dynamics are difficult to co-locate in space and time (gliders cover 200 km in a few days, altimetry in 30 s). HF radar surface currents at Toulon measure the meandering Northern Current, and their good temporal sampling shows promising results in comparison to co-located SARAL altimetric currents. Techniques to separate the geostrophic component from the wind-driven ageostrophic flow need further development in this coastal band.

Technical note: Update on response times, in-air measurements, and in situ drift for oxygen optodes on profiling platforms - Henry C. Bittig; Arne Körtzinger (Ocean Science, 2017)
Oxygen optode measurements on floats and gliders suffer from a slow time response and various sources of drift in the calibration coefficients. Based on two dual-O2 Argo floats, we show how to post-correct for the effect of the optode's time response and give an update on optode in situ drift stability and in-air calibration. Both floats are equipped with an unpumped Aanderaa 4330 optode and a pumped Sea-Bird SBE63 optode. Response times for the pumped SBE63 were derived following Bittig et al. (2014) and the same methods were used to correct the time response bias. Using both optodes on each float, the time response regime of the unpumped Aanderaa optode was characterized more accurately than previously possible. Response times for the pumped SBE63 on profiling floats are in the range of 25–40 s, while they are between 60 and 95 s for the unpumped 4330 optode. Our parameterization can be employed to post-correct the slow optode time response on floats and gliders. After correction, both sensors agree to within 2–3 µmol kg−1 (median difference) in the strongest gradients (120 µmol kg−1 change over 8 min or 20 dbar) and better elsewhere. However, time response correction is only possible if measurement times are known, i.e., provided by the platform as well as transmitted and stored with the data. The O2 in-air measurements show a significant in situ optode drift of −0.40 and −0.27 % yr−1 over the available 2 and 3 years of deployment, respectively. Optode in-air measurements are systematically biased high during midday surfacings compared to dusk, dawn, and nighttime. While preference can be given to nighttime surfacings to avoid this in-air calibration bias, we suggest a parameterization of the daytime effect as a function of the Sun's elevation to be able to use all data and to better constrain the result. Taking all effects into account, calibration factors have an uncertainty of 0.1 %. In addition, in-air calibration factors vary by 0.1–0.2 % when using different reanalysis models as a reference. The overall accuracy that can be achieved following the proposed correction routines is better than 1 µmol kg−1.

Technical note: Algal Pigment Index 2 in the Atlantic off the southwest Iberian Peninsula: standard and regional algorithms - Priscila Goela; Sónia Cristina; Tamito Kajiyama; John Icely; Gerald Moore; Bruno Fragoso; Alice Newton (Ocean Science, 2016)
In this study, Algal Pigment Index 2 (API2) is investigated in Sagres, an area located in the Atlantic off the southwestern Iberian Peninsula. Standard results provided by the MEdium Resolution Image Spectrometer (MERIS) ocean colour sensor were compared with alternative data products, determined through a regional inversion scheme, using both MERIS and in situ remote sensing reflectances (Rrs) as input data. The reference quantity for performance assessment is in situ total chlorophyll a (TChl a) concentration estimated through a phytoplankton absorption coefficient (i.e. equivalent to API2). Additional comparison of data products has also been addressed for TChl a concentration determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. The MERIS matchup analysis revealed a systematic underestimation of TChl a, which was confirmed with an independent comparison of product map analysis. The study demonstrates the importance of regional algorithms for the study area that could complement upcoming standard results of the current Sentinel-3/OLCI space mission.

Generation of large-scale intrusions at baroclinic fronts: an analytical consideration with a reference to the Arctic Ocean - Natalia Kuzmina (Ocean Science, 2016)
Analytical solutions are found for the problem of instability of a weak geostrophic flow with linear velocity shear accounting for vertical diffusion of buoyancy. The analysis is based on the potential-vorticity equation in a long-wave approximation when the horizontal scale of disturbances is considered much larger than the local baroclinic Rossby radius. It is hypothesized that the solutions found can be applied to describe stable and unstable disturbances of the planetary scale with respect, in particular, to the Arctic Ocean, where weak baroclinic fronts with typical temporal variability periods on the order of several years or more have been observed and the β effect is negligible. Stable (decaying with time) solutions describe disturbances that, in contrast to the Rossby waves, can propagate to both the west and east, depending on the sign of the linear shear of geostrophic velocity. The unstable (growing with time) solutions are applied to explain the formation of large-scale intrusions at baroclinic fronts under the stable–stable thermohaline stratification observed in the upper layer of the Polar Deep Water in the Eurasian Basin. The suggested mechanism of formation of intrusions can be considered a possible alternative to the mechanism of interleaving at the baroclinic fronts due to the differential mixing.

GEM: a dynamic tracking model for mesoscale eddies in the ocean - Qiu-Yang Li; Liang Sun; Sheng-Fu Lin (Ocean Science, 2016)
The Genealogical Evolution Model (GEM) presented here is an efficient logical model used to track dynamic evolution of mesoscale eddies in the ocean. It can distinguish between different dynamic processes (e.g., merging and splitting) within a dynamic evolution pattern, which is difficult to accomplish using other tracking methods. To this end, the GEM first uses a two-dimensional (2-D) similarity vector (i.e., a pair of ratios of overlap area between two eddies to the area of each eddy) rather than a scalar to measure the similarity between eddies, which effectively solves the “missing eddy” problem (temporarily lost eddy in tracking). Second, for tracking when an eddy splits, the GEM uses both “parent” (the original eddy) and “child” (eddy split from parent) and the dynamic processes are described as the birth and death of different generations. Additionally, a new look-ahead approach with selection rules effectively simplifies computation and recording. All of the computational steps are linear and do not include iteration. Given the pixel number of the target region L, the maximum number of eddies M, the number N of look-ahead time steps, and the total number of time steps T, the total computer time is O(LM(N + 1)T). The tracking of each eddy is very smooth because we require that the snapshots of each eddy on adjacent days overlap one another. Although eddy splitting or merging is ubiquitous in the ocean, they have different geographic distributions in the North Pacific Ocean. Both the merging and splitting rates of the eddies are high, especially at the western boundary, in currents and in “eddy deserts”. The GEM is useful not only for satellite-based observational data, but also for numerical simulation outputs. It is potentially useful for studying dynamic processes in other related fields, e.g., the dynamics of cyclones in meteorology.

High-resolution monitoring of marine protists based on an observation strategy integrating automated on-board filtration and molecular analyses - Katja Metfies; Friedhelm Schroeder; Johanna Hessel; Jochen Wollschläger; Sebastian Micheller; Christian Wolf; Estelle Kilias; Pim Sprong; Stefan Neuhaus; Stephan Frickenhaus; Wilhelm Petersen (Ocean Science, 2016)
Information on recent biomass distribution and biogeography of photosynthetic marine protists with adequate temporal and spatial resolution is urgently needed to better understand the consequences of environmental change for marine ecosystems. Here we introduce and review a molecular-based observation strategy for high-resolution assessment of these protists in space and time. It is the result of extensive technology developments, adaptations and evaluations which are documented in a number of different publications, and the results of the recently completed field testing which are introduced in this paper. The observation strategy is organized at four different levels. At level 1, samples are collected at high spatiotemporal resolution using the remotely controlled automated filtration system AUTOFIM. Resulting samples can either be preserved for later laboratory analyses, or directly subjected to molecular surveillance of key species aboard the ship via an automated biosensor system or quantitative polymerase chain reaction (level 2). Preserved samples are analyzed at the next observational levels in the laboratory (levels 3 and 4). At level 3 this involves molecular fingerprinting methods for a quick and reliable overview of differences in protist community composition. Finally, selected samples can be used to generate a detailed analysis of taxonomic protist composition via the latest next generation sequencing technology (NGS) at level 4. An overall integrated dataset of the results based on the different analyses provides comprehensive information on the diversity and biogeography of protists, including all related size classes. At the same time the cost of the observation is optimized with respect to analysis effort and time.

Predicted ripple dimensions in relation to the precision of in situ measurements in the southern North Sea - Knut Krämer; Christian Winter (Ocean Science, 2016)
Ripples are common morphological features in sandy marine environments. Their shapes and dimensions are closely related to local sediment properties and forcing by waves and currents. Numerous predictors for the geometry and hydraulic roughness of ripples exist but, due to their empirical nature, they may fail to properly reflect conditions in the field. Here, measurements of tide and wave generated ripples in a shallow shelf sea are reported. Discrete and continuous methods for the extraction of ripple dimensions from digital elevation models (DEMs) are inter-compared. The range of measured ripple dimensions is quantified and compared to the results of empirical predictors. The repeatability of a measurement for inactive conditions is taken as the precision of measurements of bedform dimensions. The accuracy of measurement is assessed via comparison to predicted dimensions. Results from field data show that the precision of measurements is limited to 10 % of the absolute ripple dimensions. The application of different methods for the detection of ripple heights may result in form roughness heights differing by a factor of up to 2 between the traditional statistical estimate and a full evaluation of the spatial bathymetry.

A stable Faroe Bank Channel overflow 1995–2015 - Bogi Hansen; Karin Margretha Húsgarð Larsen; Hjálmar Hátún; Svein Østerhus (Ocean Science, 2016)
The Faroe Bank Channel (FBC) is the deepest passage across the Greenland–Scotland Ridge (GSR) and there is a continuous deep flow of cold and dense water passing through it from the Arctic Mediterranean into the North Atlantic and further to the rest of the world ocean. This FBC overflow is part of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), which has recently been suggested to have weakened. From November 1995 to May 2015, the FBC overflow has been monitored by a continuous ADCP (acoustic Doppler current profiler) mooring, which has been deployed in the middle of this narrow channel. Combined with regular hydrography cruises and several short-term mooring experiments, this allowed us to construct time series of volume transport and to follow changes in the hydrographic properties and density of the FBC overflow. The mean kinematic overflow, derived solely from the velocity field, was found to be (2.2 ± 0.2) Sv (1 Sv = 106 m3 s−1) with a slight, but not statistically significant, positive trend. The coldest part, and probably the bulk, of the FBC overflow warmed by a bit more than 0.1 °C, especially after 2002, increasing the transport of heat into the deep ocean. This warming was, however, accompanied by increasing salinities, which seem to have compensated for the temperature-induced density decrease. Thus, the FBC overflow has remained stable in volume transport as well as density during the 2 decades from 1995 to 2015. After crossing the GSR, the overflow is modified by mixing and entrainment, but the associated change in volume (and heat) transport is still not well known. Whatever effect this has on the AMOC and the global energy balance, our observed stability of the FBC overflow is consistent with reported observations from the other main overflow branch, the Denmark Strait overflow, and the three Atlantic inflow branches to the Arctic Mediterranean that feed the overflows. If the AMOC has weakened during the last 2 decades, it is not likely to have been due to its northernmost extension – the exchanges across the Greenland–Scotland Ridge.

Sub-basin-scale sea level budgets from satellite altimetry, Argo floats and satellite gravimetry: a case study in the North Atlantic Ocean - Marcel Kleinherenbrink; Riccardo Riva; Yu Sun (Ocean Science, 2016)
In this study, for the first time, an attempt is made to close the sea level budget on a sub-basin scale in terms of trend and amplitude of the annual cycle. We also compare the residual time series after removing the trend, the semiannual and the annual signals. To obtain errors for altimetry and Argo, full variance–covariance matrices are computed using correlation functions and their errors are fully propagated. For altimetry, we apply a geographically dependent intermission bias [Ablain et al.(2015)], which leads to differences in trends up to 0.8 mm yr−1. Since Argo float measurements are non-homogeneously spaced, steric sea levels are first objectively interpolated onto a grid before averaging. For the Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment (GRACE), gravity fields full variance–covariance matrices are used to propagate errors and statistically filter the gravity fields. We use four different filtered gravity field solutions and determine which post-processing strategy is best for budget closure. As a reference, the standard 96 degree Dense Decorrelation Kernel-5 (DDK5)-filtered Center for Space Research (CSR) solution is used to compute the mass component (MC). A comparison is made with two anisotropic Wiener-filtered CSR solutions up to degree and order 60 and 96 and a Wiener-filtered 90 degree ITSG solution. Budgets are computed for 10 polygons in the North Atlantic Ocean, defined in a way that the error on the trend of the MC plus steric sea level remains within 1 mm yr−1. Using the anisotropic Wiener filter on CSR gravity fields expanded up to spherical harmonic degree 96, it is possible to close the sea level budget in 9 of 10 sub-basins in terms of trend. Wiener-filtered Institute of Theoretical geodesy and Satellite Geodesy (ITSG) and the standard DDK5-filtered CSR solutions also close the trend budget if a glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) correction error of 10–20 % is applied; however, the performance of the DDK5-filtered solution strongly depends on the orientation of the polygon due to residual striping. In 7 of 10 sub-basins, the budget of the annual cycle is closed, using the DDK5-filtered CSR or the Wiener-filtered ITSG solutions. The Wiener-filtered 60 and 96 degree CSR solutions, in combination with Argo, lack amplitude and suffer from what appears to be hydrological leakage in the Amazon and Sahel regions. After reducing the trend, the semiannual and the annual signals, 24–53 % of the residual variance in altimetry-derived sea level time series is explained by the combination of Argo steric sea levels and the Wiener-filtered ITSG MC. Based on this, we believe that the best overall solution for the MC of the sub-basin-scale budgets is the Wiener-filtered ITSG gravity fields. The interannual variability is primarily a steric signal in the North Atlantic Ocean, so for this the choice of filter and gravity field solution is not really significant.

El Niño, La Niña, and the global sea level budget - Christopher G. Piecuch; Katherine J. Quinn (Ocean Science, 2016)
Previous studies show that nonseasonal variations in global-mean sea level (GMSL) are significantly correlated with El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO). However, it has remained unclear to what extent these ENSO-related GMSL fluctuations correspond to steric (i.e., density) or barystatic (mass) effects. Here we diagnose the GMSL budget for ENSO events observationally using data from profiling floats, satellite gravimetry, and radar altimetry during 2005–2015. Steric and barystatic effects make comparable contributions to the GMSL budget during ENSO, in contrast to previous interpretations based largely on hydrological models, which emphasize the barystatic component. The steric contributions reflect changes in global ocean heat content, centered on the Pacific. Distributions of ocean heat storage in the Pacific arise from a mix of diabatic and adiabatic effects. Results have implications for understanding the surface warming slowdown and demonstrate the usefulness of the Global Ocean Observing System for constraining Earth's hydrological cycle and radiation imbalance.

Acoustic and optical methods to infer water transparency at Time Series Station Spiekeroog, Wadden Sea - Anne-Christin Schulz; Thomas H. Badewien; Shungudzemwoyo P. Garaba; Oliver Zielinski (Ocean Science, 2016)
Water transparency is a primary indicator of optical water quality that is driven by suspended particulate and dissolved material. A data set from the operational Time Series Station Spiekeroog located at a tidal inlet of the Wadden Sea was used to perform (i) an inter-comparison of observations related to water transparency, (ii) correlation tests among these measured parameters, and (iii) to explore the utility of both acoustic and optical tools in monitoring water transparency. An Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler was used to derive the backscatter signal in the water column. Optical observations were collected using above-water hyperspectral radiometers and a submerged turbidity metre. Bio-fouling on the turbidity sensors optical windows resulted in measurement drift and abnormal values during quality control steps. We observed significant correlations between turbidity collected by the submerged metre and that derived from above-water radiometer observations. Turbidity from these sensors was also associated with the backscatter signal derived from the acoustic measurements. These findings suggest that both optical and acoustic measurements can be reasonable proxies of water transparency with the potential to mitigate gaps and increase data quality in long-time observation of marine environments.

A hybrid variational-ensemble data assimilation scheme with systematic error correction for limited-area ocean models - Paolo Oddo; Andrea Storto; Srdjan Dobricic; Aniello Russo; Craig Lewis; Reiner Onken; Emanuel Coelho (Ocean Science, 2016)
A hybrid variational-ensemble data assimilation scheme to estimate the vertical and horizontal parts of the background error covariance matrix for an ocean variational data assimilation system is presented and tested in a limited-area ocean model implemented in the western Mediterranean Sea. An extensive data set collected during the Recognized Environmental Picture Experiments conducted in June 2014 by the Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation has been used for assimilation and validation. The hybrid scheme is used to both correct the systematic error introduced in the system from the external forcing (initialisation, lateral and surface open boundary conditions) and model parameterisation, and improve the representation of small-scale errors in the background error covariance matrix. An ensemble system is run offline for further use in the hybrid scheme, generated through perturbation of assimilated observations. Results of four different experiments have been compared. The reference experiment uses the classical stationary formulation of the background error covariance matrix and has no systematic error correction. The other three experiments account for, or not, systematic error correction and hybrid background error covariance matrix combining the static and the ensemble-derived errors of the day. Results show that the hybrid scheme when used in conjunction with the systematic error correction reduces the mean absolute error of temperature and salinity misfit by 55 and 42 % respectively, versus statistics arising from standard climatological covariances without systematic error correction.

Ocean forecasting for the German Bight: from regional to coastal scales - Emil V. Stanev; Johannes Schulz-Stellenfleth; Joanna Staneva; Sebastian Grayek; Sebastian Grashorn; Arno Behrens; Wolfgang Koch; Johannes Pein (Ocean Science, 2016)
This paper describes recent developments based on advances in coastal ocean forecasting in the fields of numerical modeling, data assimilation, and observational array design, exemplified by the Coastal Observing System for the North and Arctic Seas (COSYNA). The region of interest is the North and Baltic seas, and most of the coastal examples are for the German Bight. Several pre-operational applications are presented to demonstrate the outcome of using the best available science in coastal ocean predictions. The applications address the nonlinear behavior of the coastal ocean, which for the studied region is manifested by the tidal distortion and generation of shallow-water tides. Led by the motivation to maximize the benefits of the observations, this study focuses on the integration of observations and modeling using advanced statistical methods. Coastal and regional ocean forecasting systems do not operate in isolation but are linked, either weakly by using forcing data or interactively using two-way nesting or unstructured-grid models. Therefore, the problems of downscaling and upscaling are addressed, along with a discussion of the potential influence of the information from coastal observatories or coastal forecasting systems on the regional models. One example of coupling coarse-resolution regional models with a fine-resolution model interface in the area of straits connecting the North and Baltic seas using a two-way nesting method is presented. Illustrations from the assimilation of remote sensing, in situ and high-frequency (HF) radar data, the prediction of wind waves and storm surges, and possible applications to search and rescue operations are also presented. Concepts for seamless approaches to link coastal and regional forecasting systems are exemplified by the application of an unstructured-grid model for the Ems Estuary.

Effect of gas-transfer velocity parameterization choice on air–sea CO 2 fluxes in the North Atlantic Ocean and the European Arctic - Iwona Wrobel; Jacek Piskozub (Ocean Science, 2016)
The oceanic sink of carbon dioxide (CO2) is an important part of the global carbon budget. Understanding uncertainties in the calculation of this net flux into the ocean is crucial for climate research. One of the sources of the uncertainty within this calculation is the parameterization chosen for the CO2 gas-transfer velocity. We used a recently developed software toolbox, called the FluxEngine (Shutler et al., 2016), to estimate the monthly air–sea CO2 fluxes for the extratropical North Atlantic Ocean, including the European Arctic, and for the global ocean using several published quadratic and cubic wind speed parameterizations of the gas-transfer velocity. The aim of the study is to constrain the uncertainty caused by the choice of parameterization in the North Atlantic Ocean. This region is a large oceanic sink of CO2, and it is also a region characterized by strong winds, especially in winter but with good in situ data coverage. We show that the uncertainty in the parameterization is smaller in the North Atlantic Ocean and the Arctic than in the global ocean. It is as little as 5 % in the North Atlantic and 4 % in the European Arctic, in comparison to 9 % for the global ocean when restricted to parameterizations with quadratic wind dependence. This uncertainty becomes 46, 44, and 65 %, respectively, when all parameterizations are considered. We suggest that this smaller uncertainty (5 and 4 %) is caused by a combination of higher than global average wind speeds in the North Atlantic (> 7 ms−1) and lack of any seasonal changes in the direction of the flux direction within most of the region. We also compare the impact of using two different in situ pCO2 data sets (Takahashi et al. (2009) and Surface Ocean CO2 Atlas (SOCAT) v1.5 and v2.0, for the flux calculation. The annual fluxes using the two data sets differ by 8 % in the North Atlantic and 19 % in the European Arctic. The seasonal fluxes in the Arctic computed from the two data sets disagree with each other possibly due to insufficient spatial and temporal data coverage, especially in winter.

DUACS DT2014: the new multi-mission altimeter data set reprocessed over 20 years - Marie-Isabelle Pujol; Yannice Faugère; Guillaume Taburet; Stéphanie Dupuy; Camille Pelloquin; Michael Ablain; Nicolas Picot (Ocean Science, 2016)
The new DUACS DT2014 reprocessed products have been available since April 2014. Numerous innovative changes have been introduced at each step of an extensively revised data processing protocol. The use of a new 20-year altimeter reference period in place of the previous 7-year reference significantly changes the sea level anomaly (SLA) patterns and thus has a strong user impact. The use of up-to-date altimeter standards and geophysical corrections, reduced smoothing of the along-track data, and refined mapping parameters, including spatial and temporal correlation-scale refinement and measurement errors, all contribute to an improved high-quality DT2014 SLA data set. Although all of the DUACS products have been upgraded, this paper focuses on the enhancements to the gridded SLA products over the global ocean. As part of this exercise, 21 years of data have been homogenized, allowing us to retrieve accurate large-scale climate signals such as global and regional MSL trends, interannual signals, and better refined mesoscale features.An extensive assessment exercise has been carried out on this data set, which allows us to establish a consolidated error budget. The errors at mesoscale are about 1.4 cm2 in low-variability areas, increase to an average of 8.9 cm2 in coastal regions, and reach nearly 32.5 cm2 in high mesoscale activity areas. The DT2014 products, compared to the previous DT2010 version, retain signals for wavelengths lower than ∼ 250 km, inducing SLA variance and mean EKE increases of, respectively, +5.1 and +15 %. Comparisons with independent measurements highlight the improved mesoscale representation within this new data set. The error reduction at the mesoscale reaches nearly 10 % of the error observed with DT2010. DT2014 also presents an improved coastal signal with a nearly 2 to 4 % mean error reduction. High-latitude areas are also more accurately represented in DT2014, with an improved consistency between spatial coverage and sea ice edge position. An error budget is used to highlight the limitations of the new gridded products, with notable errors in areas with strong internal tides.

Seasonal variability of the Ekman transport and pumping in the upwelling system off central-northern Chile (∼ 30° S) based on a high-resolution atmospheric regional model (WRF) - Luis Bravo; Marcel Ramos; Orlando Astudillo; Boris Dewitte; Katerina Goubanova (Ocean Science, 2016)
Two physical mechanisms can contribute to coastal upwelling in eastern boundary current systems: offshore Ekman transport due to the predominant alongshore wind stress and Ekman pumping due to the cyclonic wind stress curl, mainly caused by the abrupt decrease in wind stress (drop-off) in a cross-shore band of 100 km. This wind drop-off is thought to be an ubiquitous feature in coastal upwelling systems and to regulate the relative contribution of both mechanisms. It has been poorly studied along the central-northern Chile region because of the lack in wind measurements along the shoreline and of the relatively low resolution of the available atmospheric reanalysis. Here, the seasonal variability in Ekman transport, Ekman pumping and their relative contribution to total upwelling along the central-northern Chile region (∼ 30° S) is evaluated from a high-resolution atmospheric model simulation. As a first step, the simulation is validated from satellite observations, which indicates a realistic representation of the spatial and temporal variability of the wind along the coast by the model. The model outputs are then used to document the fine-scale structures in the wind stress and wind curl in relation to the topographic features along the coast (headlands and embayments). Both wind stress and wind curl had a clear seasonal variability with annual and semiannual components. Alongshore wind stress maximum peak occurred in spring, second increase was in fall and minimum in winter. When a threshold of −3 × 10−5 s−1 for the across-shore gradient of alongshore wind was considered to define the region from which the winds decrease toward the coast, the wind drop-off length scale varied between 8 and 45 km. The relative contribution of the coastal divergence and Ekman pumping to the vertical transport along the coast, considering the estimated wind drop-off length, indicated meridional alternation between both mechanisms, modulated by orography and the intricate coastline. Roughly, coastal divergence predominated in areas with low orography and headlands. Ekman pumping was higher in regions with high orography and the presence of embayments along the coast. In the study region, the vertical transport induced by coastal divergence and Ekman pumping represented 60 and 40 % of the total upwelling transport, respectively. The potential role of Ekman pumping on the spatial structure of sea surface temperature is also discussed.

Assessing the potential for dimethylsulfide enrichment at the sea surface and its influence on air–sea flux - Carolyn F. Walker; Mike J. Harvey; Murray J. Smith; Thomas G. Bell; Eric S. Saltzman; Andrew S. Marriner; John A. McGregor; Cliff S. Law (Ocean Science, 2016)
The flux of dimethylsulfide (DMS) to the atmosphere is generally inferred using water sampled at or below 2 m depth, thereby excluding any concentration anomalies at the air–sea interface. Two independent techniques were used to assess the potential for near-surface DMS enrichment to influence DMS emissions and also identify the factors influencing enrichment. DMS measurements in productive frontal waters over the Chatham Rise, east of New Zealand, did not identify any significant gradients between 0.01 and 6 m in sub-surface seawater, whereas DMS enrichment in the sea-surface microlayer was variable, with a mean enrichment factor (EF; the concentration ratio between DMS in the sea-surface microlayer and in sub-surface water) of 1.7. Physical and biological factors influenced sea-surface microlayer DMS concentration, with high enrichment (EF > 1.3) only recorded in a dinoflagellate-dominated bloom, and associated with low to medium wind speeds and near-surface temperature gradients. On occasion, high DMS enrichment preceded periods when the air–sea DMS flux, measured by eddy covariance, exceeded the flux calculated using National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Coupled-Ocean Atmospheric Response Experiment (COARE) parameterized gas transfer velocities and measured sub-surface seawater DMS concentrations. The results of these two independent approaches suggest that air–sea emissions may be influenced by near-surface DMS production under certain conditions, and highlight the need for further study to constrain the magnitude and mechanisms of DMS production in the sea-surface microlayer.

Parameterization of the light absorption properties of chromophoric dissolved organic matter in the Baltic Sea and Pomeranian lakes - Justyna Meler; Piotr Kowalczuk; Mirosława Ostrowska; Dariusz Ficek; Monika Zabłocka; Agnieszka Zdun (Ocean Science, 2016)
This study presents three alternative models for estimating the absorption properties of chromophoric dissolved organic matter aCDOM(λ). For this analysis we used a database containing 556 absorption spectra measured in 2006–2009 in different regions of the Baltic Sea (open and coastal waters, the Gulf of Gdańsk and the Pomeranian Bay), at river mouths, in the Szczecin Lagoon and also in three lakes in Pomerania (Poland) – Obłęskie, Łebsko and Chotkowskie. The variability range of the chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) absorption coefficient at 400 nm, aCDOM(400), lay within 0.15–8.85 m−1. The variability in aCDOM(λ) was parameterized with respect to the variability over 3 orders of magnitude in the chlorophyll a concentration Chl a (0.7–119 mg m−3). The chlorophyll a concentration and aCDOM(400) were correlated, and a statistically significant, nonlinear empirical relationship between these parameters was derived (R2 = 0.83). On the basis of the covariance between these parameters, we derived two empirical mathematical models that enabled us to design the CDOM absorption coefficient dynamics in natural waters and reconstruct the complete CDOM absorption spectrum in the UV and visible spectral domains. The input variable in the first model was the chlorophyll a concentration, and in the second one it was aCDOM(400). Both models were fitted to a power function, and a second-order polynomial function was used as the exponent. Regression coefficients for these formulas were determined for wavelengths from 240 to 700 nm at 5 nm intervals. Both approximations reflected the real shape of the absorption spectra with a low level of uncertainty. Comparison of these approximations with other models of light absorption by CDOM demonstrated that our parameterizations were superior (bias from −1.45 to 62 %, RSME from 22 to 220 %) for estimating CDOM absorption in the optically complex waters of the Baltic Sea and Pomeranian lakes.

Impact of vertical and horizontal advection on nutrient distribution in the southeast Pacific - Bàrbara Barceló-Llull; Evan Mason; Arthur Capet; Ananda Pascual (Ocean Science, 2016)
An innovative approach is used to analyze the impact of vertical velocities associated with quasi-geostrophic (QG) dynamics on the redistribution and uptake of nitrate in the southeast Pacific (SEP). A total of 12 years of vertical and horizontal currents are derived from an observation-based estimate of the ocean state. Horizontal velocities are obtained through the application of thermal wind balance to weekly temperature and salinity fields. Vertical velocities are estimated by integration of the QG omega equation. Seasonal variability of the synthetic vertical velocity and kinetic energy associated with the horizontal currents is coincident, with peaks in austral summer (November–December) in accord with published observations. The impact of vertical velocity on SEP nitrate uptake rates is assessed by using two Lagrangian particle tracking experiments that differ according to vertical forcing (ω = ωQG vs. ω = 0). From identical initial distributions of nitrate-tagged particles, the Lagrangian results show that vertical motions induce local increases in nitrate uptake reaching up to 30 %. Such increases occur in low uptake regions with high mesoscale activity. Despite being weaker than horizontal currents by a factor of up to 10−4, vertical velocity associated with mesoscale activity is demonstrated to make an important contribution to nitrate uptake, hence productivity, in low uptake regions.

Effects of lateral processes on the seasonal water stratification of the Gulf of Finland: 3-D NEMO-based model study - Roman E. Vankevich; Ekaterina V. Sofina; Tatiana E. Eremina; Vladimir A. Ryabchenko; Mikhail S. Molchanov; Alexey V. Isaev (Ocean Science, 2016)
This paper aims to fill the gaps in knowledge of processes affecting the seasonal water stratification in the Gulf of Finland (GOF). We used a state-of-the-art modelling framework NEMO (Nucleus for European Modelling of the Ocean) designed for oceanographic research, operational oceanography, seasonal forecasting, and climate studies to build an eddy-resolving model of the GOF. To evaluate the model skill and performance, two different solutions were obtained on 0.5 km eddy-resolving and commonly used 2 km grids for a 1-year simulation. We also explore the efficacy of non-hydrostatic effect (convection) parameterizations available in NEMO for coastal application. It is found that the solutions resolving submesoscales have a more complex mixed layer structure in the regions of the GOF directly affected by the upwelling/downwelling and intrusions from the open Baltic Sea. Presented model estimations of the upper mixed layer depth are in good agreement with in situ CTD (BED) data. A number of model sensitivity tests to the vertical mixing parameterization confirm the model's robustness. Further progress in the submesoscale process simulation and understanding is apparently not connected mainly with the finer resolution of the grids, but with the use of non-hydrostatic models because of the failure of the hydrostatic approach at submesoscale.

Effects of surface current–wind interaction in an eddy-rich general ocean circulation simulation of the Baltic Sea - Heiner Dietze; Ulrike Löptien (Ocean Science, 2016)
Deoxygenation in the Baltic Sea endangers fish yields and favours noxious algal blooms. Yet, vertical transport processes ventilating the oxygen-deprived waters at depth and replenishing nutrient-deprived surface waters (thereby fuelling export of organic matter to depth) are not comprehensively understood. Here, we investigate the effects of the interaction between surface currents and winds on upwelling in an eddy-rich general ocean circulation model of the Baltic Sea. Contrary to expectations we find that accounting for current–wind effects inhibits the overall vertical exchange between oxygenated surface waters and oxygen-deprived water at depth. At major upwelling sites, however (e.g. off the southern coast of Sweden and Finland) the reverse holds: the interaction between topographically steered surface currents with winds blowing over the sea results in a climatological sea surface temperature cooling of 0.5 K. This implies that current–wind effects drive substantial local upwelling of cold and nutrient-replete waters.

Developing European operational oceanography for Blue Growth, climate change adaptation and mitigation, and ecosystem-based management - Jun She; Icarus Allen; Erik Buch; Alessandro Crise; Johnny A. Johannessen; Pierre-Yves Le Traon; Urmas Lips; Glenn Nolan; Nadia Pinardi; Jan H. Reißmann; John Siddorn; Emil Stanev; et al. (Ocean Science, 2016)
Operational approaches have been more and more widely developed and used for providing marine data and information services for different socio-economic sectors of the Blue Growth and to advance knowledge about the marine environment. The objective of operational oceanographic research is to develop and improve the efficiency, timeliness, robustness and product quality of this approach. This white paper aims to address key scientific challenges and research priorities for the development of operational oceanography in Europe for the next 5–10 years. Knowledge gaps and deficiencies are identified in relation to common scientific challenges in four EuroGOOS knowledge areas: European Ocean Observations, Modelling and Forecasting Technology, Coastal Operational Oceanography and Operational Ecology. The areas “European Ocean Observations” and “Modelling and Forecasting Technology” focus on the further advancement of the basic instruments and capacities for European operational oceanography, while “Coastal Operational Oceanography” and “Operational Ecology” aim at developing new operational approaches for the corresponding knowledge areas.

Aragonite saturation states and pH in western Norwegian fjords: seasonal cycles and controlling factors, 2005–2009 - Abdirahman M. Omar; Ingunn Skjelvan; Svein Rune Erga; Are Olsen (Ocean Science, 2016)
The uptake of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) by the ocean leads to a process known as ocean acidification (OA), which lowers the aragonite saturation state (ΩAr) and pH, and this is poorly documented in coastal environments including fjords due to lack of appropriate observations.Here we use weekly underway data from the Voluntary Observing Ships (VOS) program covering the period 2005–2009 combined with data from research cruises to estimate ΩAr and pH values in several adjacent western Norwegian fjords, and to evaluate how seawater CO2 chemistry drives their variations in response to physical and biological factors.The OA parameters in the surface waters of the fjords are subject to strong seasonal and spatially coherent variations. These changes are governed by the seasonal changes in temperature, salinity, formation and decay of organic matter, and vertical mixing with deeper, carbon-rich coastal water. Annual mean pH and ΩAr values were 8.13 and 2.21, respectively. The former varies from minimum values ( ≈ 8.05) in late December – early January to maximum values of around 8.2 during early spring (March–April) as a consequence of the phytoplankton spring bloom, which reduces dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC). In the following months, pH decreases in response to warming. This thermodynamic decrease in pH is reinforced by the deepening of the mixed layer, which enables carbon-rich coastal water to reach the surface, and this trend continues until the low winter values of pH are reached again. ΩAr, on the other hand, reaches its seasonal maximum (> 2.5) in mid- to late summer (July–September), when the spring bloom is over and pH is decreasing. The lowest ΩAr values ( ≈ 1.3–1.6) occur during winter (January–March), when both pH and sea surface temperature (SST) are low and DIC is its highest. Consequently, seasonal ΩAr variations align with those of SST and salinity normalized DIC (nDIC).We demonstrate that underway measurements of fugacity of CO2 in seawater (fCO2) and SST from VOS lines combined with high frequency observations of the complete carbonate system at strategically placed fixed stations provide an approach to interpolate OA parameters over large areas in the fjords of western Norway.

Observed and simulated full-depth ocean heat-content changes for 1970–2005 - Lijing Cheng; Kevin E. Trenberth; Matthew D. Palmer; Jiang Zhu; John P. Abraham (Ocean Science, 2016)
Greenhouse-gas emissions have created a planetary energy imbalance that is primarily manifested by increasing ocean heat content (OHC). Updated observational estimates of full-depth OHC change since 1970 are presented that account for recent advancements in reducing observation errors and biases. The full-depth OHC has increased by 0.74 [0.68, 0.80] × 1022 J yr−1 (0.46 Wm−2) and 1.22 [1.16–1.29] × 1022 J yr−1 (0.75 Wm−2) for 1970–2005 and 1992–2005, respectively, with a 5 to 95 % confidence interval of the median. The CMIP5 models show large spread in OHC changes, suggesting that some models are not state-of-the-art and require further improvements. However, the ensemble median has excellent agreement with our observational estimate: 0.68 [0.54–0.82] × 1022 J yr−1 (0.42 Wm−2) from 1970 to 2005 and 1.25 [1.10–1.41] × 1022 J yr−1 (0.77 Wm−2) from 1992 to 2005. These results increase confidence in both the observational and model estimates to quantify and study changes in Earth's energy imbalance over the historical period. We suggest that OHC be a fundamental metric for climate model validation and evaluation, especially for forced changes (decadal timescales).

Accessing diverse data comprehensively – CODM, the COSYNA data portal - Gisbert Breitbach; Hajo Krasemann; Daniel Behr; Steffen Beringer; Uwe Lange; Nhan Vo; Friedhelm Schroeder (Ocean Science, 2016)
The coastal observation system COSYNA aims to describe the physical and biogeochemical state of a regional coastal system. The COSYNA data management is the link between observations, model results and data usage. The challenge for the COSYNA data management CODM is the integration of diverse data sources in terms of parameters, dimensionality and observation methods to gain a comprehensive view of the observations. This is achieved by describing the data using metadata in a generic way and by making all gathered data available for different analyses and visualisations in an interrelated way, independent of data dimensionality. Different parameter names for the same observed property are mapped to the corresponding CF standard name Eaton et al. (2010) leading to standardised and comparable metadata. These metadata together with standardised web services are the base for the data portal. The URLs of these web services are also stored within the metadata as direct data access URLs, e.g. a map such as a GetMap request.

Technical note: GODESS – a profiling mooring in the Gotland Basin - Ralf D. Prien; Detlef E. Schulz-Bull (Ocean Science, 2016)
This note describes a profiling mooring with an interdisciplinary suite of sensors taking profiles between 180 and 30 m depth. It consists of an underwater winch, moored below 180 m depth, and a profiling instrumentation platform. In its described setup it can take about 200 profiles at pre-programmed times or intervals with one set of batteries. This allows for studies over an extended period of time (e.g. two daily profiles over a time of 3 months). The Gotland Deep Environmental Sampling Station (GODESS) in the Eastern Gotland Basin of the Baltic Sea is aimed at investigations of redoxcline dynamics. The described system can be readily adapted to other research foci by changing the profiling instrumentation platform and its payload.

Modelling wave–current interactions off the east coast of Scotland - Alessandro D. Sabatino; Chris McCaig; Rory B. O'Hara Murray; Michael R. Heath (Ocean Science, 2016)
Densely populated coastal areas of the North Sea are particularly vulnerable to severe wave conditions, which overtop or damage sea defences leading to dangerous flooding. Around the shallow southern North Sea, where the coastal margin is lying low and population density is high, oceanographic modelling has helped to develop forecasting systems to predict flood risk. However, coastal areas of the deeper northern North Sea are also subject to regular storm damage, but there has been little or no effort to develop coastal wave models for these waters. Here, we present a high spatial resolution model of northeast Scottish coastal waters, simulating waves and the effect of tidal currents on wave propagation, driven by global ocean tides, far-field wave conditions, and local air pressure and wind stress. We show that the wave–current interactions and wave–wave interactions are particularly important for simulating the wave conditions close to the coast at various locations. The model can simulate the extreme conditions experienced when high (spring) tides are combined with sea-level surges and large Atlantic swell. Such a combination of extremes represents a high risk for damaging conditions along the Scottish coast.

Observed El Niño conditions in the eastern tropical Pacific in October 2015 - Lothar Stramma; Tim Fischer; Damian S. Grundle; Gerd Krahmann; Hermann W. Bange; Christa A. Marandino (Ocean Science, 2016)
A strong El Niño developed in early 2015. Measurements from a research cruise on the R/V Sonne in October 2015 near the Equator east of the Galapagos Islands and off the shelf of Peru are used to investigate changes related to El Niño in the upper ocean in comparison with earlier cruises in this region. At the Equator at 85°30′ W, a clear temperature increase leading to lower densities in the upper 350 m had developed in October 2015, despite a concurrent salinity increase from 40 to 350 m. Lower nutrient concentrations were also present in the upper 200 m, and higher oxygen concentrations were observed between 40 and 130 m. In the equatorial current field, the Equatorial Undercurrent (EUC) east of the Galapagos Islands almost disappeared in October 2015, with a transport of only 0.02 Sv in the equatorial channel between 1° S and 1° N, and a weak current band of 0.78 Sv located between 1 and 2°30′ S. Such near-disappearances of the EUC in the eastern Pacific seem to occur only during strong El Niño events. Off the Peruvian shelf at ∼ 9° S, characteristics of upwelling were different as warm, saline, and oxygen-rich water was upwelled. At ∼ 12, ∼ 14, and ∼ 16° S, the upwelling of cold, low-salinity, and oxygen-poor water was still active at the easternmost stations of these three sections, while further west on these sections a transition to El Niño conditions appeared. Although from early 2015 the El Niño was strong, the October measurements in the eastern tropical Pacific only showed developing El Niño water mass distributions. In particular, the oxygen distribution indicated the ongoing transition from “typical” to El Niño conditions progressing southward along the Peruvian shelf.

Upwelling characteristics in the Gulf of Finland (Baltic Sea) as revealed by Ferrybox measurements in 2007–2013 - Villu Kikas; Urmas Lips (Ocean Science, 2016)
Ferrybox measurements have been carried out between Tallinn and Helsinki in the Gulf of Finland (Baltic Sea) on a regular basis since 1997. The system measures autonomously water temperature, salinity, chlorophyll a fluorescence and turbidity and takes water samples for further analyses at a predefined time interval. We aimed to show how the Ferrybox technology could be used to study the coastal upwelling events in the Gulf of Finland. Based on the introduced upwelling index and related criteria, 33 coastal upwelling events were identified in May–September 2007–2013. The number of events, as well as the frequency of their occurrence and intensity expressed as a sum of daily average temperature deviations in the 20 km wide coastal area, were almost equal near the northern and southern coasts. Nevertheless, the wind impulse, which was needed to generate upwelling events of similar intensity, differed between the northern and southern coastal areas. It is suggested that the general thermohaline structure adapted to the prevailing forcing and the estuarine character of the basin weaken the upwelling created by the westerly to southwesterly (up-estuary) winds and strengthen the upwelling created by the easterly to northeasterly (down-estuary) winds. Two types of upwelling events were identified – one characterized by a strong temperature front and the other revealing gradual decrease in temperature from the open sea to the coastal area, with maximum temperature deviation close to the shore.

Major improvement of altimetry sea level estimations using pressure-derived corrections based on ERA-Interim atmospheric reanalysis - Loren Carrere; Yannice Faugère; Michaël Ablain (Ocean Science, 2016)
The new dynamic atmospheric correction (DAC) and dry tropospheric (DT) correction derived from the ERA-Interim meteorological reanalysis have been computed for the 1992–2013 altimeter period. Using these new corrections significantly improves sea level estimations for short temporal signals (

The importance of external climate forcing for the variability and trends of coastal upwelling in past and future climate - Nele Tim; Eduardo Zorita; Birgit Hünicke; Xing Yi; Kay-Christian Emeis (Ocean Science, 2016)
The eastern boundary upwelling systems, located in the subtropics at the eastern boundary of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and mainly driven by the trade winds, are the major coastal upwelling regions. Previous studies have suggested that the intensity of upwelling in these areas in the past centuries may have been influenced by the external radiative forcing, for instance by changes in solar irradiance, and it will also be influenced in the future by the increasing atmospheric greenhouse gases. Here, we analyse the impact of the external climate forcing on these upwelling systems in ensembles of simulations of two Earth system models. The ensembles contain three simulations for each period covering the past millennium (900–1849) and the 20th century (1850–2005). One of these Earth system models additionally includes the near future (2006–2100). Using a set of simulations, differing only in their initial conditions, enables us to test whether the observed variability and trends are driven by the external radiative forcing. Our analysis shows that the variability of the simulated upwelling is largely not affected by the external forcing and that, generally, there are no significant trends in the periods covering the past and future. Only in future simulations with the strongest increase of greenhouse gas concentrations the upwelling trends are significant and appear in all members of the ensemble.

Coupling of wave and circulation models in coastal–ocean predicting systems: a case study for the German Bight - Joanna Staneva; Kathrin Wahle; Heinz Günther; Emil Stanev (Ocean Science, 2016)
This study addresses the impact of coupling between wave and circulation models on the quality of coastal ocean predicting systems. This is exemplified for the German Bight and its coastal area known as the Wadden Sea. The latter is the area between the barrier islands and the coast. This topic reflects the increased interest in operational oceanography to reduce prediction errors of state estimates at coastal scales, which in many cases are due to unresolved non-linear feedback between strong currents and wind waves. In this study we present analysis of wave and hydrographic observations, as well as results of numerical simulations. A nested-grid modelling system is used to produce reliable nowcasts and short-term forecasts of ocean state variables, including waves and hydrodynamics. The database includes ADCP observations and continuous measurements from data stations. The individual and combined effects of wind, waves and tidal forcing are quantified. The performance of the forecast system is illustrated for the cases of several extreme events. The combined role of wave effects on coastal circulation and sea level are investigated by considering the wave-dependent stress and wave breaking parameterization. Also the response, which the circulation exerts on the waves, is tested for the coastal areas. The improved skill of the coupled forecasts compared to the non-coupled ones, in particular during extreme events, justifies the further enhancements of coastal operational systems by including wave effects in circulation models.

Core operational Sentinel-3 marine data product services as part of the Copernicus Space Component - Hans Bonekamp; Francois Montagner; Vincenzo Santacesaria; Carolina Nogueira Loddo; Sally Wannop; Igor Tomazic; Anne O'Carroll; Ewa Kwiatkowska; Remko Scharroo; Hilary Wilson (Ocean Science, 2016)
This paper describes the marine data available from the Marine Centre, part of the Sentinel-3 Payload Data Ground Segment, located at the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT). The Marine Centre together with the existing EUMETSAT facilities provides a centralised operational service for operational oceanography. These descriptions of the marine data are produced with a focus on a user service perspective. They include the scientific and operational feedback mechanisms on the performance of the services as well as practical information and user support mechanisms.

Technical note: Common characteristics of directional spreading–steepness joint distribution in freak wave events - Shouhua Liu; Yizhen Li; Xinyang Yue (Ocean Science, 2016)
Seven freak wave incidents previously documented in the real ocean in combination with model hindcast simulations are used to study the variations associated with freak-wave-related parameters, such as wave steepness, directional spreading, and frequency bandwidth. Unlike the strong correlations between the freak wave parameters and freak waves' occurrence which were obtained in experimental and physical research, the correlations are not clear in the freak waves occurring in the real ocean. Wave directional spreading–steepness joint distribution is introduced and common visual features were found in the joint distribution when freak waves occur among seven “freakish” sea states. The visual features show that freak wave incidents occur when the steepness is large and directional spreading is small. Besides large steepness and small directional spreading, a long-duration, relatively rough sea state is also necessary for the freak wave generation. The joint distribution is more informative than any single statistical wave parameter. The continuous sea states of local large steepness and small directional spreading are supposed to generate freak waves, and two-dimensional distribution visualization is found to be a useful tool for freak waves' forecast. The common visual features of joint distributions supply an important cue for the theoretical and experimental research.

The connection of the Indonesian Throughflow, South Indian Ocean Countercurrent and the Leeuwin Current - Erwin Lambert; Dewi Le Bars; Wilhelmus P. M. de Ruijter (Ocean Science, 2016)
East of Madagascar, the shallow “South Indian Ocean Counter Current (SICC)” flows from west to east across the Indian Ocean against the direction of the wind-driven circulation. The SICC impinges on west Australia and enhances the sea level slope, strengthening the alongshore coastal jet: the Leeuwin Current (LC), which flows poleward along Australia. An observed transport maximum of the LC around 22° S can likely be attributed to this impingement of the SICC. The LC is often described as a regional coastal current that is forced by an offshore meridional density gradient or sea surface slope. However, little is known about the controls of these open-ocean gradients. The regional circulation system is embedded in the subtropical “super gyre” that connects the Indo-Pacific via the Tasman Gateway and the Indonesian passages. The Indonesian Throughflow (ITF) circulates through the Indian Ocean back into the Pacific south of Australia. This return pathway appears to be partly trapped in the upper layer north of an outcrop line. It is redirected along this outcrop line and joins the eastward flow of the SICC. To study the connection of the basin-scale and the inter-ocean-scale dynamics, we apply both an ocean general circulation model and a conceptual two-layer model. Shutdown of the ITF in the models leads to a large decrease in Leeuwin Current transport. Most of the SICC was found to then reconnect to the internal gyre circulation in the Indian Ocean. ITF, SICC and LC thus appear to be dynamically connected.

Dissipation of the energy imparted by mid-latitude storms in the Southern Ocean - Julien Jouanno; Xavier Capet; Gurvan Madec; Guillaume Roullet; Patrice Klein (Ocean Science, 2016)
The aim of this study is to clarify the role of the Southern Ocean storms on interior mixing and meridional overturning circulation. A periodic and idealized numerical model has been designed to represent the key physical processes of a zonal portion of the Southern Ocean located between 70 and 40° S. It incorporates physical ingredients deemed essential for Southern Ocean functioning: rough topography, seasonally varying air–sea fluxes, and high-latitude storms with analytical form. The forcing strategy ensures that the time mean wind stress is the same between the different simulations, so the effect of the storms on the mean wind stress and resulting impacts on the Southern Ocean dynamics are not considered in this study. Level and distribution of mixing attributable to high-frequency winds are quantified and compared to those generated by eddy–topography interactions and dissipation of the balanced flow. Results suggest that (1) the synoptic atmospheric variability alone can generate the levels of mid-depth dissipation frequently observed in the Southern Ocean (10−10–10−9 W kg−1) and (2) the storms strengthen the overturning, primarily through enhanced mixing in the upper 300 m, whereas deeper mixing has a minor effect. The sensitivity of the results to horizontal resolution (20, 5, 2 and 1 km), vertical resolution and numerical choices is evaluated. Challenging issues concerning how numerical models are able to represent interior mixing forced by high-frequency winds are exposed and discussed, particularly in the context of the overturning circulation. Overall, submesoscale-permitting ocean modeling exhibits important delicacies owing to a lack of convergence of key components of its energetics even when reaching Δx = 1 km.

Current temporal asymmetry and the role of tides: Nan-Wan Bay vs. the Gulf of Elat - Yosef Ashkenazy; Erick Fredj; Hezi Gildor; Gwo-Ching Gong; Hung-Jen Lee (Ocean Science, 2016)
Nan-Wan Bay in Taiwan and the Gulf of Elat in Israel are two different coastal environments, and as such, their currents are expected to have different statistical properties. While Nan-Wan Bay is shallow, has three open boundaries, and is directly connected to the open ocean, the Gulf of Elat is deep, semi-enclosed, and connected to the Red Sea via the Straits of Tiran. Surface currents have been continuously measured with fine temporal (less than or equal to 1 h) and spatial resolution (less than or equal to 1 km) for more than a year in both environments using coastal radars (CODARs) that cover a domain of roughly 10 × 10 km. These measurements show that the currents in Nan-Wan Bay are much stronger than those in the Gulf of Elat and that the mean current field in Nan-Wan Bay exhibits cyclonic circulation, which is stronger in the summer; in the Gulf of Elat, the mean current field is directed southward and is also stronger during the summer. We have compared the statistical properties of the current speeds in both environments and found that both exhibit large spatial and seasonal variations in the shape parameter of the Weibull distribution. However, we have found fundamental and significant differences when comparing the temporal asymmetry of the current speed (i.e., the ratio between the time during which the current speed increases and the total time). While the Nan-Wan Bay currents are significantly asymmetric, those of the Gulf of Elat are not. We then extracted the tidal component of the Nan-Wan Bay currents and found that it is strongly asymmetric, while the asymmetry of tidally filtered currents is much weaker. We thus conclude that the temporal asymmetry of the Nan-Wan Bay currents reported here is due to the strong tides in the region. We show that the asymmetry ratio in Nan-Wan Bay varies spatially and seasonally: (i) the currents increase rapidly and decay slowly in the northern part of the domain and vice versa in the southern part, and (ii) the asymmetry is stronger during summer.

Multi-sensor in situ observations to resolve the sub-mesoscale features in the stratified Gulf of Finland, Baltic Sea - Urmas Lips; Villu Kikas; Taavi Liblik; Inga Lips (Ocean Science, 2016)
High-resolution numerical modeling, remote sensing, and in situ data have revealed significant role of sub-mesoscale features in shaping the distribution pattern of tracers in the ocean's upper layer. However, in situ measurements are difficult to conduct with the required resolution and coverage in time and space to resolve the sub-mesoscale, especially in such relatively shallow basins as the Gulf of Finland, where the typical baroclinic Rossby radius is 2–5 km. To map the multi-scale spatiotemporal variability in the gulf, we initiated continuous measurements with autonomous devices, including a moored profiler and Ferrybox system, which were complemented by dedicated research-vessel-based surveys. The analysis of collected high-resolution data in the summers of 2009–2012 revealed pronounced variability at the sub-mesoscale in the presence of mesoscale upwelling/downwelling, fronts, and eddies. The horizontal wavenumber spectra of temperature variance in the surface layer had slopes close to −2 between the lateral scales from 10 to 0.5 km. Similar tendency towards the −2 slopes of horizontal wavenumber spectra of temperature variance was found in the seasonal thermocline between the lateral scales from 10 to 1 km. It suggests that the ageostrophic sub-mesoscale processes could contribute considerably to the energy cascade in such a stratified sea basin. We showed that the intrusions of water with different salinity, which indicate the occurrence of a layered flow structure, could appear in the process of upwelling/downwelling development and relaxation in response to variable wind forcing. We suggest that the sub-mesoscale processes play a major role in feeding surface blooms in the conditions of coupled coastal upwelling and downwelling events in the Gulf of Finland.

Ocean colour opportunities from Meteosat Second and Third Generation geostationary platforms - Ewa J. Kwiatkowska; Kevin Ruddick; Didier Ramon; Quinten Vanhellemont; Carsten Brockmann; Carole Lebreton; Hans G. Bonekamp (Ocean Science, 2016)
Ocean colour applications from medium-resolution polar-orbiting satellite sensors have now matured and evolved into operational services. These applications are enabled by the Sentinel-3 OLCI space sensors of the European Earth Observation Copernicus programme and the VIIRS sensors of the US Joint Polar Satellite System programme. Key drivers for the Copernicus ocean colour services are the national obligations of the EU member states to report on the quality of marine, coastal and inland waters for the EU Water Framework Directive and Marine Strategy Framework Directive. Further applications include CO2 sequestration, carbon cycle and climate, fisheries and aquaculture management, near-real-time alerting to harmful algae blooms, environmental monitoring and forecasting, and assessment of sediment transport in coastal waters. Ocean colour data from polar-orbiting satellite platforms, however, suffer from fractional coverage, primarily due to clouds, and inadequate resolution of quickly varying processes. Ocean colour remote sensing from geostationary platforms can provide significant improvements in coverage and sampling frequency and support new applications and services. EUMETSAT's SEVIRI instrument on the geostationary Meteosat Second Generation platforms (MSG) is not designed to meet ocean colour mission requirements, however, it has been demonstrated to provide valuable contribution, particularly in combination with dedicated ocean colour polar observations. This paper describes the ongoing effort to develop operational ocean colour water turbidity and related products and user services from SEVIRI. SEVIRI's multi-temporal capabilities can benefit users requiring improved local-area coverage and frequent diurnal observations. A survey of user requirements and a study of technical capabilities and limitations of the SEVIRI instruments are the basis for this development and are described in this paper. The products will support monitoring of sediment transport, water clarity, and tidal dynamics by providing hourly coverage and long-term time series of the diurnal observations. Further products and services are anticipated from EUMETSAT's FCI instruments on Meteosat Third Generation satellites (MTG), including potential chlorophyll a products.

Mesoscale eddies and submesoscale structures of Persian Gulf Water off the Omani coast in spring 2011 - Pierre L'Hégaret; Xavier Carton; Stephanie Louazel; Guillaume Boutin (Ocean Science, 2016)
The Persian Gulf produces high-salinity water (Persian Gulf Water, PGW hereafter), which flows into the Sea of Oman via the Strait of Hormuz. Beyond the Strait of Hormuz, the PGW cascades down the continental slope and spreads in the Sea of Oman under the influence of the energetic mesoscale eddies. The PGW outflow has different thermohaline characteristics and pathways, depending on the season. In spring 2011, the Phys-Indien experiment was carried out in the Arabian Sea and in the Sea of Oman. The Phys-Indien 2011 measurements, as well as satellite observations, are used here to characterize the circulation induced by the eddy field and its impact on the PGW pathway and evolution. During the spring intermonsoon, an anticyclonic eddy is often observed at the mouth of the Sea of Oman. It creates a front between the eastern and western parts of the basin. This structure was observed in 2011 during the Phys-Indien experiment. Two energetic eddies were also present along the southern Omani coast in the Arabian Sea. At their peripheries, ribbons of freshwater and cold water were found due to the stirring created by the eddies. The PGW characteristics are strongly influenced by these eddies. In the western Sea of Oman, in 2011, the PGW was fragmented into filaments and submesoscale eddies. It also recirculated locally, thus creating salty layers with different densities. In the Arabian Sea, a highly saline submesoscale lens was recorded offshore. Its characteristics are analyzed here and possible origins are proposed. The recurrence of such lenses in the Arabian Sea is also briefly examined.

Occurrence and characteristics of mesoscale eddies in the tropical northeastern Atlantic Ocean - Florian Schütte; Peter Brandt; Johannes Karstensen (Ocean Science, 2016)
Coherent mesoscale features (referred to here as eddies) in the tropical northeastern Atlantic Ocean (between 12–22° N and 15–26° W) are examined and characterized. The eddies' surface signatures are investigated using 19 years of satellite-derived sea level anomaly (SLA) data. Two automated detection methods are applied, the geometrical method based on closed streamlines around eddy cores, and the Okubo–Weiß method based on the relation between vorticity and strain. Both methods give similar results. Mean eddy surface signatures of SLA, sea surface temperature (SST) and sea surface salinity (SSS) anomalies are obtained from composites of all snapshots around identified eddy cores. Anticyclones/cyclones are identified by an elevation/depression of SLA and enhanced/reduced SST and SSS in their cores. However, about 20 % of all anticyclonically rotating eddies show reduced SST and reduced SSS instead. These kind of eddies are classified as anticyclonic mode-water eddies (ACMEs). About 146 ± 4 eddies per year with a minimum lifetime of 7 days are identified (52 % cyclones, 39 % anticyclones, 9 % ACMEs) with rather similar mean radii of about 56 ± 12 km. Based on concurrent in situ temperature and salinity profiles (from Argo float, shipboard, and mooring data) taken inside of eddies, distinct mean vertical structures of the three eddy types are determined. Most eddies are generated preferentially in boreal summer and along the West African coast at three distinct coastal headland regions and carry South Atlantic Central Water supplied by the northward flow within the Mauretanian coastal current system. Westward eddy propagation (on average about 3.00 ± 2.15 km d−1) is confined to distinct zonal corridors with a small meridional deflection dependent on the eddy type (anticyclones – equatorward, cyclones – poleward, ACMEs – no deflection). Heat and salt fluxes out of the coastal region and across the Cape Verde Frontal Zone, which separates the shadow zone from the ventilated subtropical gyre, are calculated.

Analyses of altimetry errors using Argo and GRACE data - Jean-François Legeais; Pierre Prandi; Stéphanie Guinehut (Ocean Science, 2016)
This study presents the evaluation of the performances of satellite altimeter missions by comparing the altimeter sea surface heights with in situ dynamic heights derived from vertical temperature and salinity profiles measured by Argo floats. The two objectives of this approach are the detection of altimeter drift and the estimation of the impact of new altimeter standards that requires an independent reference. This external assessment method contributes to altimeter calibration–validation analyses that cover a wide range of activities. Among them, several examples are given to illustrate the usefulness of this approach, separating the analyses of the long-term evolution of the mean sea level and its variability, at global and regional scales and results obtained via relative and absolute comparisons. The latter requires the use of the ocean mass contribution to the sea level derived from Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) measurements. Our analyses cover the estimation of the global mean sea level trend, the validation of multi-missions altimeter products as well as the assessment of orbit solutions.Even if this approach contributes to the altimeter quality assessment, the differences between two versions of altimeter standards are getting smaller and smaller and it is thus more difficult to detect their impact. It is therefore essential to characterize the errors of the method, which is illustrated with the results of sensitivity analyses to different parameters. This includes the format of the altimeter data, the method of collocation, the temporal reference period and the processing of the ocean mass solutions from GRACE. We also assess the impact of the temporal and spatial sampling of Argo floats, the choice of the reference depth of the in situ profiles and the importance of the deep steric contribution. These analyses provide an estimation of the robustness of the method and the characterization of associated errors. The results also allow us to draw some recommendations to the Argo community regarding the maintenance of the in situ network.

Technical note: Harmonising metocean model data via standard web services within small research groups - Richard P. Signell; Elena Camossi (Ocean Science, 2016)
Work over the last decade has resulted in standardised web services and tools that can significantly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of working with meteorological and ocean model data. While many operational modelling centres have enabled query and access to data via common web services, most small research groups have not. The penetration of this approach into the research community, where IT resources are limited, can be dramatically improved by (1) making it simple for providers to enable web service access to existing output files; (2) using free technologies that are easy to deploy and configure; and (3) providing standardised, service-based tools that work in existing research environments. We present a simple, local brokering approach that lets modellers continue to use their existing files and tools, while serving virtual data sets that can be used with standardised tools. The goal of this paper is to convince modellers that a standardised framework is not only useful but can be implemented with modest effort using free software components. We use NetCDF Markup language for data aggregation and standardisation, the THREDDS Data Server for data delivery, pycsw for data search, NCTOOLBOX (MATLAB®) and Iris (Python) for data access, and Open Geospatial Consortium Web Map Service for data preview. We illustrate the effectiveness of this approach with two use cases involving small research modelling groups at NATO and USGS.

Projected sea level rise and changes in extreme storm surge and wave events during the 21st century in the region of Singapore - Heather Cannaby; Matthew D. Palmer; Tom Howard; Lucy Bricheno; Daley Calvert; Justin Krijnen; Richard Wood; Jonathan Tinker; Chris Bunney; James Harle; Andrew Saulter; Clare O'Neill; et al. (Ocean Science, 2016)
Singapore is an island state with considerable population, industries, commerce and transport located in coastal areas at elevations less than 2 m making it vulnerable to sea level rise. Mitigation against future inundation events requires a quantitative assessment of risk. To address this need, regional projections of changes in (i) long-term mean sea level and (ii) the frequency of extreme storm surge and wave events have been combined to explore potential changes to coastal flood risk over the 21st century. Local changes in time-mean sea level were evaluated using the process-based climate model data and methods presented in the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fifth Assessment Report (IPCC AR5). Regional surge and wave solutions extending from 1980 to 2100 were generated using ∼ 12 km resolution surge (Nucleus for European Modelling of the Ocean – NEMO) and wave (WaveWatchIII) models. Ocean simulations were forced by output from a selection of four downscaled ( ∼ 12 km resolution) atmospheric models, forced at the lateral boundaries by global climate model simulations generated for the IPCC AR5. Long-term trends in skew surge and significant wave height were then assessed using a generalised extreme value model, fit to the largest modelled events each year. An additional atmospheric solution downscaled from the ERA-Interim global reanalysis was used to force historical ocean model simulations extending from 1980 to 2010, enabling a quantitative assessment of model skill. Simulated historical sea-surface height and significant wave height time series were compared to tide gauge data and satellite altimetry data, respectively. Central estimates of the long-term mean sea level rise at Singapore by 2100 were projected to be 0.52 m (0.74 m) under the Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP)4.5 (8.5) scenarios. Trends in surge and significant wave height 2-year return levels were found to be statistically insignificant and/or physically very small under the more severe RCP8.5 scenario. We conclude that changes to long-term mean sea level constitute the dominant signal of change to the projected inundation risk for Singapore during the 21st century. We note that the largest recorded surge residual in the Singapore Strait of ∼ 84 cm lies between the central and upper estimates of sea level rise by 2100, highlighting the vulnerability of the region.

Mapping turbulent diffusivity associated with oceanic internal lee waves offshore Costa Rica - Will F. J. Fortin; W. Steven Holbrook; Raymond W. Schmitt (Ocean Science, 2016)
Breaking internal waves play a primary role in maintaining the meridional overturning circulation. Oceanic lee waves are known to be a significant contributor to diapycnal mixing associated with internal wave dissipation, but direct measurement is difficult with standard oceanographic sampling methods due to the limited spatial extent of standing lee waves. Here, we present an analysis of oceanic internal lee waves observed offshore eastern Costa Rica using seismic imaging and estimate the turbulent diffusivity via a new seismic slope spectrum method that extracts diffusivities directly from seismic images, using tracked reflections only to scale diffusivity values. The result provides estimates of turbulent diffusivities throughout the water column at scales of a few hundred meters laterally and 10 m vertically. Synthetic tests demonstrate the method's ability to resolve turbulent structures and reproduce accurate diffusivities. A turbulence map of our seismic section in the western Caribbean shows elevated turbulent diffusivities near rough seafloor topography as well as in the mid-water column where observed lee wave propagation terminates. Mid-water column hotspots of turbulent diffusivity show levels 5 times higher than surrounding waters and 50 times greater than typical open-ocean diffusivities. This site has steady currents that make it an exceptionally accessible laboratory for the study of lee-wave generation, propagation, and decay.

Design and validation of MEDRYS, a Mediterranean Sea reanalysis over the period 1992–2013 - Mathieu Hamon; Jonathan Beuvier; Samuel Somot; Jean-Michel Lellouche; Eric Greiner; Gabriel Jordà; Marie-Noëlle Bouin; Thomas Arsouze; Karine Béranger; Florence Sevault; Clotilde Dubois; Marie Drevillon; et al. (Ocean Science, 2016)
The French research community in the Mediterranean Sea modeling and the French operational ocean forecasting center Mercator Océan have gathered their skill and expertise in physical oceanography, ocean modeling, atmospheric forcings and data assimilation to carry out a MEDiterranean sea ReanalYsiS (MEDRYS) at high resolution for the period 1992–2013. The ocean model used is NEMOMED12, a Mediterranean configuration of NEMO with a 1∕12° ( ∼ 7 km) horizontal resolution and 75 vertical z levels with partial steps. At the surface, it is forced by a new atmospheric-forcing data set (ALDERA), coming from a dynamical downscaling of the ERA-Interim atmospheric reanalysis by the regional climate model ALADIN-Climate with a 12 km horizontal and 3 h temporal resolutions. This configuration is used to carry a 34-year hindcast simulation over the period 1979–2013 (NM12-FREE), which is the initial state of the reanalysis in October 1992. MEDRYS uses the existing Mercator Océan data assimilation system SAM2 that is based on a reduced-order Kalman filter with a three-dimensional (3-D) multivariate modal decomposition of the forecast error. Altimeter data, satellite sea surface temperature (SST) and temperature and salinity vertical profiles are jointly assimilated. This paper describes the configuration we used to perform MEDRYS. We then validate the skills of the data assimilation system. It is shown that the data assimilation restores a good average temperature and salinity at intermediate layers compared to the hindcast. No particular biases are identified in the bottom layers. However, the reanalysis shows slight positive biases of 0.02 psu and 0.15 °C above 150 m depth. In the validation stage, it is also shown that the assimilation allows one to better reproduce water, heat and salt transports through the Strait of Gibraltar. Finally, the ability of the reanalysis to represent the sea surface high-frequency variability is shown.

Carbon-based phytoplankton size classes retrieved via ocean color estimates of the particle size distribution - Tihomir S. Kostadinov; Svetlana Milutinović; Irina Marinov; Anna Cabré (Ocean Science, 2016)
Owing to their important roles in biogeochemical cycles, phytoplankton functional types (PFTs) have been the aim of an increasing number of ocean color algorithms. Yet, none of the existing methods are based on phytoplankton carbon (C) biomass, which is a fundamental biogeochemical and ecological variable and the “unit of accounting” in Earth system models. We present a novel bio-optical algorithm to retrieve size-partitioned phytoplankton carbon from ocean color satellite data. The algorithm is based on existing methods to estimate particle volume from a power-law particle size distribution (PSD). Volume is converted to carbon concentrations using a compilation of allometric relationships. We quantify absolute and fractional biomass in three PFTs based on size – picophytoplankton (0.5–2 µm in diameter), nanophytoplankton (2–20 µm) and microphytoplankton (20–50 µm). The mean spatial distributions of total phytoplankton C biomass and individual PFTs, derived from global SeaWiFS monthly ocean color data, are consistent with current understanding of oceanic ecosystems, i.e., oligotrophic regions are characterized by low biomass and dominance of picoplankton, whereas eutrophic regions have high biomass to which nanoplankton and microplankton contribute relatively larger fractions. Global climatological, spatially integrated phytoplankton carbon biomass standing stock estimates using our PSD-based approach yield ∼ 0.25 Gt of C, consistent with analogous estimates from two other ocean color algorithms and several state-of-the-art Earth system models. Satisfactory in situ closure observed between PSD and POC measurements lends support to the theoretical basis of the PSD-based algorithm. Uncertainty budget analyses indicate that absolute carbon concentration uncertainties are driven by the PSD parameter No which determines particle number concentration to first order, while uncertainties in PFTs' fractional contributions to total C biomass are mostly due to the allometric coefficients. The C algorithm presented here, which is not empirically constrained a priori, partitions biomass in size classes and introduces improvement over the assumptions of the other approaches. However, the range of phytoplankton C biomass spatial variability globally is larger than estimated by any other models considered here, which suggests an empirical correction to the No parameter is needed, based on PSD validation statistics. These corrected absolute carbon biomass concentrations validate well against in situ POC observations.

Biased thermohaline exchanges with the Arctic across the Iceland–Faroe Ridge in ocean climate models - S. M. Olsen; B. Hansen; S. Østerhus; D. Quadfasel; H. Valdimarsson (Ocean Science, 2016)
The northern limb of the Atlantic thermohaline circulation and its transport of heat and salt towards the Arctic strongly modulate the climate of the Northern Hemisphere. The presence of warm surface waters prevents ice formation in parts of the Arctic Mediterranean, and ocean heat is directly available for sea-ice melt, while salt transport may be critical for the stability of the exchanges. Through these mechanisms, ocean heat and salt transports play a disproportionally strong role in the climate system, and realistic simulation is a requisite for reliable climate projections. Across the Greenland–Scotland Ridge (GSR) this occurs in three well-defined branches where anomalies in the warm and saline Atlantic inflow across the shallow Iceland–Faroe Ridge (IFR) have been shown to be particularly difficult to simulate in global ocean models. This branch (IF-inflow) carries about 40 % of the total ocean heat transport into the Arctic Mediterranean and is well constrained by observation during the last 2 decades but associated with significant inter-annual fluctuations. The inconsistency between model results and observational data is here explained by the inability of coarse-resolution models to simulate the overflow across the IFR (IF-overflow), which feeds back onto the simulated IF-inflow. In effect, this is reduced in the model to reflect only the net exchange across the IFR. Observational evidence is presented for a substantial and persistent IF-overflow and mechanisms that qualitatively control its intensity. Through this, we explain the main discrepancies between observed and simulated exchange. Our findings rebuild confidence in modelled net exchange across the IFR, but reveal that compensation of model deficiencies here through other exchange branches is not effective. This implies that simulated ocean heat transport to the Arctic is biased low by more than 10 % and associated with a reduced level of variability, while the quality of the simulated salt transport becomes critically dependent on the link between IF-inflow and IF-overflow. These features likely affect sensitivity and stability of climate models to climate change and limit the predictive skill.

Seasonal hydrography and surface outflow in a fjord with a deep sill: the Reloncaví fjord, Chile - Manuel I. Castillo; Ursula Cifuentes; Oscar Pizarro; Leif Djurfeldt; Mario Caceres (Ocean Science, 2016)
Seasonal data on temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen (DO) and chlorophyll, combined with meteorological and river discharge time series, were used to describe the oceanographic conditions of the Reloncaví fjord (41°35′ S, 72°20′ W). The winds in the fjord valley mainly blow down-fjord during the winter, reinforcing the upper layer outflow, whereas the winds blow predominantly up-fjord during the spring and summer, contrary to the upper layer outflow. The fjord, with a deep sill at the mouth, was well stratified year-round and featured a thin surface layer of brackish water with mean salinities between 10.4 ± 1.4 (spring) and 13.2 ± 2.5 (autumn). The depth of the upper layer changed slightly among the different studied seasons but remained at 4.5 m near the mouth. This upper layer presented a mean outflow (Q1) of 3185 ± 223 m3 s−1, which implies a flushing time of 3 days for this layer. The vertical salt flux was ∼ 37 tons of salt per second, similar to the horizontal salt flux observed in the upper layer. These estimates will contribute to better management of the aquaculture in this region.

Tidal elevation, current, and energy flux in the area between the South China Sea and Java Sea - Zexun Wei; Guohong Fang; R. Dwi Susanto; Tukul Rameyo Adi; Bin Fan; Agus Setiawan; Shujiang Li; Yonggang Wang; Xiumin Gao (Ocean Science, 2016)
The South China Sea (SCS) and the Java Sea (JS) are connected through the Karimata Strait, Gaspar Strait, and the southern Natuna Sea, where the tides are often used as open boundary condition for tidal simulation in the SCS or Indonesian seas. Tides, tidal currents, and tidal energy fluxes of the principle constituents K1, O1, Q1, M2, S2, and N2 at five stations in this area have been analyzed using in situ observational data. The results show that the diurnal tides are the dominant constituents in the entire study area. The constituent K1 has the largest amplitude, exceeding 50 cm, whereas the amplitudes of M2 are smaller than 5 cm at all stations. The amplitudes of S2 may exceed M2 in the Karimata and Gaspar straits. Tidal currents are mostly of rectilinear type in this area. The semi-major axes lengths of the diurnal tidal current ellipses are about 10 cm s−1, and those of the semidiurnal tidal currents are smaller than 5 cm s−1. The diurnal tidal energy flows from the SCS to the JS. The semidiurnal tidal energy flows from the SCS to the JS through the Karimata Strait and the eastern part of the southern Natuna Sea but flows in the opposite direction in the Gaspar Strait and the western part of the southern Natuna Sea. Harmonic analysis of sea level and current observation also suggest that the study area is located in the antinodal band of the diurnal tidal waves, and in the nodal band of the semidiurnal tidal waves. Comparisons show that the existing models are basically consistent with the observational results, but further improvements are necessary.

Turbulent heat transfer as a control of platelet ice growth in supercooled under-ice ocean boundary layers - Miles G. McPhee; Craig L. Stevens; Inga J. Smith; Natalie J. Robinson (Ocean Science, 2016)
Late winter measurements of turbulent quantities in tidally modulated flow under land-fast sea ice near the Erebus Glacier Tongue, McMurdo Sound, Antarctica, identified processes that influence growth at the interface of an ice surface in contact with supercooled seawater. The data show that turbulent heat exchange at the ocean–ice boundary is characterized by the product of friction velocity and (negative) water temperature departure from freezing, analogous to similar results for moderate melting rates in seawater above freezing. Platelet ice growth appears to increase the hydraulic roughness (drag) of fast ice compared with undeformed fast ice without platelets. Platelet growth in supercooled water under thick ice appears to be rate-limited by turbulent heat transfer and that this is a significant factor to be considered in mass transfer at the underside of ice shelves and sea ice in the vicinity of ice shelves.

Wind changes above warm Agulhas Current eddies - M. Rouault; P. Verley; B. Backeberg (Ocean Science, 2016)
Sea surface temperature (SST) estimated from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer E onboard the Aqua satellite and altimetry-derived sea level anomalies are used south of the Agulhas Current to identify warm-core mesoscale eddies presenting a distinct SST perturbation greater than to 1 °C to the surrounding ocean. The analysis of twice daily instantaneous charts of equivalent stability-neutral wind speed estimates from the SeaWinds scatterometer onboard the QuikScat satellite collocated with SST for six identified eddies shows stronger wind speed above the warm eddies than the surrounding water in all wind directions, if averaged over the lifespan of the eddies, as was found in previous studies. However, only half of the cases showed higher wind speeds above the eddies at the instantaneous scale; 20 % of cases had incomplete data due to partial global coverage by the scatterometer for one path. For cases where the wind is stronger above warm eddies, there is no relationship between the increase in surface wind speed and the SST perturbation, but we do find a linear relationship between the decrease in wind speed from the centre to the border of the eddy downstream and the SST perturbation. SST perturbations range from 1 to 6 °C for a mean eddy SST of 15.9 °C and mean SST perturbation of 2.65 °C. The diameter of the eddies range from 100 to 250 km. Mean background wind speed is about 12 m s−1 (mostly southwesterly to northwesterly) and ranging mainly from 4 to 16 m s−1. The mean wind increase is about 15 %, which corresponds to 1.8 m s−1. A wind speed increase of 4 to 7 m s−1 above warm eddies is not uncommon. Cases where the wind did not increase above the eddies or did not decrease downstream had higher wind speeds and occurred during a cold front associated with intense cyclonic low-pressure systems, suggesting certain synoptic conditions need to be met to allow for the development of wind speed anomalies over warm-core ocean eddies. In many cases, change in wind speed above eddies was masked by a large-scale synoptic wind speed deceleration/acceleration affecting parts of the eddies.

Compensation between meridional flow components of the Atlantic MOC at 26° N - E. Frajka-Williams; C. S. Meinen; W. E. Johns; D. A. Smeed; A. Duchez; A. J. Lawrence; D. A. Cuthbertson; G. D. McCarthy; H. L. Bryden; M. O. Baringer; B. I. Moat; D. Rayner (Ocean Science, 2016)
From ten years of observations of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (MOC) at 26° N (2004–2014), we revisit the question of flow compensation between components of the circulation. Contrasting with early results from the observations, transport variations of the Florida Current (FC) and upper mid-ocean (UMO) transports (top 1000 m east of the Bahamas) are now found to compensate on sub-annual timescales. The observed compensation between the FC and UMO transports is associated with horizontal circulation and means that this part of the correlated variability does not project onto the MOC. A deep baroclinic response to wind-forcing (Ekman transport) is also found in the lower North Atlantic Deep Water (LNADW; 3000–5000 m) transport. In contrast, co-variability between Ekman and the LNADW transports does contribute to overturning. On longer timescales, the southward UMO transport has continued to strengthen, resulting in a continued decline of the MOC. Most of this interannual variability of the MOC can be traced to changes in isopycnal displacements on the western boundary, within the top 1000 m and below 2000 m. Substantial trends are observed in isopycnal displacements in the deep ocean, underscoring the importance of deep boundary measurements to capture the variability of the Atlantic MOC.

Jason continuity of services: continuing the Jason altimeter data records as Copernicus Sentinel-6 - Remko Scharroo; Hans Bonekamp; Christelle Ponsard; François Parisot; Axel von Engeln; Milen Tahtadjiev; Kristiaan de Vriendt; François Montagner (Ocean Science, 2016)
The Sentinel-6 mission is proposed as a multi-partner programme to continue the Jason satellite altimeter data services beyond the Jason-2 and Jason-3 missions. The Sentinel-6 mission programme consists of two identical satellites flying in sequence to prolong the climate data record of sea level accumulated by the TOPEX/Poseidon, Jason-1, Jason-2, and Jason-3 missions from 2020 to beyond 2030. The Sentinel-6 mission intends to maintain these services in a fully operational manner. A key feature is the simultaneous pulse-limited and synthetic aperture radar processing allowing direct and continuous comparisons of the sea surface height measurements based on these processing methods and providing backward compatibility. The Sentinel-6 mission will also include radio occultation user services.

Volume transport and mixing of the Faroe Bank Channel overflow from one year of moored measurements - Jenny E. Ullgren; Elin Darelius; Ilker Fer (Ocean Science, 2016)
One-year long time series of current velocity and temperature from eight moorings deployed in the Faroe Bank Channel (FBC) are analysed to describe the structure and variability of the dense overflow plume on daily to seasonal timescales. Mooring arrays were deployed in two sections: located 25 km downstream of the main sill, in the channel that geographically confines the overflow plume at both edges (section C), and 60 km further downstream, over the slope (section S). At section C, the average volume transport of overflow waters (

Turbulence observations in the Gulf of Trieste under moderate wind forcing and different water column stratification - Francesco Marcello Falcieri; Lakshmi Kantha; Alvise Benetazzo; Andrea Bergamasco; Davide Bonaldo; Francesco Barbariol; Vlado Malačič; Mauro Sclavo; Sandro Carniel (Ocean Science, 2016)
The oceanographic campaign CARPET2014 (Characterizing Adriatic Region Preconditionig EvenTs), (30 January–4 February 2014) collected the very first turbulence data in the Gulf of Trieste (northern Adriatic Sea) under moderate wind (average wind speed 10 m s−1) and heat flux (net negative heat flux ranging from 150 to 400 W m−2). Observations consisted of 38 CTD (Conductivity, Temperature, Depth) casts and 478 microstructure profiles (grouped into 145 ensembles) with three sets of yoyo casts, each lasting for about 12 consecutive hours. Averaging closely repeated casts, such as the ensembles, can lead to a smearing effect when in the presence of a vertical density structure with strong interfaces that can move up or down between subsequent casts under the influence of tides and internal waves. In order to minimize the smearing effect of such displacements on mean quantities, we developed an algorithm to realign successive microstructure profiles to produce sharper and more meaningful mean profiles of measured turbulence parameters. During the campaign, the water column in the gulf evolved from well-mixed to stratified conditions due to Adriatic waters intruding at the bottom along the gulf's south-eastern coast. We show that during the warm and relatively dry winter, the water column in the Gulf of Trieste, even under moderate wind forcing, was not completely mixed due to the influence of bottom waters intruding from the open sea. Inside the gulf, two types of water intrusions were found during yoyo casts: one coming from the northern coast of the Adriatic Sea (i.e. cooler, fresher and more turbid) and one coming from the open sea in front of the Po Delta (i.e. warmer, saltier and less turbid). The two intrusions had different impacts on turbulence kinetic energy dissipation rate profiles. The former, with high turbidity, acted as a barrier to wind-driven turbulence, while the latter, with low sediment concentrations and a smaller vertical density gradient, was not able to suppress downward penetration of turbulence from the surface.

River bulge evolution and dynamics in a non-tidal sea – Daugava River plume in the Gulf of Riga, Baltic Sea - Edith Soosaar; Ilja Maljutenko; Rivo Uiboupin; Maris Skudra; Urmas Raudsepp (Ocean Science, 2016)
Satellite remote sensing imagery and numerical modelling were used for the study of river bulge evolution and dynamics in a non-tidal sea, the Gulf of Riga (GoR) in the Baltic Sea. Total suspended matter (TSM) images showed a clearly formed anti-cyclonically rotating river bulge from Daugava River discharge during the studied low wind period. In about 7–8 days the bulge grew up to 20 km in diameter, before being diluted. A high-resolution (horizontal grid step of 125 m) General Estuarine Transport Model (GETM) was used for detailed description of the development of the river plume in the southern GoR over the period when satellite images were acquired. In the model simulation, the bulge growth rate was estimated as rb ∼ t0.5 ± 0.04 (R2 = 0.90). Both the model simulation and the satellite images showed that river water was mainly contained in the bulge and there were numerous intrusions at the outer perimeter of the bulge. We performed numerical sensitivity tests with actual bathymetry and measured river runoff without wind forcing (1) having an initial three-dimensional density distribution, and (2) using initially a homogeneous ambient density field. In the first case, the anti-cyclonic bulge did not develop within the course of the model simulation and the coastal current was kept offshore due to ambient density-driven circulation. In the second case, the river plume developed steadily into an anti-cyclonically recirculating bulge, with rb ∼ t0.28 ± 0.01 (R2 = 0.98), and a coastal current. Additional simulations with constant cross-shore and alongshore winds showed a significant effect of the wind in the evolution of the river bulge, even if the wind speed was moderate (3–4 m s−1). While previous studies conclude that the mid-field bulge region is governed by a balance between centrifugal, Coriolis and pressure gradient terms, our study showed that geostrophic balance is valid for the entire mid-field of the bulge, except during the 1–1.5 rotation period at the beginning of the bulge formation. In addition, while there is discharge into the homogenous GoR in the case of a high inflow Rossby number, the river inflow might split into two jets, with strong mixing zone in-between, in the plume near-field region.

Wave extreme characterization using self-organizing maps - Francesco Barbariol; Francesco Marcello Falcieri; Carlotta Scotton; Alvise Benetazzo; Sandro Carniel; Mauro Sclavo (Ocean Science, 2016)
The self-organizing map (SOM) technique is considered and extended to assess the extremes of a multivariate sea wave climate at a site. The main purpose is to obtain a more complete representation of the sea states, including the most severe states that otherwise would be missed by a SOM. Indeed, it is commonly recognized, and herein confirmed, that a SOM is a good regressor of a sample if the frequency of events is high (e.g., for low/moderate sea states), while a SOM fails if the frequency is low (e.g., for the most severe sea states). Therefore, we have considered a trivariate wave climate (composed by significant wave height, mean wave period and mean wave direction) collected continuously at the Acqua Alta oceanographic tower (northern Adriatic Sea, Italy) during the period 1979–2008. Three different strategies derived by SOM have been tested in order to capture the most extreme events. The first contemplates a pre-processing of the input data set aimed at reducing redundancies; the second, based on the post-processing of SOM outputs, consists in a two-step SOM where the first step is applied to the original data set, and the second step is applied on the events exceeding a given threshold. A complete graphical representation of the outcomes of a two-step SOM is proposed. Results suggest that the post-processing strategy is more effective than the pre-processing one in order to represent the wave climate extremes. An application of the proposed two-step approach is also provided, showing that a proper representation of the extreme wave climate leads to enhanced quantification of, for instance, the alongshore component of the wave energy flux in shallow water. Finally, the third strategy focuses on the peaks of the storms.

Seasonal renewal time variability in the Curonian Lagoon caused by atmospheric and hydrographical forcing - Georg Umgiesser; Petras Zemlys; Ali Erturk; Arturas Razinkova-Baziukas; Jovita Mėžinė; Christian Ferrarin (Ocean Science, 2016)
The aim of this study was to investigate the variability of the water exchanges in the Curonian Lagoon based on the hydraulic regime and the atmospheric forcings. A finite element hydrodynamic model has been applied to the Curonian Lagoon to simulate the circulation patterns for 10 years. With the help of a transport–diffusion model, the salinity distribution and the renewal times of the Curonian Lagoon have been investigated when forced by river runoff, wind, and Baltic Sea level fluctuations. The hydrodynamic model has been validated using in situ salinity measurements. Model results show that the variability depends mainly on seasonal changes in hydrographic forcing and on the dominant wind regimes that prevail over the Curonian Lagoon. Exchanges between the southern and the northern part of the lagoon mostly depend on the wind forcing and are much less influenced by the river discharge. However, when looking at the water renewal time, the most important factor is the river discharge into the lagoon. Other physical forcings only marginally determine the renewal time, and not even ice cover is able to influence it. Even if ice cover strongly inhibits the exchanges between the southern and northern lagoon, it is basically not able to change the absolute value of the renewal times.

Remote sensing of chlorophyll in the Baltic Sea at basin scale from 1997 to 2012 using merged multi-sensor data - Jaime Pitarch; Gianluca Volpe; Simone Colella; Hajo Krasemann; Rosalia Santoleri (Ocean Science, 2016)
A 15-year (1997–2012) time series of chlorophyll a (Chl a) in the Baltic Sea, based on merged multi-sensor satellite data was analysed. Several available Chl a algorithms were sea-truthed against the largest in situ publicly available Chl a data set ever used for calibration and validation over the Baltic region. To account for the known biogeochemical heterogeneity of the Baltic, matchups were calculated for three separate areas: (1) the Skagerrak and Kattegat, (2) the central Baltic, including the Baltic Proper and the gulfs of Riga and Finland, and (3) the Gulf of Bothnia. Similarly, within the operational context of the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS) the three areas were also considered as a whole in the analysis. In general, statistics showed low linearity. However, a bootstrapping-like assessment did provide the means for removing the bias from the satellite observations, which were then used to compute basin average time series. Resulting climatologies confirmed that the three regions display completely different Chl a seasonal dynamics. The Gulf of Bothnia displays a single Chl a peak during spring, whereas in the Skagerrak and Kattegat the dynamics are less regular and composed of highs and lows during winter, progressing towards a small bloom in spring and a minimum in summer. In the central Baltic, Chl a follows a dynamics of a mild spring bloom followed by a much stronger bloom in summer. Surface temperature data are able to explain a variable fraction of the intensity of the summer bloom in the central Baltic.

Indian Ocean Dipole modulated wave climate of eastern Arabian Sea - T. R. Anoop; V. Sanil Kumar; P. R. Shanas; J. Glejin; M. M. Amrutha (Ocean Science, 2016)
Intrinsic modes of variability have a significant role in driving the climatic oscillations in the oceanic processes. In this paper, we investigate the influence of an inter-annual mode of variability, the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), on the wave climate of the eastern Arabian Sea (AS). Using measured, modeled and reanalysis wave data and reanalysis wind data, we show that the IOD plays a major role in the variability of wave climate of the study region. Due to the IOD-induced changes in equatorial sea surface temperature and sea level pressure, the winds from the northern AS gets modified and cause inter-annual variability in the wave climate over the eastern AS. The changes in wind field over the AS due to the IOD influence the generation or dissipation of the wave field and hence cause a decrease in northwest short-period waves during positive IOD and an increase during negative IOD.

Continuous seiche in bays and harbors - Joseph Park; Jamie MacMahan; William V. Sweet; Kevin Kotun (Ocean Science, 2016)
Seiches are often considered a transitory phenomenon wherein large amplitude water level oscillations are excited by a geophysical event, eventually dissipating some time after the event. However, continuous small-amplitude seiches have been recognized which raises a question regarding the origin of continuous forcing. We examine six bays around the Pacific where continuous seiches are evident and, based on spectral, modal, and kinematic analysis, suggest that tidally forced shelf resonances are a primary driver of continuous seiches.

IEOOS: the Spanish Institute of Oceanography Observing System - Elena Tel; Rosa Balbin; Jose-Manuel Cabanas; Maria-Jesus Garcia; M. Carmen Garcia-Martinez; Cesar Gonzalez-Pola; Alicia Lavin; Jose-Luis Lopez-Jurado; Carmen Rodriguez; Manuel Ruiz-Villarreal; Ricardo F. Sánchez-Leal; Manuel Vargas-Yáñez; et al. (Ocean Science, 2016)
Since its foundation, 100 years ago, the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO) has been observing and measuring the ocean characteristics. Here is a summary of the initiatives of the IEO in the field of the operational oceanography. Some systems like the tide gauges network has been working for more than 70 years. The standard sections began at different moments depending on the local projects, and nowadays there are more than 180 coastal stations and deep-sea ones that are systematically sampled, obtaining physical and biochemical measurements. At this moment, the Observing System includes six permanent moorings equipped with current meters, an open-sea ocean-meteorological buoy offshore Santander and a sea-surface temperature satellite image station. It also supports the Spanish contribution to the Argo international programme with 47 deployed profilers, and continuous monitoring thermosalinometers, meteorological stations and vessel-mounted acoustic Doppler current profilers on the research vessel fleet. The system is completed with the contribution to the Northwest Iberian peninsula and Gibraltar observatories, and the development of regional prediction models. All these systematic measurements allow the IEO to give responses to ocean research activities, official agencies requirements and industrial and main society demands such as navigation, resource management, risks management, recreation, as well as for management development pollution-related economic activities or marine ecosystems. All these networks are linked to international initiatives, framed largely in supranational programmes of Earth observation sponsored by the United Nations or the European Union. The synchronic observation system permits a spatio-temporal description of some events, such as new deep water formation in the Mediterranean Sea and the injection of heat to intermediate waters in the Bay of Biscay after some colder northern storms in winter 2005.

On the near-inertial variations of meridional overturning circulation in the South China Sea - Jingen Xiao; Qiang Xie; Dongxiao Wang; Lei Yang; Yeqiang Shu; Changjian Liu; Ju Chen; Jinglong Yao; Gengxin Chen (Ocean Science, 2016)
We examine near-inertial variability of the meridional overturning circulation in the South China Sea (SCSMOC) using a global 1 / 12° ocean reanalysis. Based on wavelet analysis and power spectrum, we suggest that deep SCSMOC has a significant near-inertial band. The maximum amplitude of the near-inertial signal in the SCSMOC is nearly 4 Sv. The spatial structure of the signal features regularly alternating counterclockwise and clockwise overturning cells. It is also found that the near-inertial signal of SCSMOC mainly originates from the region near the Luzon Strait and propagates equatorward at a speed of 1–3 m s−1. Further analyses suggest that the near-inertial signal in the SCSMOC is triggered by high-frequency wind variability near the Luzon Strait, where geostrophic shear always exists due to Kuroshio intrusion.

Transient tracer distributions in the Fram Strait in 2012 and inferred anthropogenic carbon content and transport - Tim Stöven; Toste Tanhua; Mario Hoppema; Wilken-Jon von Appen (Ocean Science, 2016)
The storage of anthropogenic carbon in the ocean's interior is an important process which modulates the increasing carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere. The polar regions are expected to be net sinks for anthropogenic carbon. Transport estimates of dissolved inorganic carbon and the anthropogenic offset can thus provide information about the magnitude of the corresponding storage processes. Here we present a transient tracer, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and total alkalinity (TA) data set along 78°50′ N sampled in the Fram Strait in 2012. A theory on tracer relationships is introduced, which allows for an application of the inverse-Gaussian–transit-time distribution (IG-TTD) at high latitudes and the estimation of anthropogenic carbon concentrations. Mean current velocity measurements along the same section from 2002–2010 were used to estimate the net flux of DIC and anthropogenic carbon by the boundary currents above 840 m through the Fram Strait. The new theory explains the differences between the theoretical (IG-TTD-based) tracer age relationship and the specific tracer age relationship of the field data, by saturation effects during water mass formation and/or the deliberate release experiment of SF6 in the Greenland Sea in 1996, rather than by different mixing or ventilation processes. Based on this assumption, a maximum SF6 excess of 0.5–0.8 fmol kg−1 was determined in the Fram Strait at intermediate depths (500–1600 m). The anthropogenic carbon concentrations are 50–55 µmol kg−1 in the Atlantic Water/Recirculating Atlantic Water, 40–45 µmol kg−1 in the Polar Surface Water/warm Polar Surface Water and between 10 and 35 µmol kg−1 in the deeper water layers, with lowest concentrations in the bottom layer. The net fluxes through the Fram Strait indicate a net outflow of ∼ 0.4 DIC and ∼ 0.01 PgC yr−1 anthropogenic carbon from the Arctic Ocean into the North Atlantic, albeit with high uncertainties.

Combining operational models and data into a dynamic vessel risk assessment tool for coastal regions - R. Fernandes; F. Braunschweig; F. Lourenço; R. Neves (Ocean Science, 2016)
The technological evolution in terms of computational capacity, data acquisition systems, numerical modelling and operational oceanography is supplying opportunities for designing and building holistic approaches and complex tools for newer and more efficient management (planning, prevention and response) of coastal water pollution risk events. A combined methodology to dynamically estimate time and space variable individual vessel accident risk levels and shoreline contamination risk from ships has been developed, integrating numerical metocean forecasts and oil spill simulations with vessel tracking automatic identification systems (AIS). The risk rating combines the likelihood of an oil spill occurring from a vessel navigating in a study area – the Portuguese continental shelf – with the assessed consequences to the shoreline. The spill likelihood is based on dynamic marine weather conditions and statistical information from previous accidents. The shoreline consequences reflect the virtual spilled oil amount reaching shoreline and its environmental and socio-economic vulnerabilities. The oil reaching shoreline is quantified with an oil spill fate and behaviour model running multiple virtual spills from vessels along time, or as an alternative, a correction factor based on vessel distance from coast. Shoreline risks can be computed in real time or from previously obtained data. Results show the ability of the proposed methodology to estimate the risk properly sensitive to dynamic metocean conditions and to oil transport behaviour. The integration of meteo-oceanic + oil spill models with coastal vulnerability and AIS data in the quantification of risk enhances the maritime situational awareness and the decision support model, providing a more realistic approach in the assessment of shoreline impacts. The risk assessment from historical data can help finding typical risk patterns (“hot spots”) or developing sensitivity analysis to specific conditions, whereas real-time risk levels can be used in the prioritization of individual ships, geographical areas, strategic tug positioning and implementation of dynamic risk-based vessel traffic monitoring.

The sound speed anomaly of Baltic seawater - C. von Rohden; S. Weinreben; F. Fehres (Ocean Science, 2016)
The effect of the anomalous chemical composition of Baltic seawater on the speed of sound relative to seawater with quasi-standard composition was quantified at atmospheric pressure and temperatures of 1 to 46 °C. Three modern oceanographic time-of-flight sensors were applied in a laboratory setup for measuring the speed-of-sound difference δw in a pure water diluted sample of North Atlantic seawater and a sample of Baltic seawater of the same conductivity, i.e., the same practical salinity (SP = 7.766). The average δw amounts to 0.069 ± 0.014 m s−1, which is significantly larger than the resolution and reproducibility of the sensors and independent of temperature. This magnitude for the anomaly effect was verified with offshore measurements conducted at different sites in the Baltic Sea using one of the sensors. The results from both measurements show values up to 1 order of magnitude smaller than existing predictions based on chemical models.

How essential are Argo observations to constrain a global ocean data assimilation system? - V. Turpin; E. Remy; P. Y. Le Traon (Ocean Science, 2016)
Observing system experiments (OSEs) are carried out over a 1-year period to quantify the impact of Argo observations on the Mercator Ocean 0.25° global ocean analysis and forecasting system. The reference simulation assimilates sea surface temperature (SST), SSALTO/DUACS (Segment Sol multi-missions dALTimetrie, d'orbitographie et de localisation précise/Data unification and Altimeter combination system) altimeter data and Argo and other in situ observations from the Coriolis data center. Two other simulations are carried out where all Argo and half of the Argo data are withheld. Assimilating Argo observations has a significant impact on analyzed and forecast temperature and salinity fields at different depths. Without Argo data assimilation, large errors occur in analyzed fields as estimated from the differences when compared with in situ observations. For example, in the 0–300 m layer RMS (root mean square) differences between analyzed fields and observations reach 0.25 psu and 1.25 °C in the western boundary currents and 0.1 psu and 0.75 °C in the open ocean. The impact of the Argo data in reducing observation–model forecast differences is also significant from the surface down to a depth of 2000 m. Differences between in situ observations and forecast fields are thus reduced by 20 % in the upper layers and by up to 40 % at a depth of 2000 m when Argo data are assimilated. At depth, the most impacted regions in the global ocean are the Mediterranean outflow, the Gulf Stream region and the Labrador Sea. A significant degradation can be observed when only half of the data are assimilated. Therefore, Argo observations matter to constrain the model solution, even for an eddy-permitting model configuration. The impact of the Argo floats' data assimilation on other model variables is briefly assessed: the improvement of the fit to Argo profiles do not lead globally to unphysical corrections on the sea surface temperature and sea surface height. The main conclusion is that the performance of the Mercator Ocean 0.25° global data assimilation system is heavily dependent on the availability of Argo data.

Effect of the North Equatorial Counter Current on the generation and propagation of internal solitary waves off the Amazon shelf (SAR observations) - J. M. Magalhaes; J. C. B. da Silva; M. C. Buijsman; C. A. E. Garcia (Ocean Science, 2016)
Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery from the Amazon shelf break region in the tropical west Atlantic reveals for the first time the two-dimensional horizontal structure of an intense Internal Solitary Wave (ISW) field, whose first surface manifestations are detected several hundred kilometres away from the nearest forcing bathymetry. Composite maps and an energy budget analysis (provided from the Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model – HYCOM) help to identify two major ISW pathways emanating from the steep slopes of a small promontory (or headland) near 44° W and 0° N, which are seen to extend for over 500 km into the open ocean. Further analysis in the SAR reveals propagation speeds above 3 m s−1, which are amongst the fastest ever recorded. The main characteristics of the ISWs are further discussed based on a statistical analysis, and seasonal variability is found for one of the ISW sources. This seasonal variability is discussed in light of the North Equatorial Counter Current. The remote appearance of the ISW sea surface manifestations is explained by a late disintegration of the internal tide (IT), which is further investigated based on the SAR data and climatological monthly means (for stratification and currents). Acknowledging the possibility of a late disintegration of the IT may help explain the remote-sensing views of other ISWs in the world's oceans.

Long-term variability of the southern Adriatic circulation in relation to North Atlantic Oscillation - L. Shabrang; M. Menna; C. Pizzi; H. Lavigne; G. Civitarese; M. Gačić (Ocean Science, 2016)
The interannual variability of the South Adriatic Gyre and its relation to the wind vorticity and the large-scale climatic pattern (North Atlantic Oscillation – NAO) was studied using the time series of satellite altimetric data and ocean surface wind products. The cyclonic circulation observed in the southern Adriatic area was partly sustained by the local wind forcing, as suggested by the positive correlation between the rate of change of the current vorticity and the wind-stress vorticity. Nevertheless, the influence of vorticity advection from the adjacent area (northern Ionian Sea) cannot be ignored and it is more significant during the anticyclonic phase of Adriatic–Ionian Bimodal Oscillation System. The geostrophic current vorticities of the southern Adriatic and northern Ionian seas are correlated with a time lag of 14 months, which approximately corresponds to an advection speed of ∼ 1 cm s−1. The different wind patterns observed during two NAO phases in the winter revealed a stronger positive vorticity during the negative NAO phase. Conversely, during the wintertime positive NAO phase the wind vorticity is characterized by lower positive or slightly negative values. Despite a statistically significant negative correlation between the NAO index and the wind vorticity, no unequivocal relationship between large climatic system and the interannual variability of the South Adriatic Gyre intensity was found due to additional effects of the vorticity advection from the Ionian. This can be explained by the fact that the Ionian circulation mode does not depend on the NAO variations. Therefore, the main result of this study is that the interannual variability of the southern Adriatic cyclonic circulation is a result of the combined influence of the vorticity advection from the Ionian and the local wind-curl effect.

Research priorities in support of ocean monitoring and forecasting at the Met Office - J. R. Siddorn; S. A. Good; C. M. Harris; H. W. Lewis; J. Maksymczuk; M. J. Martin; A. Saulter (Ocean Science, 2016)
Ocean monitoring and forecasting services are increasingly being used by a diverse community of public and commercial organizations. The Met Office, as the body responsible for severe weather prediction, has for many years been involved in providing forecasts of aspects of the marine environment. This paper describes how these have evolved to include a range of wave, surge, and ocean reanalysis, analysis, and forecasts services. To support these services, and to ensure they evolve to meet the demands of users and are based on the best available science, a number of scientific challenges need to be addressed. The paper goes on to summarize the key challenges, and highlights some priorities for the ocean monitoring and forecasting research group at the Met Office. There is a need to both develop the underpinning science of the modelling and data assimilation systems and to maximize the benefits from observations and other inputs to the systems. Systematic evaluation underpins this science, and also needs to be the focus of research.

Effects of vertical shear in modelling horizontal oceanic dispersion - A. S. Lanotte; R. Corrado; L. Palatella; C. Pizzigalli; I. Schipa; R. Santoleri (Ocean Science, 2016)
The effect of vertical shear on the horizontal dispersion properties of passive tracer particles on the continental shelf of the South Mediterranean is investigated by means of observation and model data. In situ current measurements reveal that vertical gradients of horizontal velocities in the upper mixing layer decorrelate quite fast ( ∼ 1 day), whereas an eddy-permitting ocean model, such as the Mediterranean Forecasting System, tends to overestimate such decorrelation time because of finite resolution effects. Horizontal dispersion, simulated by the Mediterranean sea Forecasting System, is mostly affected by: (1) unresolved scale motions, and mesoscale motions that are largely smoothed out at scales close to the grid spacing; (2) poorly resolved time variability in the profiles of the horizontal velocities in the upper layer. For the case study we have analysed, we show that a suitable use of deterministic kinematic parametrizations is helpful to implement realistic statistical features of tracer dispersion in two and three dimensions. The approach here suggested provides a functional tool to control the horizontal spreading of small organisms or substance concentrations, and is thus relevant for marine biology, pollutant dispersion as well as oil spill applications.

Interactions between the Somali Current eddies during the summer monsoon: insights from a numerical study - C. Q. C. Akuetevi; B. Barnier; J. Verron; J.-M. Molines; A. Lecointre (Ocean Science, 2016)
Three hindcast simulations of the global ocean circulation differing by resolution (1/4 or 1/12°) or parametrization or atmospheric forcing are used to describe the interactions between the large anticyclonic eddies generated by the Somali Current system during the Southwest Monsoon. The present investigation of the Somalian coherent eddy structures allows us to identify the origin and the subsequent development of the cyclones flanked upon the Great Whirl (GW) previously identified by Beal and Donohue (2013) in satellite observations and to establish that similar cyclones are also flanked upon the Southern Gyre (SG). These cyclones are identified as potential actors in mixing water masses within the large eddies and offshore the coast of Somalia. All three simulations bring to light that during the period when the Southwest Monsoon is well established, the SG moves northward along the Somali coast and encounters the GW. The interaction between the SG and the GW is a collision without merging, in a way that has not been described in observations up to now. During the collision the GW is pushed to the east of Socotra Island, sheds several smaller patches of anticyclonic vorticity, and often reforms into the Socotra Eddy, thus proposing a formation mechanism for that eddy. During this process the GW gives up its place to the SG. This process is robust throughout the three simulations.

The Barents Sea frontal zones and water masses variability (1980–2011) - L. Oziel; J. Sirven; J.-C. Gascard (Ocean Science, 2016)
The polar front separates the warm and saline Atlantic Water entering the southern Barents Sea from the cold and fresh Arctic Water located in the north. These water masses can mix together (mainly in the center of the Barents Sea), be cooled by the atmosphere and receive salt because of brine release; these processes generate dense water in winter, which then cascades into the Arctic Ocean to form the Arctic Intermediate Water. To study the interannual variability and evolution of the frontal zones and the corresponding variations of the water masses, we have merged data from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea and the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute and have built a new database, which covers the 1980–2011 period. The summer data were interpolated on a regular grid. A probability density function is used to show that the polar front splits into two branches east of 32° E where the topographic constraint weakens. Two fronts can then be identified: the Northern Front is associated with strong salinity gradients and the Southern Front with temperature gradients. Both fronts enclose the denser Barents Sea Water. The interannual variability of the water masses is apparent in the observed data and is linked to that of the ice cover. The frontal zones variability is found by using data from a general circulation model. The link with the atmospheric variability, represented here by the Arctic Oscillation, is not clear. However, model results suggest that such a link could be validated if winter data were taken into account. A strong trend appears: the Atlantic Water (Arctic Water) occupies a larger (smaller) volume of the Barents Sea. This trend amplifies during the last decade and the model study suggests that this could be accompanied by a northwards displacement of the Southern Front in the eastern part of the Barents Sea. The results are less clear for the Northern Front. The observations show that the volume of the Barents Sea Water remains nearly unchanged, which suggests a northwards shift of the Northern Front to compensate for the northward shift of the Southern Front. Lastly, we noticed that the seasonal variability of the position of the front is small.

The flow field of the upper hypoxic eastern tropical North Atlantic oxygen minimum zone - L. Stramma; R. Czeschel; T. Tanhua; P. Brandt; M. Visbeck; B. S. Giese (Ocean Science, 2016)
A subsurface low oxygen zone is located in the eastern tropical North Atlantic Ocean (ETNA) in the upper ocean with the core of the hypoxic (O2 ≦60 µmol kg−1) oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) at 400 to 500 m depth. The subsurface circulation in the OMZ region is derived from observations and data assimilation results. Measurements in the ETNA of velocity, oxygen and of a tracer (CF3SF5) that was released in April 2008 at ∼ 8° N, 23° W (at ∼ 330 m depth) in November–December 2008, in November–December 2009 and October–November 2010 show the circulation in the upper part of the OMZ with spreading to the east in the North Equatorial Countercurrent (NECC) region and northwestward around the Guinea Dome. Three floats equipped with oxygen sensors deployed at ∼ 8° N, 23° W with parking depths at 330, 350 and 400 m depths were used to estimate velocity along the float trajectory at the surface and at the parking depth. At the 350 m park depth north of 9° N a cyclonic northwestward flow across the OMZ was observed. The northward drift of a float into the upper OMZ and a stronger cyclonic flow around the Guinea Dome seem to be connected to a strong Atlantic Meridional Mode (AMM) event in 2009. A near-surface cyclonic circulation cell east of the Cape Verde Islands reaches down into the OMZ layer. The circulation of the upper OMZ mirrors the near-surface circulation. Oxygen measurements from the cruises used here, as well as from other recent cruises up to the year 2014, confirm the continuous deoxygenation trend in the upper OMZ since the 1960s near the Guinea Dome. The three floats deployed with the tracer show spreading paths consistent with the overall observed tracer spreading. Oxygen sensors on the floats remained well calibrated for more than 20 months, and so the oxygen profiles can be used to investigate mesoscale eddy signatures. Mesoscale eddies may modify the oxygen distribution in OMZs. However, in general eddies are less energetic in the ETNA south of the Cape Verde Islands compared to similar latitudes in the eastern tropical South Pacific.

Temporal evolution of the momentum balance terms and frictional adjustment observed over the inner shelf during a storm - M. Grifoll; A. L. Aretxabaleta; J. L. Pelegrí; M. Espino (Ocean Science, 2016)
We investigate the rapidly changing equilibrium between the momentum sources and sinks during the passage of a single two-peak storm over the Catalan inner shelf (NW Mediterranean Sea). Velocity measurements at 24 m water depth are taken as representative of the inner shelf, and the cross-shelf variability is explored with measurements at 50 m water depth. During both wind pulses, the flow accelerated at 24 m until shortly after the wind maxima, when the bottom stress was able to compensate for the wind stress. Concurrently, the sea level also responded, with the pressure-gradient force opposing the wind stress. Before, during and after the second wind pulse, there were velocity fluctuations with both super- and sub-inertial periods likely associated with transient coastal waves. Throughout the storm, the Coriolis force and wave radiation stresses were relatively unimportant in the along-shelf momentum balance. The frictional adjustment timescale was around 10 h, consistent with the e-folding time obtained from bottom drag parameterizations. The momentum evolution at 50 m showed a larger influence of the Coriolis force at the expense of a decreased frictional relevance, typical in the transition from the inner to the mid-shelf.

Ocean modelling for aquaculture and fisheries in Irish waters - T. Dabrowski; K. Lyons; C. Cusack; G. Casal; A. Berry; G. D. Nolan (Ocean Science, 2016)
The Marine Institute, Ireland, runs a suite of operational regional and coastal ocean models. Recent developments include several tailored products that focus on the key needs of the Irish aquaculture sector. In this article, an overview of the products and services derived from the models are presented. The authors give an overview of a shellfish model developed in-house and that was designed to predict the growth, the physiological interactions with the ecosystem, and the level of coliform contamination of the blue mussel. As such, this model is applicable in studies on the carrying capacity of embayments, assessment of the impacts of pollution on aquaculture grounds, and the determination of shellfish water classes. Further services include the assimilation of the model-predicted shelf water movement into a new harmful algal bloom alert system used to inform end users of potential toxic shellfish events and high biomass blooms that include fish-killing species. Models are also used to identify potential sites for offshore aquaculture, to inform studies of potential cross-contamination in farms from the dispersal of planktonic sea lice larvae and other pathogens that can infect finfish, and to provide modelled products that underpin the assessment and advisory services on the sustainable exploitation of the resources of marine fisheries. This paper demonstrates that ocean models can provide an invaluable contribution to the sustainable blue growth of aquaculture and fisheries.

The Civitavecchia Coastal Environment Monitoring System (C-CEMS): a new tool to analyze the conflicts between coastal pressures and sensitivity areas - S. Bonamano; V. Piermattei; A. Madonia; F. Paladini de Mendoza; A. Pierattini; R. Martellucci; C. Stefanì; G. Zappalà; G. Caruso; M. Marcelli (Ocean Science, 2016)
The understanding of the coastal environment is fundamental for efficiently and effectively facing the pollution phenomena as expected by the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, and for limiting the conflicts between anthropic activities and sensitivity areas, as stated by Maritime Spatial Planning Directive. To address this, the Laboratory of Experimental Oceanology and Marine Ecology developed a multi-platform observing network that has been in operation since 2005 in the coastal marine area of Civitavecchia (Latium, Italy) where multiple uses and high ecological values closely coexist. The Civitavecchia Coastal Environment Monitoring System (C-CEMS), implemented in the current configuration, includes various components allowing one to analyze the coastal conflicts by an ecosystem-based approach. The long-term observations acquired by the fixed stations are integrated with in situ data collected for the analysis of the physical, chemical and biological parameters of the water column, sea bottom and pollution sources detected along the coast. The in situ data, integrated with satellite observations (e.g., temperature, chlorophyll a and TSM), are used to feed and validate the numerical models, which allow the analysis and forecasting of the dynamics of pollutant dispersion under different conditions. To test the potential capabilities of C-CEMS, two case studies are reported here: (1) the analysis of fecal bacteria dispersion for bathing water quality assessment, and (2) the evaluation of the effects of the dredged activities on Posidonia meadows, which make up most of the two sites of community importance located along the Civitavecchia coastal zone. The simulation outputs are overlapped by the thematic maps showing bathing areas and Posidonia oceanica distribution, thus giving a first practical tool that could improve the resolution of the conflicts between coastal uses (in terms of stress produced by anthropic activities) and sensitivity areas.

Accuracy of the mean sea level continuous record with future altimetric missions: Jason-3 vs. Sentinel-3a - L. Zawadzki; M. Ablain (Ocean Science, 2016)
The current mean sea level (MSL) continuous record, essential to understanding the climate evolution, is computed with the altimetric measurements of the TOPEX/Poseidon mission, succeeded by Jason-1 and later Jason-2. The accurate continuity of the record is ensured by the conservation of the "historical" TOPEX orbit as well as by calibration phases between the successive missions which enable a rigorous computation of their relative biases. In order to extend the current MSL record, Jason-3 will be the natural successor of Jason-2: on the same orbit with a calibration phase. Shortly after Jason-3, another altimetric climate-oriented mission, Sentinel-3a, will be launched on a different orbit. In this paper, simulated altimetric sea level data are used to study the sensitivity of the MSL continuous record to the change of the "historical" orbit for the new Sentinel-3a orbit. By estimating the impact of the absence of calibration phase on the MSL continuous record trend accuracy at the global and regional scales and the impact of the orbit change on the long-term continuity of this MSL record, this study shows that linking Sentinel-3a data instead of Jason-3 to the MSL continuous record would not meet climate user requirements regarding the MSL trend accuracy.

Modeling the ocean and atmosphere during an extreme bora event in northern Adriatic using one-way and two-way atmosphere–ocean coupling - M. Ličer; P. Smerkol; A. Fettich; M. Ravdas; A. Papapostolou; A. Mantziafou; B. Strajnar; J. Cedilnik; M. Jeromel; J. Jerman; S. Petan; V. Malačič; et al. (Ocean Science, 2016)
We have studied the performances of (a) a two-way coupled atmosphere–ocean modeling system and (b) one-way coupled ocean model (forced by the atmosphere model), as compared to the available in situ measurements during and after a strong Adriatic bora wind event in February 2012, which led to extreme air–sea interactions. The simulations span the period between January and March 2012. The models used were ALADIN (Aire Limitée Adaptation dynamique Développement InterNational) (4.4 km resolution) on the atmosphere side and an Adriatic setup of Princeton ocean model (POM) (1°∕30 × 1°∕30 angular resolution) on the ocean side. The atmosphere–ocean coupling was implemented using the OASIS3-MCT model coupling toolkit. Two-way coupling ocean feedback to the atmosphere is limited to sea surface temperature. We have compared modeled atmosphere–ocean fluxes and sea temperatures from both setups to platform and CTD (conductivity, temperature, and depth) measurements from three locations in the northern Adriatic. We present objective verification of 2 m atmosphere temperature forecasts using mean bias and standard deviation of errors scores from 23 meteorological stations in the eastern part of Italy. We show that turbulent fluxes from both setups differ up to 20 % during the bora but not significantly before and after the event. When compared to observations, two-way coupling ocean temperatures exhibit a 4 times lower root mean square error (RMSE) than those from one-way coupled system. Two-way coupling improves sensible heat fluxes at all stations but does not improve latent heat loss. The spatial average of the two-way coupled atmosphere component is up to 0.3 °C colder than the one-way coupled setup, which is an improvement for prognostic lead times up to 20 h. Daily spatial average of the standard deviation of air temperature errors shows 0.15 °C improvement in the case of coupled system compared to the uncoupled. Coupled and uncoupled circulations in the northern Adriatic are predominantly wind-driven and show no significant mesoscale differences.

Investigation of model capability in capturing vertical hydrodynamic coastal processes: a case study in the north Adriatic Sea - W. J. McKiver; G. Sannino; F. Braga; D. Bellafiore (Ocean Science, 2016)
In this work we consider a numerical study of hydrodynamics in the coastal zone using two different models, SHYFEM (shallow water hydrodynamic finite element model) and MITgcm (Massachusetts Institute of Technology general circulation model), to assess their capability to capture the main processes. We focus on the north Adriatic Sea during a strong dense water event that occurred at the beginning of 2012. This serves as an interesting test case to examine both the models strengths and weaknesses, while giving an opportunity to understand how these events affect coastal processes, like upwelling and downwelling, and how they interact with estuarine dynamics. Using the models we examine the impact of setup, surface and lateral boundary treatment, resolution and mixing schemes, as well as assessing the importance of nonhydrostatic dynamics in coastal processes. Both models are able to capture the dense water event, though each displays biases in different regions. The models show large differences in the reproduction of surface patterns, identifying the choice of suitable bulk formulas as a central point for the correct simulation of the thermohaline structure of the coastal zone. Moreover, the different approaches in treating lateral freshwater sources affect the vertical coastal stratification. The results indicate the importance of having high horizontal resolution in the coastal zone, specifically in close proximity to river inputs, in order to reproduce the effect of the complex coastal morphology on the hydrodynamics. A lower resolution offshore is acceptable for the reproduction of the dense water event, even if specific vortical structures are missed. Finally, it is found that nonhydrostatic processes are of little importance for the reproduction of dense water formation in the shelf of the north Adriatic Sea.

On the feasibility of the use of wind SAR to downscale waves on shallow water - O. Q. Gutiérrez; F. Filipponi; A. Taramelli; E. Valentini; P. Camus; F. J. Méndez (Ocean Science, 2016)
In recent years, wave reanalyses have become popular as a powerful source of information for wave climate research and engineering applications. These wave reanalyses provide continuous time series of offshore wave parameters; nevertheless, in coastal areas or shallow water, waves are poorly described because spatial resolution is not detailed. By means of wave downscaling, it is possible to increase spatial resolution in high temporal coverage simulations, using forcing from wind and offshore wave databases. Meanwhile, the reanalysis wave databases are enough to describe the wave climate at the limit of simulations; wind reanalyses at an adequate spatial resolution to describe the wind structure near the coast are not frequently available. Remote sensing synthetic aperture radar (SAR) has the ability to detect sea surface signatures and estimate wind fields at high resolution (up to 300 m) and high frequency. In this work a wave downscaling is done on the northern Adriatic Sea, using a hybrid methodology and global wave and wind reanalysis as forcing. The wave fields produced were compared to wave fields produced with SAR winds that represent the two dominant wind regimes in the area: the bora (ENE direction) and sirocco (SE direction). Results show a good correlation between the waves forced with reanalysis wind and SAR wind. In addition, a validation of reanalysis is shown. This research demonstrates how Earth observation products, such as SAR wind fields, can be successfully up-taken into oceanographic modeling, producing similar downscaled wave fields when compared to waves forced with reanalysis wind.

Factors favouring phytoplankton blooms in the northern Adriatic: towards the northern Adriatic empirical ecological model - R. Kraus; N. Supić; R. Precali (Ocean Science, 2016)
Influenced by one of the largest Mediterranean rivers, Po, the northern Adriatic (NA) production is highly variable seasonally and interannually. The changes are especially pronounced between winters and seemingly reflect on total Adriatic bioproduction of certain species (anchovy). We analysed the long-term changes in the phytoplankton production in the region, as derived from monthly oceanographic cruises, in relation to concomitant geostrophic currents distribution in the area and to Po River discharge rates in days preceding the cruises. In winter and early spring the phytoplankton abundances depended on existing circulation fields, in summer and autumn they were related to Po River discharge rates 1–15 days earlier and on concomitant circulation fields, while in late spring phytoplankton abundances increased 1–3 days after high Po River discharge rates regardless of the circulation fields. During the entire year the phytoplankton abundances were dependent on forcing of the previous 1–12 months of surface fluxes and/or Po River rates. The role of wind was uncertain but that was partly due to unmatched sampling time frames between meteorological and sea data. Low evaporation rates in November reflected significantly on the next February circulation pattern and, although with somewhat lower significance, on large phytoplankton blooms in the same month. We showed that the role of wind in evaporative flux enhancements is not straightforward as evaporative fluxes are highly dependent on other factors, e.g. air–sea temperature difference. Wind-induced vertical mixing was only sporadically related to phytoplankton abundances. From 1990 to 2004 a shift towards large winter bioproduction induced by circulation changes appeared. The investigations performed represent the preliminary actions in the construction of an empirical ecological model of the NA which can be used in the sustainable economy of the region, as well as for validation of the numerical ecological model of the region, which is currently being developed.

Impact of variable seawater conductivity on motional induction simulated with an ocean general circulation model - C. Irrgang; J. Saynisch; M. Thomas (Ocean Science, 2016)
Carrying high concentrations of dissolved salt, ocean water is a good electrical conductor. As seawater flows through the Earth's ambient geomagnetic field, electric fields are generated, which in turn induce secondary magnetic fields. In current models for ocean-induced magnetic fields, a realistic consideration of seawater conductivity is often neglected and the effect on the variability of the ocean-induced magnetic field unknown. To model magnetic fields that are induced by non-tidal global ocean currents, an electromagnetic induction model is implemented into the Ocean Model for Circulation and Tides (OMCT). This provides the opportunity to not only model ocean-induced magnetic signals but also to assess the impact of oceanographic phenomena on the induction process. In this paper, the sensitivity of the induction process due to spatial and temporal variations in seawater conductivity is investigated. It is shown that assuming an ocean-wide uniform conductivity is insufficient to accurately capture the temporal variability of the magnetic signal. Using instead a realistic global seawater conductivity distribution increases the temporal variability of the magnetic field up to 45 %. Especially vertical gradients in seawater conductivity prove to be a key factor for the variability of the ocean-induced magnetic field. However, temporal variations of seawater conductivity only marginally affect the magnetic signal.

Bio-optical characterization and light availability parameterization in Uummannaq Fjord and Vaigat–Disko Bay (West Greenland) - L. Holinde; O. Zielinski (Ocean Science, 2016)
This study investigated the bio-optical conditions of Uummannaq Fjord and Vaigat–Disko Bay, two neighboring, semi-enclosed coastal systems in West Greenland. Though close to each other, the systems differ in their hydrographic structure influencing the bio-optical conditions and, subsequently, the biological activities. Both systems showed high inorganic suspended particulate matter (SPMi) concentrations near river runoff or meltwater influxes (max. of 15.28 mg L−1 at the surface) and low colored dissolved organic matter (aCDOM@350nm,

Spatial scales of temperature and salinity variability estimated from Argo observations - F. Ninove; P.-Y. Le Traon; E. Remy; S. Guinehut (Ocean Science, 2016)
Argo observations from 2005 to 2013 are used to characterize spatial scales of temperature and salinity variations from the surface down to 1300 m. Simulations are first performed to analyze the sensitivity of results to Argo sampling; they show that several years of Argo observations are required to estimate spatial scales of ocean variability over 20° × 20° boxes. Spatial scales are then computed over several large-scale areas. Zonal and meridional spatial scales (Lx and Ly which are zero crossing of covariance functions) vary as expected with latitudes. Scales are of about 100 km at high latitudes and more of 700 km in the Indian and Pacific equatorial–tropical regions. Zonal and meridional scales are similar except in tropical–equatorial regions where zonal scales are much larger (by a factor of 2 to 3) than meridional scales. Spatial scales are the largest close to the surface and have a general tendency for temperature to increase in deeper layers. There are significant differences between temperature and salinity scales, in particular, in the deep ocean. Results are consistent with previous studies based on sparse in situ observations or satellite altimetry. They provide, however, for the first time a global description of temperature and salinity scales of variability and a characterization of their variations according to depths.

Simulation of the mantle and crustal helium isotope signature in the Mediterranean Sea using a high-resolution regional circulation model - M. Ayache; J.-C. Dutay; P. Jean-Baptiste; E. Fourré (Ocean Science, 2015)
Helium isotopes (3He, 4He) are useful tracers for investigating the deep ocean circulation and for evaluating ocean general circulation models, because helium is a stable and conservative nuclide that does not take part in any chemical or biological process. Helium in the ocean originates from three different sources, namely, (i) gas dissolution in equilibrium with atmospheric helium, (ii) helium-3 addition by radioactive decay of tritium (called tritiugenic helium), and (iii) injection of terrigenic helium-3 and helium-4 by the submarine volcanic activity which occurs mainly at plate boundaries, and also addition of (mainly) helium-4 from the crust and sedimentary cover by α-decay of uranium and thorium contained in various minerals. We present the first simulation of the terrigenic helium isotope distribution in the whole Mediterranean Sea using a high-resolution model (NEMO-MED12). For this simulation we build a simple source function for terrigenic helium isotopes based on published estimates of terrestrial helium fluxes. We estimate a hydrothermal flux of 3.5 mol3 He yr−1 and a lower limit for the crustal flux at 1.6 × 10−7 4He mol m−2 yr−1. In addition to providing constraints on helium isotope degassing fluxes in the Mediterranean, our simulations provide information on the ventilation of the deep Mediterranean waters which is useful for assessing NEMO-MED12 performance. This study is part of the work carried out to assess the robustness of the NEMO-MED12 model, which will be used to study the evolution of the climate and its effect on the biogeochemical cycles in the Mediterranean Sea, and to improve our ability to predict the future evolution of the Mediterranean Sea under the increasing anthropogenic pressure.

Monitoring Atlantic overturning circulation and transport variability with GRACE-type ocean bottom pressure observations – a sensitivity study - K. Bentel; F. W. Landerer; C. Boening (Ocean Science, 2015)
The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is a key mechanism for large-scale northward heat transport and thus plays an important role for global climate. Relatively warm water is transported northward in the upper layers of the North Atlantic Ocean and, after cooling at subpolar latitudes, sinks down and is transported back south in the deeper limb of the AMOC. The utility of in situ ocean bottom pressure (OBP) observations to infer AMOC changes at single latitudes has been characterized in the recent literature using output from ocean models. We extend the analysis and examine the utility of space-based observations of time-variable gravity and the inversion for ocean bottom pressure to monitor AMOC changes and variability between 20 and 60° N. Consistent with previous results, we find a strong correlation between the AMOC signal and OBP variations, mainly along the western slope of the Atlantic Basin. We then use synthetic OBP data – smoothed and filtered to resemble the resolution of the GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) gravity mission, but without errors – and reconstruct geostrophic AMOC transport. Due to the coarse resolution of GRACE-like OBP fields, we find that leakage of signal across the step slopes of the ocean basin is a significant challenge at certain latitudes. Transport signal rms is of a similar order of magnitude as error rms for the reconstructed time series. However, the interannual AMOC anomaly time series can be recovered from 20 years of monthly GRACE-like OBP fields with errors less than 1 sverdrup in many locations.

Technical note: Could benzalkonium chloride be a suitable alternative to mercuric chloride for preservation of seawater samples? - J. Gloël; C. Robinson; G. H. Tilstone; G. Tarran; J. Kaiser (Ocean Science, 2015)
Instrumental equipment unsuitable or unavailable for fieldwork as well as lack of ship space can necessitate the preservation of seawater samples prior to analysis in a shore-based laboratory. Mercuric chloride (HgCl2) is routinely used for such preservation, but its handling and subsequent disposal incur environmental risks and significant expense. There is therefore a strong motivation to find less hazardous alternatives. Benzalkonium chloride (BAC) has been used previously as microbial inhibitor for freshwater samples. Here, we assess the use of BAC for marine samples prior to the measurement of oxygen-to-argon (O2 / Ar) ratios, as used for the determination of biological net community production. BAC at a concentration of 50 mg dm−3 inhibited microbial activity for at least 3 days in samples tested with chlorophyll a (Chl a) concentrations up to 1 mg m−3. BAC concentrations of 100 and 200 mg dm−3 were no more effective than 50 mg dm−3. With fewer risks to human health and the environment, and no requirement for expensive waste disposal, BAC could be a viable alternative to HgCl2 for short-term preservation of seawater samples, but is not a replacement for HgCl2 in the case of oxygen triple isotope analysis, which requires storage over weeks to months. In any event, further tests on a case-by-case basis should be undertaken if use of BAC was considered, since its inhibitory activity may depend on concentration and composition of the microbial community.

An improved method for the determination of dissolved nitric oxide (NO) in seawater samples - H. E. Lutterbeck; H. W. Bange (Ocean Science, 2015)
Nitric oxide (NO) is a short-lived intermediate of the oceanic nitrogen cycle; however, due to its high reactivity, measurements of dissolved NO in seawater are rare. Here we present an improved method to determine NO concentrations in discrete seawater samples. The set-up of our system consisted of a chemiluminescence NO analyser connected to a stripping unit. The limit of detection for our method is 5 pmol NO in aqueous solution, which translates into 0.25 nmol L−1 when using a 20 mL seawater sample volume. Our method was applied to measure high-resolution depth profiles of dissolved NO during a cruise to the eastern tropical South Pacific Ocean. It is fast and comparably easy to handle; thus it opens the door for investigating the distribution of NO in the ocean, and it facilitates laboratory studies on NO pathways.

Evaluating the surface circulation in the Ebro delta (northeastern Spain) with quality-controlled high-frequency radar measurements - P. Lorente; S. Piedracoba; J. Soto-Navarro; E. Alvarez-Fanjul (Ocean Science, 2015)
The Ebro River delta is a relevant marine protected area in the western Mediterranean. In order to promote the conservation of its ecosystem and support operational decision making in this sensitive area, a three-site standard-range (13.5 MHz) CODAR SeaSonde high-frequency (HF) radar was deployed in December 2013. The main goal of this work is to explore basic features of the sea surface circulation in the Ebro deltaic region as derived from reliable HF radar surface current measurements. For this aim, a combined quality control methodology was applied: firstly, 1-year long (2014) real-time web monitoring of nonvelocity-based diagnostic parameters was conducted to infer both radar site status and HF radar system performance. The signal-to-noise ratio at the monopole exhibited a consistent monthly evolution, although some abrupt decreases (below 10 dB), occasionally detected in June for one of the radar sites, impacted negatively on the spatiotemporal coverage of total current vectors. It seemed to be sporadic episodes since radar site overall performance was found to be robust during 2014. Secondly, a validation of HF radar data with independent in situ observations from a moored current meter was attempted for May–October 2014. The accuracy assessment of radial and total vectors revealed a consistently high agreement. The directional accuracy of the HF radar was rated at better than 8°. The correlation coefficient and root mean square error (RMSE) values emerged in the ranges [0.58–0.83] and [4.02–18.31] cm s−1, respectively. The analysis of the monthly averaged current maps for 2014 showed that the HF radar properly represented basic oceanographic features previously reported, namely, the predominant southwestward flow, the coastal clockwise eddy confined south of the Ebro delta mouth, or the Ebro River impulsive-type freshwater discharge. The EOF analysis related the flow response to local wind forcing and confirmed that the surface current field evolved in space and time according to three significantly dominant modes of variability.

High-resolution satellite turbidity and sea surface temperature observations of river plume interactions during a significant flood event - V. E. Brando; F. Braga; L. Zaggia; C. Giardino; M. Bresciani; E. Matta; D. Bellafiore; C. Ferrarin; F. Maicu; A. Benetazzo; D. Bonaldo; F. M. Falcieri; et al. (Ocean Science, 2015)
Sea surface temperature (SST) and turbidity (T) derived from Landsat 8 (L8) imagery were used to characterize river plumes in the northern Adriatic Sea (NAS) during a significant flood event in November 2014. Circulation patterns and sea surface salinity (SSS) from an operational coupled ocean-wave model supported the interpretation of the plumes' interaction with the receiving waters and among them. There was a good agreement of the SSS, T, and SST fields at the sub-mesoscale and mesoscale delineation of the major river plumes. L8 30 m resolution also enabled the description of smaller plume structures. The different plumes' reflectance spectra were related to the lithological fingerprint of the sediments in the river catchments. Sharp fronts in T and SST delimited each single river plume. The isotherms and turbidity isolines' coupling varied among the plumes due to differences in particle loads and surface temperatures in the discharged waters. The surface expressions of all the river plumes occurring in NAS were classified based on the occurrence of the plume dynamical regions in the L8 30 m resolution imagery.

The RADMED monitoring programme as a tool for MSFD implementation: towards an ecosystem-based approach - J. L. López-Jurado; R. Balbín; F. Alemany; B. Amengual; A. Aparicio-González; M. L. Fernández de Puelles; M. C. García-Martínez; M. Gazá; J. Jansá; A. Morillas-Kieffer; F. Moyá; R. Santiago; et al. (Ocean Science, 2015)
In the western Mediterranean Sea, the RADMED monitoring programme is already conducting several of the evaluations required under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MFSD) along the Spanish Mediterranean coast. The different aspects of the ecosystem that are regularly sampled under this monitoring programme are the physical environment and the chemical and biological variables of the water column, together with the planktonic communities, biomass and structure. Moreover, determinations of some anthropogenic stressors on the marine environment, such as contaminants and microplastics, are under development. Data are managed and stored at the Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO) Data Centre that works under the SeaDataNet infrastructure, and are also stored in the IBAMar database. In combination with remote sensing data, they are used to address open questions on the ecosystems in the western Mediterranean Sea.

Evaluation of numerical models by FerryBox and fixed platform in situ data in the southern North Sea - M. Haller; F. Janssen; J. Siddorn; W. Petersen; S. Dick (Ocean Science, 2015)
For understanding and forecasting of hydrodynamics in coastal regions, numerical models have served as an important tool for many years. In order to assess the model performance, we compared simulations to observational data of water temperature and salinity. Observations were available from FerryBox transects in the southern North Sea and, additionally, from a fixed platform of the MARNET network. More detailed analyses have been made at three different stations, located off the English eastern coast, at the Oyster Ground and in the German Bight. FerryBoxes installed on ships of opportunity (SoO) provide high-frequency surface measurements along selected tracks on a regular basis. The results of two operational hydrodynamic models have been evaluated for two different time periods: BSHcmod v4 (January 2009 to April 2012) and FOAM AMM7 NEMO (April 2011 to April 2012). While they adequately simulate temperature, both models underestimate salinity, especially near the coast in the southern North Sea. Statistical errors differ between the two models and between the measured parameters. The root mean square error (RMSE) of water temperatures amounts to 0.72 °C (BSHcmod v4) and 0.44 °C (AMM7), while for salinity the performance of BSHcmod is slightly better (0.68 compared to 1.1). The study results reveal weaknesses in both models, in terms of variability, absolute levels and limited spatial resolution. Simulation of the transition zone between the coasts and the open sea is still a demanding task for operational modelling. Thus, FerryBox data, combined with other observations with differing temporal and spatial scales, can serve as an invaluable tool not only for model evaluation, but also for model optimization by assimilation of such high-frequency observations.

Responses of atmospheric circulation to sea surface temperature anomalies in the South China Sea - M. P. Zhou; G. H. Wang (Ocean Science, 2015)
The sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in the South China Sea (SCS) and their influences on global atmospheric circulation were studied. The results of a simple atmospheric model suggested that the SCS SST anomalies can induce several barotropic wave trains from the SCS to other regions such as North America, high latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere and the Mediterranean. The baroclinic stream function anomalies from the simple model showed an anticyclonic vortex pair in the Asian continent and the northern and southern Indian Ocean and a cyclonic vortex in the North Pacific and the southwestern Pacific. It is suggested that the spatial pattern of SST anomalies in the SCS can affect the magnitude of stream function anomalies, although it cannot affect the spatial pattern of atmospheric circulation.

On the modulation of the periodicity of the Faroe Bank Channel overflow instabilities - E. Darelius; I. Fer; T. Rasmussen; C. Guo; K. M. H. Larsen (Ocean Science, 2015)
The Faroe Bank Channel (FBC) is one of the major pathways where dense, cold water formed in the Nordic Seas flows southward as a bottom-attached energetic plume towards the North Atlantic. The plume region downstream of the FBC sill is characterized by high mesoscale variability, quasi-regular oscillations and intense mixing. Here, 1 year long time series of velocity and temperature from ten moorings deployed in May 2012 in the plume region are analysed to describe variability in the strength and period of the oscillations. The eddy kinetic energy (EKE) associated with the oscillations changes by a factor of 10 during the year and the dominant period of the oscillations is modulated and varies between 3 to 4 and 6 days, where the shorter-period oscillations are more energetic. The dense water is observed on a wider portion of the slope (both deeper and shallower) during periods with energetic, short-period oscillations. The observations are complemented by results from a regional, high-resolution model that shows a similar variability in EKE and a gradual change in oscillation period of between 3 and 4 days. The observed variability in oscillation period is directly linked to changes in the volume transport across the sill: the oscillation period increases from approximately 3 days to about 6 days when the transport decreases from 2.4 to 1.9 Sv. A similar relation is obtained from the model. This is in agreement with results from a linear baroclinic instability analysis, which suggests that the period increases while the growth rate decreases for decreased plume thickness. Advective effects, caused by the variable background current, further modulate the observed periodicity by up to 1 day. In addition, it is shown that about 50 % of the transport variability across the sill is explained by changes in the local sea surface height gradient.

On the observability of turbulent transport rates by Argo: supporting evidence from an inversion experiment - G. Forget; D. Ferreira; X. Liang (Ocean Science, 2015)
Although estimation of turbulent transport parameters using inverse methods is not new, there is little evaluation of the method in the literature. Here, it is shown that extended observation of the broad-scale hydrography by Argo provides a path to improved estimates of regional turbulent transport rates. Results from a 20-year ocean state estimate produced with the ECCO v4 (Estimating the Circulation and Climate of the Ocean, version 4) non-linear inverse modeling framework provide supporting evidence. Turbulent transport parameter maps are estimated under the constraints of fitting the extensive collection of Argo profiles collected through 2011. The adjusted parameters dramatically reduce misfits to in situ profiles as compared with earlier ECCO solutions. They also yield a clear reduction in the model drift away from observations over multi-century-long simulations, both for assimilated variables (temperature and salinity) and independent variables (biogeochemical tracers). Despite the minimal constraints imposed specifically on the estimated parameters, their geography is physically plausible and exhibits close connections with the upper-ocean stratification as observed by Argo. The estimated parameter adjustments furthermore have first-order impacts on upper-ocean stratification and mixed layer depths over 20 years. These results identify the constraint of fitting Argo profiles as an effective observational basis for regional turbulent transport rate inversions. Uncertainties and further improvements of the method are discussed.

Impacts of mean dynamic topography on a regional ocean assimilation system - C. Yan; J. Zhu; C. A. S. Tanajura (Ocean Science, 2015)
An ocean data assimilation system was developed for the Pacific–Indian oceans with the aim of assimilating altimetry data, sea surface temperature, and in situ measurements from Argo (Array for Real-time Geostrophic Oceanography), XBT (expendable bathythermographs), CTD (conductivity temperature depth), and TAO (Tropical Atmosphere Ocean). The altimetry data assimilation requires the addition of the mean dynamic topography to the altimetric sea level anomaly to match the model sea surface height. The mean dynamic topography is usually computed from the model long-term mean sea surface height, and is also available from gravimetric satellite data. In this study, the impact of different mean dynamic topographies on the sea level anomaly assimilation is examined. Results show that impacts of the mean dynamic topography cannot be neglected. The mean dynamic topography from the model long-term mean sea surface height without assimilating in situ observations results in worsened subsurface temperature and salinity estimates. Even if all available observations including in situ measurements, sea surface temperature measurements, and altimetry data are assimilated, the estimates are still not improved. This proves the significant impact of the MDT (mean dynamic topography) on the analysis system, as the other types of observations do not compensate for the shortcoming due to the altimetry data assimilation. The gravimeter-based mean dynamic topography results in a good estimate compared with that of the experiment without assimilation. The mean dynamic topography computed from the model long-term mean sea surface height after assimilating in situ observations presents better results.

Distribution of intermediate water masses in the subtropical northeast Atlantic - I. Bashmachnikov; Â. Nascimento; F. Neves; T. Menezes; N. V. Koldunov (Ocean Science, 2015)
This work presents the quantitative study of climatological distributions of mid-depth source water types in the northeast (NE) Atlantic using the optimum multiparameter analysis (OMP). It generalises a number of regional results from particular synoptic sections. The cores of the Mediterranean Water (MW), the modified Antarctic Intermediate Water (mAAIW) and the Subarctic Intermediate Water (SAIW) are detected and spatial variations of their depth/density are obtained: as expected, spreading of the water types is predominantly isopycnic and follows the major mid-depth circulation patterns. In some areas the turbulent transport also makes a considerable contribution. MW in the Atlantic spreads in three cores of different density: the upper MW core (northwest of the line 28° W, 35° N–14° W, 44° N) is found in the neutral density range of 27.65–27.70 kg m−3 at depths of 900–1000 m; the main MW core (between the line above and the line 35° W, 28° N–10° W, 37° N) has neutral density of around 27.75 kg m−3 and is found at 1000–1100 m; the lower MW core (southeast of the line 35° W, 28° N–10° W, 37° N) has neutral density of around 27.80 kg m−3 and is found at 1250–1350 m. The upper MW core has a comparatively low MW content (below 30 %) and is speculated to be transported by the mean flow from the northern Iberian Peninsula and the Bay of Biscay to the northern Azores. The main MW core contains the majority of the outflowing MW. It primarily originates from the Mediterranean undercurrent around Estremadura Promontory, where the Joint Effect of Baroclinicity and Bottom Relief (JEBAR) overrides the topographic β effect. It is transported west to the Azores Islands mostly along 39° N. The lower MW core originates in the Gulf of Cádiz, from where it is transported by the dominating flows southwestwards. The SAIW core is detected between 27.70 and 27.75 kg m−3. It is found to spread south along both slopes of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR). SAIW east of the MAR mixes with the upper and the main MW cores and re-circulates in a cyclonic gyre at 15–25° W and 34–39° N, penetrating as far south as the Azores Current. The mAAIW core is detected between 27.60 and 27.65 kg m−3. Its northernmost spreading limit is between 25 and 29° N, but its influence can be observed along the African coast and immediately west of the Canary Islands up to 32° N. The maximum concentration of the mAAIW core is found south of the Canary Islands, from where mAAIW is advected westwards, along with the westward spreading of the deep fraction of MW.

Sea level budget over 2005–2013: missing contributions and data errors - H. B. Dieng; A. Cazenave; K. von Schuckmann; M. Ablain; B. Meyssignac (Ocean Science, 2015)
Based on the sea level budget closure approach, this study investigates the residuals between observed global mean sea level (GMSL) and the sum of components (steric sea level and ocean mass) for the period January 2005 to December 2013. The objective is to identify the impact of errors in one or several components of the sea level budget on the residual time series. This is a key issue if we want to constrain missing contributions such as the contribution to sea level rise from the deep ocean (depths not covered by observations). For that purpose, we use several data sets as processed by different groups: six altimetry products for the GMSL, four Argo products plus the ORAS4 ocean reanalysis for the steric sea level and three GRACE-based ocean mass products. We find that over the study time span, the observed differences in trend of the residuals of the sea level budget equation can be as large as ~ 0.55 mm yr−1 (i.e., ~ 17 % of the observed GMSL rate of rise). These trend differences essentially result from differences in trends of the GMSL time series. Using the ORAS4 reanalysis (providing complete geographical coverage of the steric sea level component), we also show that lack of Argo data in the Indonesian region leads to an overestimate of the absolute value of the residual trend by about 0.25 mm yr−1. Accounting for this regional contribution leads to closure of the sea level budget, at least for some GMSL products. At short timescales (from sub-seasonal to interannual), residual anomalies are significantly correlated with ocean mass and steric sea level anomalies (depending on the time span), suggesting that the residual anomalies are related to errors in both GRACE-based ocean mass and Argo-based steric data. Efforts are needed to reduce these various sources of errors before using the sea level budget approach to estimate missing contributions such as the deep ocean heat content.

Estimation of upward radiances and reflectances at the surface of the sea from above-surface measurements - Ø. Kleiv; A. Folkestad; J. Høkedal; K. Sørensen; E. Aas (Ocean Science, 2015)
During 4 field days in the years 2009–2011, 22 data sets of measurements were collected in the inner Oslofjord, Norway. The data consist of recordings of spectral nadir radiances in air and water as well as spectral downward irradiance in air. The studied wavelengths are 351, 400, 413, 443, 490, 510, 560, 620, 665, 681, 709 and 754 nm. The water-leaving radiance and the reflected radiance at the sea surface have been obtained from the measured nadir radiances in air and water, where the latter radiance has been extrapolated upwards to the surface. For comparison we present a simpler and much faster method that determines the water-leaving and reflected radiances solely from above-surface measurements of upward nadir radiance and downward irradiance. This new method is based on an assumption about similarity in spectral shape of the radiance reflected at the surface, and it makes use of the small ratio between water-leaving and reflected radiances at 351 and 754 nm in the Oslofjord. A comparison between the quantities determined by the two mentioned methods shows that the average relative deviations between their results are less than or equal to 15 % for the reflected radiance, at the studied wavelengths. The average relative deviation of the water-leaving radiance at 560 nm is 24 %. These results are obtained for a cloudiness range of 1–8 oktas (12.5–100 %) and solar zenith angles between 37 and 51°. We consider these to be acceptable uncertainties for a first check of satellite products in the inner Oslofjord.

Spatio-temporal variability of micro-, nano- and pico-phytoplankton in the Mediterranean Sea from satellite ocean colour data of SeaWiFS - M. Sammartino; A. Di Cicco; S. Marullo; R. Santoleri (Ocean Science, 2015)
The seasonal and year-to-year variability of the phytoplankton size class (PSC) spatial distribution has been examined in the Mediterranean Sea by using the entire time series of Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) space observations (1998–2010). Daily maps of PSCs have been determined using an empirical model based on a synoptic relationship between surface chlorophyll a and diagnostic pigments referred to different taxonomic groups. The analysis of micro-, nano- and pico-phytoplankton satellite time series (1998–2010) describes, quantitatively, the algal assemblage structure over the basin and reveals that the main contribution to chlorophyll a in most of the Mediterranean Sea comes from the pico-phytoplankton component, especially in nutrient-poor environments. Regions with different and peculiar features are the Northwestern Mediterranean Sea, the Alborán Sea and several coastal areas, such as the North Adriatic Sea. In these areas, local interactions between physical and biological components modulate the composition of the three phytoplankton size classes. It results that, during the spring bloom season, micro-phytoplankton dominates in areas of intense vertical winter mixing and deep/intermediate water formation, while in coastal areas micro-phytoplankton dominates in all seasons because of the nutrient supply from the terrestrial inputs. In the Alborán Sea, where the Atlantic inflow modulates the nutrient availability, any predominance of one class over the other two has been observed. The nano-phytoplankton component instead remains widespread over the entire basin along the year, and its contribution to chlorophyll a is of the order of 30–40 %. The largest inter-annual signal occurs in the Northwestern Mediterranean Sea, driven by the year-to-year variation in intensity and extension of the spring bloom, followed by the Alborán Sea, in which the inter-annual variability is strongly modulated by the Atlantic inflow. In absence of sufficient in situ data of community composition, the satellite-based analysis demonstrated that pico-, nano- and micro-phytoplankton classes often coexist. The predominance of one group over the other ones is strongly dependent on the physical and biological processes occurring at the mesoscale. These processes directly influence the nutrient and light availability, which are the principal forcing for the algae growth.

Transport of volume, heat, and salt towards the Arctic in the Faroe Current 1993–2013 - B. Hansen; K. M. H. Larsen; H. Hátún; R. Kristiansen; E. Mortensen; S. Østerhus (Ocean Science, 2015)
The flow of warm and saline water from the Atlantic Ocean, across the Greenland–Scotland Ridge, into the Nordic Seas – the Atlantic inflow – is split into three separate branches. The most intense of these branches is the inflow between Iceland and the Faroe Islands (Faroes), which is focused into the Faroe Current, north of the Faroes. The Atlantic inflow is an integral part of the North Atlantic thermohaline circulation (THC), which is projected to weaken during the 21st century and might conceivably reduce the oceanic heat and salt transports towards the Arctic. Since the mid-1990s, hydrographic properties and current velocities of the Faroe Current have been monitored along a section extending north from the Faroe shelf. From these in situ observations, time series of volume, heat, and salt transport have previously been reported, but the high variability of the transport has made it difficult to establish whether there are trends. Here, we present results from a new analysis of the Faroe Current where the in situ observations have been combined with satellite altimetry. For the period 1993 to 2013, we find the average volume transport of Atlantic water in the Faroe Current to be 3.8 ± 0.5 Sv (1 Sv = 106 m3 s−1) with a heat transport relative to 0 °C of 124 ± 15 TW (1 TW = 1012 W). Consistent with other results for the Northeast Atlantic component of the THC, we find no indication of weakening. The transports of the Faroe Current, on the contrary, increased. The overall increase over the 2 decades of observation was 9 ± 8 % for volume transport and 18 ± 9 % for heat transport (95 % confidence intervals). During the same period, the salt transport relative to the salinity of the deep Faroe Bank Channel overflow (34.93) more than doubled, potentially strengthening the feedback on thermohaline intensity. The increased heat and salt transports are partly caused by the increased volume transport and partly by increased temperatures and salinities of the Atlantic inflow, which have been claimed mainly to be caused by the weakened subpolar gyre.

Global representation of tropical cyclone-induced short-term ocean thermal changes using Argo data - L. Cheng; J. Zhu; R. L. Sriver (Ocean Science, 2015)
Argo floats are used to examine tropical cyclone (TC) induced ocean thermal changes on the global scale by comparing temperature profiles before and after TC passage. We present a footprint method that analyzes cross-track thermal responses along all storm tracks during the period 2004–2012. We combine the results into composite representations of the vertical structure of the average thermal response for two different categories: tropical storms/tropical depressions (TS/TD) and hurricanes. The two footprint composites are functions of three variables: cross-track distance, water depth and time relative to TC passage. We find that this footprint strategy captures the major features of the upper-ocean thermal response to TCs on timescales up to 20 days when compared against previous case study results using in situ measurements. On the global scale, TCs are responsible for 1.87 PW (11.05 W m−2) of heat transfer annually from the global ocean to the atmosphere during storm passage (0–3 days). Of this total, 1.05 ± 0.20 PW (4.80 ± 0.85 W m−2) is caused by TS/TD and 0.82 ± 0.21 PW (6.25 ± 1.5 W m−2) is caused by hurricanes. Our findings indicate that ocean heat loss by TCs may be a substantial missing piece of the global ocean heat budget. Changes in ocean heat content (OHC) after storm passage are estimated by analyzing the temperature anomalies during wake recovery following storm events (4–20 days after storm passage) relative to pre-storm conditions. Results indicate the global ocean experiences a 0.75 ± 0.25 PW (5.98 ± 2.1 W m−2) heat gain annually for hurricanes. In contrast, under TS/TD conditions, the ocean experiences 0.41 ± 0.21 PW (1.90 ± 0.96 W m−2) ocean heat loss, suggesting the overall oceanic thermal response is particularly sensitive to the intensity of the event. The ocean heat uptake caused by all storms during the restorative stage is 0.34 PW.

Perspectives of transient tracer applications and limiting cases - T. Stöven; T. Tanhua; M. Hoppema; J. L. Bullister (Ocean Science, 2015)
Currently available transient tracers have different application ranges that are defined by their temporal input (chronological transient tracers) or their decay rate (radioactive transient tracers). Transient tracers range from tracers for highly ventilated water masses such as sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) through tritium (3H) and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) up to tracers for less ventilated deep ocean basins such as argon-39 (39Ar) and radiocarbon (14C). In this context, highly ventilated water masses are defined as water masses that have been in contact with the atmosphere during the last decade. Transient tracers can be used to empirically constrain the transit time distribution (TTD), which can often be approximated with an inverse Gaussian (IG) distribution. The IG-TTD provides information about ventilation and the advective/diffusive characteristics of a water parcel. Here we provide an overview of commonly used transient tracer couples and the corresponding application range of the IG-TTD by using the new concept of validity areas. CFC-12, CFC-11 and SF6 data from three different cruises in the South Atlantic Ocean and Southern Ocean as well as 39Ar data from the 1980s and early 1990s in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Weddell Sea are used to demonstrate this method. We found that the IG-TTD can be constrained along the Greenwich Meridian south to 46° S, which corresponds to the Subantarctic Front (SAF) denoting the application limit. The Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW) describes the limiting water layer in the vertical. Conspicuous high or lower ratios between the advective and diffusive components describe the transition between the validity area and the application limit of the IG-TTD model rather than describing the physical properties of the water parcel. The combination of 39Ar and CFC data places constraints on the IG-TTD in the deep water north of the SAF, but not beyond this limit.

Technical Note: Remote sensing of sea surface salinity using the propagation of low-frequency navigation signals - I. Astin; Y. Feng (Ocean Science, 2015)
This paper introduces a potential method for the remote sensing of sea surface salinity (SSS) using the measured propagation delay of low-frequency Loran-C signals transmitted over an all-seawater path between the Sylt station in Germany and an integrated Loran-C/GPS receiver located in Harwich, UK. The overall delay variations in Loran-C surface waves along the path may be explained by changes in sea surface properties (especially the temperature and salinity), as well as atmospheric properties that determine the refractive index of the atmosphere. After removing the atmospheric and sea surface temperature (SST) effects from the measured delay, the residual delay revealed a temporal variation similar to that of SSS data obtained by the European Space Agency's Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) satellite.

Mesoscale variability in the Arabian Sea from HYCOM model results and observations: impact on the Persian Gulf Water path - P. L'Hégaret; R. Duarte; X. Carton; C. Vic; D. Ciani; R. Baraille; S. Corréard (Ocean Science, 2015)
The Arabian Sea and Sea of Oman circulation and water masses, subject to monsoon forcing, reveal a strong seasonal variability and intense mesoscale features. We describe and analyze this variability and these features, using both meteorological data (from ECMWF reanalyses), in situ observations (from the ARGO float program and the GDEM – Generalized Digital Environmental mode – climatology), satellite altimetry (from AVISO) and a regional simulation with a primitive equation model (HYCOM – the Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model). The model and observations display comparable variability, and the model is then used to analyze the three-dimensional structure of eddies and water masses with higher temporal and spatial resolutions than the available observations. The mesoscale features are highly seasonal, with the formation of coastal currents, destabilizing into eddies, or the radiation of Rossby waves from the Indian coast. The mesoscale eddies have a deep dynamical influence and strongly drive the water masses at depth. In particular, in the Sea of Oman, the Persian Gulf Water presents several offshore ejection sites and a complex recirculation, depending on the mesoscale eddies. The associated mechanisms range from coastal ejection via dipoles, alongshore pulses due to a cyclonic eddy, to the formation of lee eddies downstream of Ra's Al Hamra. This water mass is also captured inside the eddies via several mechanisms, keeping high thermohaline characteristics in the Arabian Sea. The variations of the outflow characteristics near the Strait of Hormuz are compared with variations downstream.

Impact of currents on surface flux computations and their feedback on dynamics at regional scales - A. Olita; I. Iermano; L. Fazioli; A. Ribotti; C. Tedesco; F. Pessini; R. Sorgente (Ocean Science, 2015)
A twin numerical experiment was conducted in the seas around the island of Sardinia (Western Mediterranean) to assess the impact, at regional and coastal scales, of the use of relative winds (i.e., taking into account ocean surface currents) in the computation of heat and momentum fluxes through standard (Fairall et al., 2003) bulk formulas. The Regional Ocean Modelling System (ROMS) was implemented at 3 km resolution in order to well resolve mesoscale processes, which are known to have a large influence in the dynamics of the area. Small changes (few percent points) in terms of spatially averaged fluxes correspond to quite large differences of such quantities (about 15 %) in spatial terms and in terms of kinetics (more than 20 %). As a consequence, wind power input P is also reduced by ~ 14 % on average. Quantitative validation with satellite SST suggests that such a modification of the fluxes improves the model solution especially in the western side of the domain, where mesoscale activity (as suggested by eddy kinetic energy) is stronger. Surface currents change both in their stable and fluctuating part. In particular, the path and intensity of the Algerian Current and of the Western Sardinia Current (WSC) are impacted by the modification in fluxes. Both total and eddy kinetic energies of the surface current field are reduced in the experiment where fluxes took into account the surface currents. The main dynamical correction is observed in the SW area, where the different location and strength of the eddies influence the path and intensity of the WSC. Our results suggest that, even at local scales and in temperate regions, it would be preferable to take into account such a contribution in flux computations. The modification of the original code, substantially cost-less in terms of numerical computation, improves the model response in terms of surface fluxes (SST validated) and it also likely improves the dynamics as suggested by qualitative comparison with satellite data.

Simulation of tsunami generation, propagation and coastal inundation in the Eastern Mediterranean - A. G. Samaras; Th. V. Karambas; R. Archetti (Ocean Science, 2015)
In the present work, an advanced tsunami generation, propagation and coastal inundation 2-DH model (i.e. 2-D Horizontal model) based on the higher-order Boussinesq equations – developed by the authors – is applied to simulate representative earthquake-induced tsunami scenarios in the Eastern Mediterranean. Two areas of interest were selected after evaluating tsunamigenic zones and possible sources in the region: one at the southwest of the island of Crete in Greece and one at the east of the island of Sicily in Italy. Model results are presented in the form of extreme water elevation maps, sequences of snapshots of water elevation during the propagation of the tsunamis, and inundation maps of the studied low-lying coastal areas. This work marks one of the first successful applications of a fully nonlinear model for the 2-DH simulation of tsunami-induced coastal inundation; acquired results are indicative of the model's capabilities, as well of how areas in the Eastern Mediterranean would be affected by eventual larger events.

Eddy surface properties and propagation at Southern Hemisphere western boundary current systems - G. S. Pilo; M. M. Mata; J. L. L. Azevedo (Ocean Science, 2015)
Oceanic eddies exist throughout the world oceans, but are more energetic when associated with western boundary currents (WBC) systems. In these regions, eddies play an important role in mixing and energy exchange. Therefore, it is important to quantify and qualify eddies associated with these systems. This is particularly true for the Southern Hemisphere WBC system where only few eddy censuses have been performed to date. In these systems, important aspects of the local eddy population are still unknown, like their spatial distribution and propagation patterns. Moreover, the understanding of these patterns helps to establish monitoring programs and to gain insight in how eddies would affect local mixing. Here, we use a global eddy data set to qualify eddies based on their surface characteristics in the Agulhas Current (AC), the Brazil Current (BC) and the East Australian Current (EAC) systems. The analyses reveal that eddy propagation within each system is highly forced by the local mean flow and bathymetry. Large values of eddy amplitude and temporal variability are associated with the BC and EAC retroflections, while small values occur in the centre of the Argentine Basin and in the Tasman Sea. In the AC system, eddy polarity dictates the propagation distance. BC system eddies do not propagate beyond the Argentine Basin, and are advected by the local ocean circulation. EAC system eddies from both polarities cross south of Tasmania but only the anticyclonic ones reach the Great Australian Bight. For all three WBC systems, both cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies present a geographical segregation according to radius size and amplitude. Regions of high eddy kinetic energy are associated with the eddies' mean amplitudes, and not with their densities.

Sea level trend and variability around Peninsular Malaysia - Q. H. Luu; P. Tkalich; T. W. Tay (Ocean Science, 2015)
Sea level rise due to climate change is non-uniform globally, necessitating regional estimates. Peninsular Malaysia is located in the middle of Southeast Asia, bounded from the west by the Malacca Strait, from the east by the South China Sea (SCS), and from the south by the Singapore Strait. The sea level along the peninsula may be influenced by various regional phenomena native to the adjacent parts of the Indian and Pacific oceans. To examine the variability and trend of sea level around the peninsula, tide gauge records and satellite altimetry are analyzed taking into account vertical land movements (VLMs). At annual scale, sea level anomalies (SLAs) around Peninsular Malaysia on the order of 5–25 cm are mainly monsoon driven. Sea levels at eastern and western coasts respond differently to the Asian monsoon: two peaks per year in the Malacca Strait due to South Asian–Indian monsoon; an annual cycle in the remaining region mostly due to the East Asian–western Pacific monsoon. At interannual scale, regional sea level variability in the range of ±6 cm is correlated with El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO). SLAs in the Malacca Strait side are further correlated with the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) in the range of ±5 cm. Interannual regional sea level falls are associated with El Niño events and positive phases of IOD, whilst rises are correlated with La Niña episodes and negative values of the IOD index. At seasonal to interannual scales, we observe the separation of the sea level patterns in the Singapore Strait, between the Raffles Lighthouse and Tanjong Pagar tide stations, likely caused by a dynamic constriction in the narrowest part. During the observation period 1986–2013, average relative rates of sea level rise derived from tide gauges in Malacca Strait and along the east coast of the peninsula are 3.6±1.6 and 3.7±1.1 mm yr−1, respectively. Correcting for respective VLMs (0.8±2.6 and 0.9±2.2 mm yr−1), their corresponding geocentric sea level rise rates are estimated at 4.4±3.1 and 4.6±2.5 mm yr−1. The geocentric rates are about 25 % faster than those measured at tide gauges around the peninsula; however, the level of uncertainty associated with VLM data is relatively high. For the common period between 1993 and 2009, geocentric sea level rise values along the Malaysian coast are similar from tide gauge records and satellite altimetry (3.1 and 2.7 mm yr−1, respectively), and arguably correspond to the global trend.

Accelerated sea level rise and Florida Current transport - J. Park; W. Sweet (Ocean Science, 2015)
The Florida Current is the headwater of the Gulf Stream and is a component of the North Atlantic western boundary current from which a geostrophic balance between sea surface height and mass transport directly influence coastal sea levels along the Florida Straits. A linear regression of daily Florida Current transport estimates does not find a significant change in transport over the last decade; however, a nonlinear trend extracted from empirical mode decomposition (EMD) suggests a 3 Sv decline in mean transport. This decline is consistent with observed tide gauge records in Florida Bay and the straits exhibiting an acceleration of mean sea level (MSL) rise over the decade. It is not known whether this recent change represents natural variability or the onset of the anticipated secular decline in Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC); nonetheless, such changes have direct impacts on the sensitive ecological systems of the Everglades as well as the climate of western Europe and eastern North America.

Exploring the isopycnal mixing and helium–heat paradoxes in a suite of Earth system models - A. Gnanadesikan; M.-A. Pradal; R. Abernathey (Ocean Science, 2015)
This paper uses a suite of Earth system models which simulate the distribution of He isotopes and radiocarbon to examine two paradoxes in Earth science, each of which results from an inconsistency between theoretically motivated global energy balances and direct observations. The helium–heat paradox refers to the fact that helium emissions to the deep ocean are far lower than would be expected given the rate of geothermal heating, since both are thought to be the result of radioactive decay in Earth's interior. The isopycnal mixing paradox comes from the fact that many theoretical parameterizations of the isopycnal mixing coefficient ARedi that link it to baroclinic instability project it to be small (of order a few hundred m2 s−1) in the ocean interior away from boundary currents. However, direct observations using tracers and floats (largely in the upper ocean) suggest that values of this coefficient are an order of magnitude higher. Helium isotopes equilibrate rapidly with the atmosphere and thus exhibit large gradients along isopycnals while radiocarbon equilibrates slowly and thus exhibits smaller gradients along isopycnals. Thus it might be thought that resolving the isopycnal mixing paradox in favor of the higher observational estimates of ARedi might also solve the helium paradox, by increasing the transport of mantle helium to the surface more than it would radiocarbon. In this paper we show that this is not the case. In a suite of models with different spatially constant and spatially varying values of ARedi the distribution of radiocarbon and helium isotopes is sensitive to the value of ARedi. However, away from strong helium sources in the southeastern Pacific, the relationship between the two is not sensitive, indicating that large-scale advection is the limiting process for removing helium and radiocarbon from the deep ocean. The helium isotopes, in turn, suggest a higher value of ARedi below the thermocline than is seen in theoretical parameterizations based on baroclinic growth rates. We argue that a key part of resolving the isopycnal mixing paradox is to abandon the idea that ARedi has a direct relationship to local baroclinic instability and to the so-called "thickness" mixing coefficient AGM.

Constraining parameters in marine pelagic ecosystem models – is it actually feasible with typical observations of standing stocks? - U. Löptien; H. Dietze (Ocean Science, 2015)
In a changing climate, marine pelagic biogeochemistry may modulate the atmospheric concentrations of climate-relevant species such as CO2 and N2O. To date, projections rely on earth system models, featuring simple pelagic biogeochemical model components, embedded into 3-D ocean circulation models. Most of these biogeochemical model components rely on the hyperbolic Michaelis–Menten (MM) formulation which specifies the limiting effect of light and nutrients on carbon assimilation by autotrophic phytoplankton. The respective MM constants, along with other model parameters, of 3-D coupled biogeochemical ocean-circulation models are usually tuned; the parameters are changed until a "reasonable" similarity to observed standing stocks is achieved. Here, we explore with twin experiments (or synthetic "observations") the demands on observations that allow for a more objective estimation of model parameters. We start with parameter retrieval experiments based on "perfect" (synthetic) observations which we distort, step by step, by low-frequency noise to approach realistic conditions. Finally, we confirm our findings with real-world observations. In summary, we find that MM constants are especially hard to constrain because even modest noise (10 %) inherent to observations may hinder the parameter retrieval already. This is of concern since the MM parameters are key to the model's sensitivity to anticipated changes in the external conditions. Furthermore, we illustrate problems caused by high-order parameter dependencies when parameter estimation is based on sparse observations of standing stocks. Somewhat counter to intuition, we find that more observational data can sometimes degrade the ability to constrain certain parameters.

Reconstructing bottom water temperatures from measurements of temperature and thermal diffusivity in marine sediments - F. Miesner; A. Lechleiter; C. Müller (Ocean Science, 2015)
Continuous monitoring of oceanic bottom water temperatures is a complicated task, even in relatively easy-to-access basins like the North or Baltic seas. Here, a method to determine annual bottom water temperature variations from inverse modeling of instantaneous measurements of temperatures and sediment thermal properties is presented. This concept is similar to climate reconstructions over several thousand years from deep borehole data. However, in contrast, the presented method aims at reconstructing the recent temperature history of the last year from sediment thermal properties and temperatures from only a few meters depth. For solving the heat equation, a commonly used forward model is introduced and analyzed: knowing the bottom water temperature variations for the preceding years and the thermal properties of the sediments, the forward model determines the sediment temperature field. The bottom water temperature variation is modeled as an annual cosine defined by the mean temperature, the amplitude and a phase shift. As the forward model operator is non-linear but low-dimensional, common inversion schemes such as the Newton algorithm can be utilized. The algorithms are tested for artificial data with different noise levels and for two measured data sets: from the North Sea and from the Davis Strait. Both algorithms used show stable and satisfying results with reconstruction errors in the same magnitude as the initial data error. In particular, the artificial data sets are reproduced with accuracy within the bounds of the artificial noise level. Furthermore, the results for the measured North Sea data show small variances and resemble the bottom water temperature variations recorded from a nearby monitoring site with relative errors smaller than 1 % in all parameters.

Investigation of suitable sites for wave energy converters around Sicily (Italy) - C. Iuppa; L. Cavallaro; D. Vicinanza; E. Foti (Ocean Science, 2015)
An analysis of wave energy along the coasts of Sicily (Italy) is presented with the aim of selecting possible sites for the implementation of wave energy converters (WECs). The analysis focuses on the selection of hotspot areas of energy concentration. A third-generation model was adopted to reconstruct the wave data along the coast over a period of 14 years. The reconstruction was performed using the wave and wind data from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. The analysis of wave energy allowed us to characterise the most energetic zones, which are located on the western side of Sicily and on the Strait of Sicily. Moreover, the estimate of the annual wave power on the entire computational domain identified eight interesting sites. The main features of the sites include relatively high wave energy and proximity to the coast, which makes them possible sites for the implementation of WEC farms.

The OceanFlux Greenhouse Gases methodology for deriving a sea surface climatology of CO 2 fugacity in support of air–sea gas flux studies - L. M. Goddijn-Murphy; D. K. Woolf; P. E. Land; J. D. Shutler; C. Donlon (Ocean Science, 2015)
Climatologies, or long-term averages, of essential climate variables are useful for evaluating models and providing a baseline for studying anomalies. The Surface Ocean CO2 Atlas (SOCAT) has made millions of global underway sea surface measurements of CO2 publicly available, all in a uniform format and presented as fugacity, fCO2. As fCO2 is highly sensitive to temperature, the measurements are only valid for the instantaneous sea surface temperature (SST) that is measured concurrently with the in-water CO2 measurement. To create a climatology of fCO2 data suitable for calculating air–sea CO2 fluxes, it is therefore desirable to calculate fCO2 valid for a more consistent and averaged SST. This paper presents the OceanFlux Greenhouse Gases methodology for creating such a climatology. We recomputed SOCAT's fCO2 values for their respective measurement month and year using monthly composite SST data on a 1° × 1° grid from satellite Earth observation and then extrapolated the resulting fCO2 values to reference year 2010. The data were then spatially interpolated onto a 1° × 1° grid of the global oceans to produce 12 monthly fCO2 distributions for 2010, including the prediction errors of fCO2 produced by the spatial interpolation technique. The partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) is also provided for those who prefer to use pCO2. The CO2 concentration difference between ocean and atmosphere is the thermodynamic driving force of the air–sea CO2 flux, and hence the presented fCO2 distributions can be used in air–sea gas flux calculations together with climatologies of other climate variables.

Mean circulation in the coastal ocean off northeastern North America from a regional-scale ocean model - K. Chen; R. He (Ocean Science, 2015)
A regional-scale ocean model was used to hindcast the coastal circulation over the Middle Atlantic Bight (MAB) and Gulf of Maine (GOM) from 2004 to 2013. The model was nested inside a data assimilative global ocean model that provided initial and open boundary conditions. Realistic atmospheric forcing, tides and observed river runoff were also used to drive the model. Hindcast solutions were compared against observations, which included coastal sea levels, satellite altimetry sea surface height, in situ temperature and salinity measurements in the GOM, and observed mean depth-averaged velocities. Good agreements with observations suggest that the hindcast model is capable of capturing the major circulation variability in the MAB and GOM. Time- and space-continuous hindcast fields were used to depict the mean circulation, along- and cross-shelf transport and the associated momentum balances. The hindcast confirms the presence of the equatorward mean shelf circulation, which varies from 2.33 Sv over the Scotian Shelf to 0.22 Sv near Cape Hatteras. Using the 200 m isobath as the shelf/slope boundary, the mean cross-shelf transport calculations indicate that the shelfbreak segments off the Gulf of Maine (including the southern flank of Georges Bank and the Northeast Channel) and Cape Hatteras are the major sites for shelf water export. The momentum analysis reveals that the along-shelf sea level difference from Nova Scotia to Cape Hatteras is about 0.36 m. The nonlinear advection, stress, and horizontal viscosity terms all contribute to the ageostrophic circulation in the along-isobath direction, whereas the nonlinear advection plays a dominant role in determining the ageostrophic current in the cross-isobath direction.

Decadal variability and trends of the Benguela upwelling system as simulated in a high-resolution ocean simulation - N. Tim; E. Zorita; B. Hünicke (Ocean Science, 2015)
Detecting the atmospheric drivers of the Benguela upwelling systems is essential to understand its present variability and its past and future changes. We present a statistical analysis of a high-resolution (0.1°) ocean-only simulation driven by observed atmospheric fields over the last 60 years with the aim of identifying the large-scale atmospheric drivers of upwelling variability and trends. The simulation is found to reproduce well the seasonal cycle of upwelling intensity, with a maximum in the June–August season in North Benguela and in the December–February season in South Benguela. The statistical analysis of the interannual variability of upwelling focuses on its relationship to atmospheric variables (sea level pressure, 10 m wind, wind stress). The relationship between upwelling and the atmospheric variables differ somewhat in the two regions, but generally the correlation patterns reflect the common atmospheric pattern favouring upwelling: southerly wind/wind stress, strong subtropical anticyclone, and an ocean–land sea level pressure gradient. In addition, the statistical link between upwelling and large-scale climate variability modes was analysed. The El Niño–Southern Oscillation and the Antarctic Oscillation exert some influence on austral summer upwelling velocities in South Benguela. The decadal evolution and the long-term trends of simulated upwelling and of ocean-minus-land air pressure gradient do not agree with Bakun's hypothesis that anthropogenic climate change should generally intensify coastal upwelling.

Dynamics of turbulent western-boundary currents at low latitude in a shallow-water model - C. Q. C. Akuetevi; A. Wirth (Ocean Science, 2015)
The dynamics of low latitude turbulent western-boundary currents (WBCs) crossing the Equator are considered using numerical results from integrations of a reduced-gravity shallow-water model. For viscosity values of 1000 m2 s−1 and greater, the boundary layer dynamics compares well to the analytical Munk-layer solution. When the viscosity is reduced, the boundary layer becomes turbulent and coherent structures in the form of anticyclonic eddies, bursts (violent detachments of the viscous sub-layer, VSL) and dipoles appear. Three distinct boundary layers emerge, the VSL, the advective boundary layer and the extended boundary layer. The first is characterized by a dominant vorticity balance between the viscous transport and the advective transport of vorticity; the second by a balance between the advection of planetary vorticity and the advective transport of relative vorticity. The extended boundary layer is the area to which turbulent motion from the boundary extends. The scaling of the three boundary layer thicknesses with viscosity is evaluated. Characteristic scales of the dynamics and dissipation are determined. A pragmatic approach to determine the eddy viscosity diagnostically for coarse-resolution numerical models is proposed.

Circulation, eddies, oxygen, and nutrient changes in the eastern tropical South Pacific Ocean - R. Czeschel; L. Stramma; R. A. Weller; T. Fischer (Ocean Science, 2015)
A large subsurface oxygen deficiency zone is located in the eastern tropical South Pacific Ocean (ETSP). The large-scale circulation in the eastern equatorial Pacific and off the coast of Peru in November/December 2012 shows the influence of the equatorial current system, the eastern boundary currents, and the northern reaches of the subtropical gyre. In November 2012 the equatorial undercurrent (EUC) is centered at 250 m depth, deeper than in earlier observations. In December 2012, the equatorial water is transported southeastward near the shelf in the Peru–Chile undercurrent (PCUC) with a mean transport of 1.4 Sv. In the oxygen minimum zone (OMZ), the flow is overlaid with strong eddy activity on the poleward side of the OMZ. Floats with parking depth at 400 m show fast westward flow in the mid-depth equatorial channel and sluggish flow in the OMZ. Floats with oxygen sensors clearly show the passage of eddies with oxygen anomalies. The long-term float observations in the upper ocean lead to a net community production estimate at about 18° S of up to 16.7 mmol C m−3 yr−1 extrapolated to an annual rate and 7.7 mmol C m−3 yr−1 for the time period below the mixed layer. Oxygen differences between repeated ship sections are influenced by the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation (IPO), by the phase of El Niño, by seasonal changes, and by eddies, and hence have to be interpreted with care. At and south of the Equator the decrease in oxygen in the upper ocean since 1976 is related to an increase in nitrate, phosphate, and in part silicate.

Water level oscillations in Monterey Bay and Harbor - J. Park; W. V. Sweet; R. Heitsenrether (Ocean Science, 2015)
Seiches are normal modes of water bodies responding to geophysical forcings with potential to significantly impact ecology and maritime operations. Analysis of high-frequency (1 Hz) water level data in Monterey, California, identifies harbor modes between 10 and 120 s that are attributed to specific geographic features. It is found that modal amplitude modulation arises from cross-modal interaction and that offshore wave energy is a primary driver of these modes. Synchronous coupling between modes is observed to significantly impact dynamic water levels. At lower frequencies with periods between 15 and 60 min, modes are independent of offshore wave energy, yet are continuously present. This is unexpected since seiches normally dissipate after cessation of the driving force, indicating an unknown forcing. Spectral and kinematic estimates of these low-frequency oscillations support the idea that a persistent anticyclonic mesoscale gyre adjacent to the bay is a potential mode driver, while discounting other sources.

Assessment of an ensemble system that assimilates Jason-1/Envisat altimeter data in a probabilistic model of the North Atlantic ocean circulation - G. Candille; J.-M. Brankart; P. Brasseur (Ocean Science, 2015)
A realistic circulation model of the North Atlantic ocean at 0.25° resolution (NATL025 NEMO configuration) has been adapted to explicitly simulate model uncertainties. This is achieved by introducing stochastic perturbations in the equation of state to represent the effect of unresolved scales on the model dynamics. The main motivation for this work is to develop ensemble data assimilation methods, assimilating altimetric data from past missions Jason-1 and Envisat. The assimilation experiment is designed to provide a description of the uncertainty associated with the Gulf Stream circulation for years 2005/2006, focusing on frontal regions which are predominantly affected by unresolved dynamical scales. An ensemble based on such stochastic perturbations is first produced and evaluated using along-track altimetry observations. Then each ensemble member is updated by a square root algorithm based on the SEEK (singular evolutive extended Kalman) filter (Brasseur and Verron, 2006). These three elements – stochastic parameterization, ensemble simulation and 4-D observation operator – are then used together to perform a 4-D analysis of along-track altimetry over 10-day windows. Finally, the results of this experiment are objectively evaluated using the standard probabilistic approach developed for meteorological applications (Toth et al., 2003; Candille et al., 2007). The results show that the free ensemble – before starting the assimilation process – correctly reproduces the statistical variability over the Gulf Stream area: the system is then pretty reliable but not informative (null probabilistic resolution). Updating the free ensemble with altimetric data leads to a better reliability with an information gain of around 30% (for 10-day forecasts of the SSH variable). Diagnoses on fully independent data (i.e. data that are not assimilated, like temperature and salinity profiles) provide more contrasted results when the free and updated ensembles are compared.

Modelling survival and connectivity of Mnemiopsis leidyi in the south-western North Sea and Scheldt estuaries - J. van der Molen; J. van Beek; S. Augustine; L. Vansteenbrugge; L. van Walraven; V. Langenberg; H. W. van der Veer; K. Hostens; S. Pitois; J. Robbens (Ocean Science, 2015)
Three different models were applied to study the reproduction, survival and dispersal of Mnemiopsis leidyi in the Scheldt estuaries and the southern North Sea: a high-resolution particle tracking model with passive particles, a low-resolution particle tracking model with a reproduction model coupled to a biogeochemical model, and a dynamic energy budget (DEB) model. The results of the models, each with its strengths and weaknesses, suggest the following conceptual situation: (i) the estuaries possess enough retention capability to keep an overwintering population, and enough exchange with coastal waters of the North Sea to seed offshore populations; (ii) M. leidyi can survive in the North Sea, and be transported over considerable distances, thus facilitating connectivity between coastal embayments; (iii) under current climatic conditions, M. leidyi may not be able to reproduce in large numbers in coastal and offshore waters of the North Sea, but this may change with global warming; however, this result is subject to substantial uncertainty. Further quantitative observational work is needed on the effects of temperature, salinity and food availability on reproduction and on mortality at different life stages to improve models such as used here.

Friction and mixing effects on potential vorticity for bottom current crossing a marine strait: an application to the Sicily Channel (central Mediterranean Sea) - F. Falcini; E. Salusti (Ocean Science, 2015)
We discuss here the evolution of vorticity and potential vorticity (PV) for a bottom current crossing a marine channel in shallow-water approximation, focusing on the effect of friction and mixing. The purpose of this research is indeed to investigate the role of friction and vertical entrainment on vorticity and PV spatial evolution in channels or straits when along-channel morphology variations are significant. To pursue this investigation, we pose the vorticity and PV equations for a homogeneous bottom water vein and we calculate these two quantities as an integral form. Our theoretical findings are considered in the context of in situ hydrographic data related to the Eastern Mediterranean Deep Water (EMDW), i.e., a dense, bottom water vein that flows northwestward, along the Sicily Channel (Mediterranean Sea). Indeed, the narrow sill of this channel implies that friction and entrainment need to be considered. Small tidal effects in the Sicily Channel allow for a steady theoretical approach. We argue that bottom current vorticity is prone to significant sign changes and oscillations due to topographic effects when, in particular, the current flows over the sill of a channel. These vorticity variations are, however, modulated by frictional effects due to seafloor roughness and morphology. Such behavior is also reflected in the PV spatial evolution, which shows an abrupt peak around the sill region. Our diagnoses on vorticity and PV allow us to obtain general insights about the effect of mixing and friction on the pathway and internal structure of bottom-trapped currents flowing through channels and straits, and to discuss spatial variability of the frictional coefficient. Our approach significantly differs from other PV-constant approaches previously used in studying the dynamics of bottom currents flowing through rotating channels.

Retrieving the availability of light in the ocean utilising spectral signatures of vibrational Raman scattering in hyper-spectral satellite measurements - T. Dinter; V. V. Rozanov; J. P. Burrows; A. Bracher (Ocean Science, 2015)
The availability of light in the ocean is an important parameter for the determination of phytoplankton photosynthesis processes and primary production from satellite data. It is also a useful parameter for other applications, e.g. the determination of heat fluxes. In this study, a method was developed utilising the vibrational Raman scattering (VRS) effect of water molecules to determine the number of photons available in the ocean water, which is expressed by the depth integrated scalar irradiance E0. Radiative transfer simulations with the SCIATRAN fully coupled ocean–atmosphere radiative transfer model (RTM) show clearly the relationship of E0 with the strength of the VRS signal measured at the top of the atmosphere (TOA). Taking advantage of VRS structures in hyper-spectral satellite measurements, a retrieval technique to derive E0 in the wavelength region from 390 to 444.5 nm was developed. This approach uses the weighting function differential optical absorption spectroscopy (WF-DOAS) technique, applied to TOA radiances, measured by the Scanning Imaging Absorption Spectrometer for Atmospheric Chartography (SCIAMACHY). Based on the approach of Vountas et al. (2007), where the DOAS method was used to fit modelled spectra of VRS, the method was improved by using the weighting function of VRS (VRS-WF) in the DOAS fit. This was combined with a look-up table (LUT) technique, where the E0 value was obtained for each VRS satellite fit directly. The VRS-WF and the LUT were derived from calculations with the SCIATRAN RTM (Rozanov et al., 2014). RTM simulations for different chlorophyll a concentrations and illumination conditions clearly show that low fit factors of VRS retrieval results correspond to low amounts of light in the water column and vice versa. Exemplarily, 1 month of SCIAMACHY data were processed and a global map of the depth integrated scalar irradiance E0 was retrieved. Spectral structures of VRS were clearly identified in the radiance measurements of SCIAMACHY. The fitting approach led to consistent results and the WF-DOAS algorithm results of VRS correlated clearly with the chlorophyll concentration in case-I water. Comparisons of the diffuse attenuation coefficient, extracted by VRS fit results, with the established GlobColour Kd(490) product show consistent results.

Eddy characteristics in the South Indian Ocean as inferred from surface drifters - S. Zheng; Y. Du; J. Li; X. Cheng (Ocean Science, 2015)
Using a geometric eddy identification method, cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies from submesoscale to mesoscale in the South Indian Ocean (SIO) have been statistically investigated based on 2082 surface drifters from 1979 to 2013. A total of 19 252 eddies are identified, 60% of them anticyclonic eddies. For the submesoscale eddies (radius r

Deep drivers of mesoscale circulation in the central Rockall Trough - T. J. Sherwin; D. Aleynik; E. Dumont; M. E. Inall (Ocean Science, 2015)
Mesoscale variability in the central Rockall Trough, immediately west of the British Isles, has been investigated using a combination of ship-borne, underwater glider and gridded satellite altimeter measurements. Altimeter observations show that eddies and large-scale circulation cells are ubiquitous phenomena. They have horizontal length scales of order 100 km with vertical scales of over 1000 m and are associated with mean current speeds (over the upper 1000 m) of 15 ± 7 cm s−1. Monthly area averaged surface eddy kinetic energy (EKE) has substantial inter-annual variability, which at times can dominate a mean seasonal signal that varies from a maximum in May (74 cm2 s−2) to a minimum in October (52 cm2 s−2) and has increased gradually since 1992 at about 1.1 cm2 s−2 per year. This increase may be related to the retreat of the sub-polar gyre (SPG). A 5 month glider mission in the trough showed that the cyclonic component of EKE came from cold water features that are located over 1000 m below the surface. The surface currents from altimeters had similar magnitude to the drift currents averaged over 1000 m from the glider in the stratified autumn, but were half the deep water speed during late winter. Although the mesoscale features move in an apparent random manner, they seem to be constrained by submarine topography such as seamounts. Occasionally anti-cyclonic and cyclonic cells combine to cause a coherent westward deflection of the European slope current that warms the Rockall side of the trough. Such deflections contribute to the inter-annual variability in the observed temperature and salinity that are monitored in the upper 800 m of the trough. By combining glider and altimeter measurements it is shown that altimeter measurements fail to observe a 15 cm s−1 northward flowing slope current on the eastern side as well as a small persistent southward current on the western side. There is much to be gained from the synergy between satellite altimetry and in situ glider observations.

Modelling of the anthropogenic tritium transient and its decay product helium-3 in the Mediterranean Sea using a high-resolution regional model - M. Ayache; J.-C. Dutay; P. Jean-Baptiste; K. Beranger; T. Arsouze; J. Beuvier; J. Palmieri; B. Le-vu; W. Roether (Ocean Science, 2015)
This numerical study provides the first simulation of the anthropogenic tritium invasion and its decay product helium-3 (3He) in the Mediterranean Sea. The simulation covers the entire tritium (3H) transient generated by the atmospheric nuclear weapons tests performed in the 1950s and early 1960s and is run till 2011. Tritium, helium-3 and their derived age estimates are particularly suitable for studying intermediate and deep-water ventilation and spreading of water masses at intermediate/deep levels. The simulation is made using a high-resolution regional model NEMO (Nucleus for European Modelling of the Ocean), in a regional configuration for the Mediterranean Sea called MED12, forced at the surface with prescribed tritium evolution derived from observations. The simulation is compared to measurements of tritium and helium-3 performed along large-scale transects in the Mediterranean Sea during the last few decades on cruises of R/V Meteor: M5/6, M31/1, M44/4, M51/2, M84/3, and R/V Poseidon: 234. The results show that the input function used for the tritium generates a realistic distribution of the main hydrographic features of the Mediterranean Sea circulation. In the eastern basin, the results highlight the weak formation of Adriatic Deep Water in the model, which explains its weak contribution to the Eastern Mediterranean Deep Water (EMDW) in the Ionian sub-basin. It produces a realistic representation of the Eastern Mediterranean Transient (EMT) signal, simulating a deep-water formation in the Aegean sub-basin at the beginning of 1993, with a realistic timing of deep-water renewal in the eastern basin.

Technical Note: A fully automated purge and trap GC-MS system for quantification of volatile organic compound (VOC) fluxes between the ocean and atmosphere - S. J. Andrews; S. C. Hackenberg; L. J. Carpenter (Ocean Science, 2015)
The oceans are a key source of a number of atmospherically important volatile gases. The accurate and robust determination of trace gases in seawater is a significant analytical challenge, requiring reproducible and ideally automated sample handling, a high efficiency of seawater–air transfer, removal of water vapour from the sample stream, and high sensitivity and selectivity of the analysis. Here we describe a system that was developed for the fully automated analysis of dissolved very short-lived halogenated species (VSLS) sampled from an under-way seawater supply. The system can also be used for semi-automated batch sampling from Niskin bottles filled during CTD (conductivity, temperature, depth) profiles. The essential components comprise a bespoke, automated purge and trap (AutoP & T) unit coupled to a commercial thermal desorption and gas chromatograph mass spectrometer (TD-GC-MS). The AutoP & T system has completed five research cruises, from the tropics to the poles, and collected over 2500 oceanic samples to date. It is able to quantify >25 species over a boiling point range of 34–180 °C with Henry's law coefficients of 0.018 and greater (CH22l, kHcc dimensionless gas/aqueous) and has been used to measure organic sulfurs, hydrocarbons, halocarbons and terpenes. In the eastern tropical Pacific, the high sensitivity and sampling frequency provided new information regarding the distribution of VSLS, including novel measurements of a photolytically driven diurnal cycle of CH22l within the surface ocean water.

Correlation between subsurface high-salinity water in the northern South China Sea and the North Equatorial Current–Kuroshio circulation system from HYCOM simulations - A. Wang; Y. Du; W. Zhuang; Y. Qi (Ocean Science, 2015)
The North Pacific Tropical Water (NPTW), characterized by subsurface high salinity, is observed in the South China Sea (SCS) and is often used as an indicator of the water intrusion from the northwestern Pacific into the SCS. Based on the assimilation product from a global high-resolution Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM) from 2008 through 2013, this study investigates the seasonal variability of subsurface high-salinity water (SHSW) in the northern SCS and its relationship with the North Equatorial Current–Kuroshio circulation system. Results show that the obvious seasonal variability of the SHSW appears at about 100–200 m in depth. It extends as far west as southeast of Hainan, reaching its volume maximum (minimum) in January (May). The seasonal variance contribution (seasonal variance accounting for the entire variance) is 0.38 in the period we considered, albeit with significant annual variance in other years. Further analysis shows that the changes in high-salinity water volume are highly correlated with the shift in the North Equatorial Current bifurcation latitude (NECBL), which reaches its northernmost point in December and its southernmost point in May. Due to the large-scale wind changes in the Pacific, the Luzon Strait transport (LST) weakens (strengthens) when the NECBL shifts to the south (north) during summer (winter), which results in the reduced (enhanced) SHSW intrusion from the northwestern Pacific into the northern SCS. It is also found that, on a seasonal timescale, the Kuroshio transport (KT) does not vary in phase with NECBL, LST and SHSW, indicating that the KT changes are probably not the governing factor for the seasonal variability of SHSW in the northern SCS.

Tidal forcing, energetics, and mixing near the Yermak Plateau - I. Fer; M. Müller; A. K. Peterson (Ocean Science, 2015)
The Yermak Plateau (YP), located northwest of Svalbard in Fram Strait, is the final passage for the inflow of warm Atlantic Water into the Arctic Ocean. The region is characterized by the largest barotropic tidal velocities in the Arctic Ocean. Internal response to the tidal flow over this topographic feature locally contributes to mixing that removes heat from the Atlantic Water. Here, we investigate the tidal forcing, barotropic-to-baroclinic energy conversion rates, and dissipation rates in the region using observations of oceanic currents, hydrography, and microstructure collected on the southern flanks of the plateau in summer 2007, together with results from a global high-resolution ocean circulation and tide model simulation. The energetics (depth-integrated conversion rates, baroclinic energy fluxes and dissipation rates) show large spatial variability over the plateau and are dominated by the luni-solar diurnal (K1) and the principal lunar semidiurnal (M2) constituents. The volume-integrated conversion rate over the region enclosing the topographic feature is approximately 1 GW and accounts for about 50% of the M2 and approximately all of the K1 conversion in a larger domain covering the entire Fram Strait extended to the North Pole. Despite the substantial energy conversion, internal tides are trapped along the topography, implying large local dissipation rates. An approximate local conversion–dissipation balance is found over shallows and also in the deep part of the sloping flanks. The baroclinic energy radiated away from the upper slope is dissipated over the deeper isobaths. From the microstructure observations, we inferred lower and upper bounds on the total dissipation rate of about 0.5 and 1.1 GW, respectively, where about 0.4–0.6 GW can be attributed to the contribution of hot spots of energetic turbulence. The domain-integrated dissipation from the model is close to the upper bound of the observed dissipation, and implies that almost the entire dissipation in the region can be attributed to the dissipation of baroclinic tidal energy.

In situ autonomous optical radiometry measurements for satellite ocean color validation in the Western Black Sea - G. Zibordi; F. Mélin; J.-F. Berthon; M. Talone (Ocean Science, 2015)
The accuracy of primary satellite ocean color data products from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer on-board Aqua (MODIS-A) and the Visible/Infrared Imager/Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) is investigated in the Western Black Sea using in situ measurements from the Gloria site included in the ocean color component of the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET-OC). The analysis is also extended to an additional well-established AERONET-OC site in the northern Adriatic Sea characterized by optically complex coastal waters exhibiting similarities to those observed at the Gloria site. Results from the comparison of normalized water-leaving radiance LWN indicate biases of a few percent between satellite-derived and in situ data at the center wavelengths relevant for the determination of chlorophyll a concentrations (443–547 nm, or equivalent). Remarkable is the consistency between the annual cycle determined with time series of satellite-derived and in situ LWN ratios at these center wavelengths. Contrarily, the differences between in situ and satellite-derived LWN are pronounced at the blue (i.e., 412 nm) and red (i.e., 667 nm, or equivalent) center wavelengths, confirming difficulties in confidently applying satellite-derived radiometric data from these spectral regions for quantitative analysis in optically complex waters.

Technical Note: Watershed strategy for oceanic mesoscale eddy splitting - Q. Y. Li; L. Sun (Ocean Science, 2015)
To identify oceanic mononuclear mesoscale eddies, a threshold-free splitting method was developed based on the watershed. Because oceanic eddies are similar to plateaus and basins in the map of the sea level anomaly (SLA) data, the natural divisions of the basins are the watersheds between them. The splitting algorithm is based on identifying these watersheds by finding the path of steepest descent. Compared to previous splitting methods, the proposed splitting algorithm has some advantages. First, there are no artificial parameters. Second, the algorithm is robust; the splitting strategy is independent of the algorithm and procedure and automatically guarantees that the split mononuclear eddies are simply connected pixel sets. Third, the new method is very fast, and the time complexity is O(N), where N is the number of multinuclear eddy pixels; each pixel is scanned only once for splitting, regardless of how many extremes there are. Fourth, the algorithm is independent of parameters; the strategy can potentially be applied to any possible physical parameters (e.g. SLA, geostrophic potential vorticity, Okubo–Weiss parameter). Besides, the present strategy can also be applied to automatic identification of troughs and ridges from weather charts. Because this general method can be applied to a variety of eddy parameter fields, we denoted it the Universal Splitting Technology for Circulations (USTC) method.

A geographical and seasonal comparison of nitrogen uptake by phytoplankton in the Southern Ocean - R. Philibert; H. Waldron; D. Clark (Ocean Science, 2015)
The impact of light and nutrients (such as silicate and iron) availability on nitrogen uptake and primary production vary seasonally and regionally in the Southern Ocean. The seasonal cycle of nitrogen uptake by phytoplankton in the Southern Ocean is not fully resolved over an annual scale due to the lack of winter in situ measurements. In this study, nitrate and ammonium uptake rates were measured using 15N tracers during a winter cruise in July 2012 and a summer cruise in February–March 2013. The winter cruise consisted of two legs: leg 1 extended from Cape Town to the ice margin along the GoodHope line and leg 2 stretched from the ice margin to Marion Island. The summer cruise was mostly focused on the subantarctic zone of the Atlantic sector. In winter, nitrogen uptake rates were measured at 55 and 1% of the surface photosynthetically active radiation (sPAR). The summer uptake rates were measured at four light depths corresponding to 55, 30, 10 and 3% sPAR. The integrated nitrate uptake rates during the winter cruise ranged from 0.17 to 5.20 mmol N m−2 d−1 (average 1.14 mmol N m−2 d−1) while the ammonium uptake rates ranged from 0.60 to 32.86 mmol N m−2 d−1 (average 6.73 mmol N m−2 d−1). During the summer cruise, the mean-integrated nitrate uptake rate was 0.20 mmol N m−2 d−1 with a range between 0.10 and 0.38 mmol N m−2 d−1. The integrated ammonium uptake rate averaged 4.39 mmol N m−2 d−1 and ranged from 1.12 to 9.05 mmol N m−2 d−1. The factors controlling nitrogen uptake in winter and summer were investigated. During the winter cruise, it was found that the different nitrogen uptake regimes were not separated by the fronts of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC). Light (in terms of day length) and ammonium concentration had the most influence on the nitrogen uptake. In the summer, increases in the mixed layer depth (MLD) resulted in increased nitrogen uptake rates. This suggests that the increases in the MLD could be alleviating nutrient limitations experienced by the phytoplankton at the end of summer.

Constraining energetic slope currents through assimilation of high-frequency radar observations - A. K. Sperrevik; K. H. Christensen; J. Röhrs (Ocean Science, 2015)
Assimilation of high-frequency (HF) radar current observations and CTD hydrography is performed with the 4D-Var analysis scheme implemented in the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS). We consider both an idealized case, with a baroclinic slope current in a periodic channel, and a realistic case for the coast of Vesterålen in northern Norway. In the realistic case, the results of the data assimilation are compared with independent data from acoustic profilers and surface drifters. Best results are obtained when background error correlation scales are small (10 km or less) and when the data assimilation window is short, i.e. about 1 day. Furthermore, we find that the impact of assimilating HF radar currents is generally larger than the impact of CTD hydrography. However, combining the HF radar currents with a few hydrographic profiles gives significantly better results, which demonstrates the importance of complementing surface observations with observations of the vertical structure of the ocean.

Temperature–salinity distribution in the northeastern Atlantic from ship and Argo vertical casts - I. Bashmachnikov; F. Neves; Â. Nascimento; J. Medeiros; I. Ambar; J. Dias; X. Carton (Ocean Science, 2015)
The present study defines new interpolation functions for hydrological data. These functions are applied to generate climatological maps of temperature–salinity distribution with a 25 m depth interval and a 30 km space interval (MEDTRANS data set). The data undergo rigorous initial data quality control, having passed several filtering procedures. The gridding is done on neutral density surfaces, which allows better representation of thermohaline fronts for the same gridding radius. The multi-pass Barnes optimum interpolation procedure with spatially variable size of the gridding window is used. The shape of the window accounts for the dominant along-isobath direction of water mass transport over steeply sloping topography. A local ratio of topographic to planetary β-effects is used to define the shape of the window as a function of the relative importance of the topographic influence. The N/f ratio is applied to account for the baroclinic compensation decay of the topographic influence on water mass transport with the distance from the bottom. The gridded fields are available at the website of the Centre of Oceanography of the University of Lisbon (http://co.fc.ul.pt/en/data). The MEDTRANS climatology gives more details of the distribution of water characteristics in the subtropical northeastern Atlantic than other alternative climatologies and is able to reproduce a number of dynamic features described in the literature: the acceleration in the meanders of the Azores current; the cyclonic gyre in the Gulf of Cadiz; and the splitting and separation of the Mediterranean Water (MW) outflow in two veins near the Gorringe and Galicia banks. Seasonal climatologies, computed for the warm (May–October) and cold (November–April) seasons, reveal stronger zonal extension of the upper ocean patterns during the warm season, as compared to the cold one.

Argo data assimilation into HYCOM with an EnOI method in the Atlantic Ocean - D. Mignac; C. A. S. Tanajura; A. N. Santana; L. N. Lima; J. Xie (Ocean Science, 2015)
An ocean data assimilation system to assimilate Argo temperature (T) and salinity (S) profiles into the HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM) was constructed, implemented and evaluated for the first time in the Atlantic Ocean (78° S to 50° N and 98° W to 20° E). The system is based on the ensemble optimal interpolation (EnOI) algorithm proposed by Xie and Zhu (2010), especially made to deal with the hybrid nature of the HYCOM vertical coordinate system with multiple steps. The Argo T–S profiles were projected to the model vertical space to create pseudo-observed layer thicknesses (Δ pobs), which correspond to the model target densities. The first step was to assimilate Δ pobs considering the sub-state vector composed by the model layer thickness (Δ p) and the baroclinic velocity components. After that, T and S were assimilated separately. Finally, T was diagnosed below the mixed layer to preserve the density of the model isopycnal layers. Five experiments were performed from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2012: a control run without assimilation, and four assimilation runs considering the different vertical localizations of T, S and Δ p. The assimilation experiments were able to significantly improve the thermohaline structure produced by the control run. They reduced the root mean square deviation (RMSD) of T and S calculated with respect to Argo independent data in 34 and 44%, respectively, in comparison to the control run. In some regions, such as the western North Atlantic, substantial corrections in the 20 °C isotherm depth and the upper ocean heat content towards climatological states were achieved. The runs with a vertical localization of Δ p showed positive impacts in the correction of the thermohaline structure and reduced the RMSD of T (S) from 0.993 °C (0.149 psu) to 0.905 °C (0.138 psu) for the whole domain with respect to the other assimilation runs.

Roles of initial ocean surface and subsurface states on successfully predicting 2006–2007 El Niño with an intermediate coupled model - F. Zheng; J. Zhu (Ocean Science, 2015)
The 2006–2007 El Niño event, an unusually weak event, was predicted by most models only after the warming in the eastern Pacific had commenced. In this study, on the basis of an El Niño prediction system, roles of the initial ocean surface and subsurface states on predicting the 2006–2007 El Niño event are investigated to determine conditions favorable for predicting El Niño growth and are isolated in three sets of hindcast experiments. The hindcast is initialized through assimilation of only the sea surface temperature (SST) observations to optimize the initial surface condition, only the sea level (SL) data to update the initial subsurface state, or both the SST and SL data. Results highlight that the hindcasts with three different initial states can all successfully predict the 2006–2007 El Niño event 1 year in advance and that the hindcast initialized by both the SST and SL data performs best. A comparison between the various sets of hindcast results further demonstrates that successful prediction is more significantly affected by the initial subsurface state than by the initial surface condition. The accurate initial surface state can trigger the easier prediction of the 2006–2007 El Niño, whereas a more reasonable initial subsurface state can contribute to improving the prediction in the growth of the warm event.

A wind-driven nonseasonal barotropic fluctuation of the Canadian inland seas - C. G. Piecuch; R. M. Ponte (Ocean Science, 2015)
A wind-driven, spatially coherent mode of nonseasonal, depth-independent variability in the Canadian inland seas (i.e., the collective of Hudson Bay, James Bay, and Foxe Basin) is identified based on Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) retrievals, a tide-gauge record, and a barotropic model over 2003–2013. This dominant mode of nonseasonal variability is correlated with the North Atlantic Oscillation and is associated with net flows into and out of the Canadian inland seas; the anomalous inflows and outflows, which are reflected in mean sea level and bottom pressure changes, are driven by wind stress anomalies over Hudson Strait, probably related to wind setup, as well as over the northern North Atlantic Ocean, possibly mediated by various wave mechanisms. The mode is also associated with mass redistribution within the Canadian inland seas, reflecting linear response to local wind stress variations under the combined influences of rotation, gravity, and variable bottom topography. Results exemplify the usefulness of GRACE for studying regional ocean circulation and climate.

Using empirical orthogonal functions derived from remote-sensing reflectance for the prediction of phytoplankton pigment concentrations - A. Bracher; M. H. Taylor; B. Taylor; T. Dinter; R. Röttgers; F. Steinmetz (Ocean Science, 2015)
The composition and abundance of algal pigments provide information on phytoplankton community characteristics such as photoacclimation, overall biomass and taxonomic composition. In particular, pigments play a major role in photoprotection and in the light-driven part of photosynthesis. Most phytoplankton pigments can be measured by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) techniques applied to filtered water samples. This method, as well as other laboratory analyses, is time consuming and therefore limits the number of samples that can be processed in a given time. In order to receive information on phytoplankton pigment composition with a higher temporal and spatial resolution, we have developed a method to assess pigment concentrations from continuous optical measurements. The method applies an empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis to remote-sensing reflectance data derived from ship-based hyperspectral underwater radiometry and from multispectral satellite data (using the Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer – MERIS – Polymer product developed by Steinmetz et al., 2011) measured in the Atlantic Ocean. Subsequently we developed multiple linear regression models with measured (collocated) pigment concentrations as the response variable and EOF loadings as predictor variables. The model results show that surface concentrations of a suite of pigments and pigment groups can be well predicted from the ship-based reflectance measurements, even when only a multispectral resolution is chosen (i.e., eight bands, similar to those used by MERIS). Based on the MERIS reflectance data, concentrations of total and monovinyl chlorophyll a and the groups of photoprotective and photosynthetic carotenoids can be predicted with high quality. As a demonstration of the utility of the approach, the fitted model based on satellite reflectance data as input was applied to 1 month of MERIS Polymer data to predict the concentration of those pigment groups for the whole eastern tropical Atlantic area. Bootstrapping explorations of cross-validation error indicate that the method can produce reliable predictions with relatively small data sets (e.g.,

Coastal sea level response to the tropical cyclonic forcing in the northern Indian Ocean - P. Mehra; M. Soumya; P. Vethamony; K. Vijaykumar; T. M. Balakrishnan Nair; Y. Agarvadekar; K. Jyoti; K. Sudheesh; R. Luis; S. Lobo; B. Harmalkar (Ocean Science, 2015)
The study examines the observed storm-generated sea level variation due to deep depression (event 1: E1) in the Arabian Sea from 26 November to 1 December 2011 and a cyclonic storm "THANE" (event 2: E2) over the Bay of Bengal during 25–31 December 2011. The sea level and surface meteorological measurements collected during these extreme events exhibit strong synoptic disturbances leading to storm surges of up to 43 cm on the west coast and 29 cm on the east coast of India due to E1 and E2. E1 generated sea level oscillations at the measuring stations on the west coast (Ratnagiri, Verem and Karwar) and east coast (Mandapam and Tuticorin) of India with significant energy bands centred at periods of 92, 43 and 23 min. The storm surge is a well-defined peak with a half-amplitude width of 20, 28 and 26 h at Ratnagiri, Verem and Karwar, respectively. However, on the east coast, the sea level oscillations during Thane were similar to those during calm period except for more energy in bands centred at periods of ~ 100, 42 and 24 min at Gopalpur, Gangavaram and Kakinada, respectively. The residual sea levels from tide gauge stations in Arabian Sea have been identified as Kelvin-type surges propagating northwards at a speed of ~ 6.5 m s−1 with a surge peak of almost constant amplitude. Multi-linear regression analysis shows that the local surface meteorological data (daily mean wind and atmospheric pressure) is able to account for ~ 57 and ~ 69% of daily mean sea level variability along the east and west coasts of India. The remaining part of the variability observed in the sea level may be attributed to local coastal currents and remote forcing.

Measuring air–sea gas-exchange velocities in a large-scale annular wind–wave tank - E. Mesarchaki; C. Kräuter; K. E. Krall; M. Bopp; F. Helleis; J. Williams; B. Jähne (Ocean Science, 2015)
In this study we present gas-exchange measurements conducted in a large-scale wind–wave tank. Fourteen chemical species spanning a wide range of solubility (dimensionless solubility, α = 0.4 to 5470) and diffusivity (Schmidt number in water, Scw = 594 to 1194) were examined under various turbulent (u10 = 0.73 to 13.2 m s−1) conditions. Additional experiments were performed under different surfactant modulated (two different concentration levels of Triton X-100) surface states. This paper details the complete methodology, experimental procedure and instrumentation used to derive the total transfer velocity for all examined tracers. The results presented here demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed method, and the derived gas-exchange velocities are shown to be comparable to previous investigations. The gas transfer behaviour is exemplified by contrasting two species at the two solubility extremes, namely nitrous oxide (N2O) and methanol (CH3OH). Interestingly, a strong transfer velocity reduction (up to a factor of 3) was observed for the relatively insoluble N2O under a surfactant covered water surface. In contrast, the surfactant effect for CH3OH, the high solubility tracer, was significantly weaker.

Comparative heat and gas exchange measurements in the Heidelberg Aeolotron, a large annular wind-wave tank - L. Nagel; K. E. Krall; B. Jähne (Ocean Science, 2015)
A comparative study of simultaneous heat and gas exchange measurements was performed in the large annular Heidelberg Air–Sea Interaction Facility, the Aeolotron, under homogeneous water surface conditions. The use of two gas tracers, N2O and C2HF5, resulted not only in gas transfer velocities, but also in the measurement of the Schmidt number exponent n with a precision of ±0.025. The original controlled flux, or active thermographic, technique proposed by Jähne et al. (1989) was applied by heating a large patch at the water surface to measure heat transfer velocities. Heating a large patch, the active thermography technique is laterally homogeneous, and problems of lateral transport effects are avoided. Using the measured Schmidt number exponents, the ratio of the scaled heat transfer velocities to the measured gas transfer velocities is 1.046 ± 0.040, a good agreement within the limits of experimental uncertainties. This indicates the possibility to scale heat transfer velocities measured by active thermography to gas transfer velocities, provided that the Schmidt number exponent is known and that the heated patch is large enough to reach the thermal equilibrium.

Consequences of artificial deepwater ventilation in the Bornholm Basin for oxygen conditions, cod reproduction and benthic biomass – a model study - A. Stigebrandt; R. Rosenberg; L. Råman Vinnå; M. Ödalen (Ocean Science, 2015)
We develop and use a circulation model to estimate hydrographical and ecological changes in the isolated basin water of the Bornholm Basin. By pumping well-oxygenated so-called winter water to the greatest depth, where it is forced to mix with the resident water, the rate of deepwater density reduction increases as well as the frequency of intrusions of new oxygen-rich deepwater. We show that pumping 1000 m3 s−1 should increase the rates of water exchange and oxygen supply by 2.5 and 3 times, respectively. The CRV (cod reproduction volume), the volume of water in the isolated basin meeting the requirements for successful cod reproduction (S > 11, O2 > 2 mL L−1), should every year be greater than 54 km3, which is an immense improvement, since it has been much less in certain years. Anoxic bottoms should no longer occur in the basin, and hypoxic events will become rare. This should permit extensive colonization of fauna on the earlier periodically anoxic bottoms. Increased biomass of benthic fauna should also mean increased food supply to economically valuable demersal fish like cod and flatfish. In addition, re-oxygenation of the sediments should lead to increased phosphorus retention by the sediments.

An alternative method for correcting fluorescence quenching - L. Biermann; C. Guinet; M. Bester; A. Brierley; L. Boehme (Ocean Science, 2015)
Under high light intensity, phytoplankton protect their photosystems from bleaching through non-photochemical quenching processes. The consequence of this is suppression of fluorescence emission, which must be corrected when measuring in situ yield with fluorometers. We present data from the Southern Ocean, collected over five austral summers by 19 southern elephant seals tagged with fluorometers. Conventionally, fluorescence data collected during the day (quenched) were corrected using the limit of the mixed layer, assuming that phytoplankton are uniformly mixed from the surface to this depth. However, distinct deep fluorescence maxima were measured in approximately 30% of the night (unquenched) data. To account for the evidence that chlorophyll is not uniformly mixed in the upper layer, we propose correcting from the limit of the euphotic zone, defined as the depth at which photosynthetically available radiation is ~ 1% of the surface value. Mixed layer depth exceeded euphotic depth over 80% of the time. Under these conditions, quenching was corrected from the depth of the remotely derived euphotic zone Zeu, and compared with fluorescence corrected from the depth of the density-derived mixed layer. Deep fluorescence maxima were evident in only 10% of the day data when correcting from mixed layer depth. This was doubled to 21% when correcting from Zeu, more closely matching the unquenched (night) data. Furthermore, correcting from Zeu served to conserve non-uniform chlorophyll features found between the 1% light level and mixed layer depth.

Improved sea level record over the satellite altimetry era (1993–2010) from the Climate Change Initiative project - M. Ablain; A. Cazenave; G. Larnicol; M. Balmaseda; P. Cipollini; Y. Faugère; M. J. Fernandes; O. Henry; J. A. Johannessen; P. Knudsen; O. Andersen; J. Legeais; et al. (Ocean Science, 2015)
Sea level is one of the 50 Essential Climate Variables (ECVs) listed by the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) in climate change monitoring. In the past two decades, sea level has been routinely measured from space using satellite altimetry techniques. In order to address a number of important scientific questions such as "Is sea level rise accelerating?", "Can we close the sea level budget?", "What are the causes of the regional and interannual variability?", "Can we already detect the anthropogenic forcing signature and separate it from the internal/natural climate variability?", and "What are the coastal impacts of sea level rise?", the accuracy of altimetry-based sea level records at global and regional scales needs to be significantly improved. For example, the global mean and regional sea level trend uncertainty should become better than 0.3 and 0.5 mm year−1, respectively (currently 0.6 and 1–2 mm year−1). Similarly, interannual global mean sea level variations (currently uncertain to 2–3 mm) need to be monitored with better accuracy. In this paper, we present various data improvements achieved within the European Space Agency (ESA) Climate Change Initiative (ESA CCI) project on "Sea Level" during its first phase (2010–2013), using multi-mission satellite altimetry data over the 1993–2010 time span. In a first step, using a new processing system with dedicated algorithms and adapted data processing strategies, an improved set of sea level products has been produced. The main improvements include: reduction of orbit errors and wet/dry atmospheric correction errors, reduction of instrumental drifts and bias, intercalibration biases, intercalibration between missions and combination of the different sea level data sets, and an improvement of the reference mean sea surface. We also present preliminary independent validations of the SL_cci products, based on tide gauges comparison and a sea level budget closure approach, as well as comparisons with ocean reanalyses and climate model outputs.

Thermohaline properties in the Eastern Mediterranean in the last three decades: is the basin returning to the pre-EMT situation? - V. Cardin; G. Civitarese; D. Hainbucher; M. Bensi; A. Rubino (Ocean Science, 2015)
Temperature, salinity and oxygen data collected during April and June 2011 (M84/3 and P414 cruises respectively) are analysed to derive the oceanographic characteristics of the Eastern Mediterranean (EM) basin. These observed characteristics are compared with those from previous cruises over the period 1987–2011. As a result, the interannual and decadal variability of the EM thermohaline properties are discussed in the context of the evolution of the Eastern Mediterranean Transient (EMT) and of the general circulation of the basin. We found that the state of the EM is still far from the pre-EMT conditions, though the 2011 results possibly indicate a slow return to this status. In particular, a comparison between thermohaline property evolution deriving from interannual variability of the preconditioning and air–sea interaction (heat fluxes) in the South Adriatic and the Cretan Seas reveals aspects of the alternation of the two dense water sources (Adriatic and Aegean) during the last three decades, which have strong implications for the hydrographic characteristics of the intermediate and deep layers of the Ionian and Levantine basins.

Modelling of underwater light fields in turbid and eutrophic waters: application and validation with experimental data - B. Sundarabalan; P. Shanmugam (Ocean Science, 2015)
A reliable radiative transfer (RT) model is an essential and indispensable tool for understanding the radiative transfer processes in homogenous and layered waters, analyzing measurements made by radiance sensors and developing remote-sensing algorithms to derive meaningful physical quantities and biogeochemical variables in turbid and productive coastal waters. Existing radiative transfer models have been designed to be applicable to either homogenous waters or inhomogeneous waters. To overcome such constraints associated with these models, this study presents a radiative transfer model that treats a homogenous layer as a diffuse part and an inhomogeneous layer as a direct part in the water column and combines these two parts appropriately in order to generate more reliable underwater light-field data such as upwelling radiance (Lu), downwelling irradiance (Ed) and upwelling irradiance (Eu). The diffuse model assumes the inherent optical properties (IOPs) to be vertically continuous and the light fields to exponentially decrease with depth, whereas the direct part considers the water column to be vertically inhomogeneous (layer-by-layer phenomena) with the vertically varying phase function. The surface and bottom boundary conditions, source function due to chlorophyll and solar incident geometry are also included in the present RT model. The performance of this model is assessed in a variety of waters (clear, turbid and eutrophic) using the measured radiometric data. The present model shows an advantage in terms of producing accurate Lu, Ed and Eu profiles (in spatial domain) in different waters determined by both homogenous and inhomogeneous conditions. The feasibility of predicting these underwater light fields based on the remotely estimated IOP data is also examined using the present RT model. For this application, vertical profiles of the water constituents and IOPs are estimated by empirical models based on our in situ data. The present RT model generates Lu, Ed and Eu spectra closely consistent with the measured data. These results lead to a conclusion that the present RT model is a viable alternative to existing RT models and has an important implication for remote sensing of optically complex waters.

Is coccolithophore distribution in the Mediterranean Sea related to seawater carbonate chemistry? - A. Oviedo; P. Ziveri; M. Álvarez; T. Tanhua (Ocean Science, 2015)
The Mediterranean Sea is considered a "hot spot" for climate change, being characterized by oligotrophic to ultra-oligotrophic waters and rapidly increasing seasurface temperature and changing carbonate chemistry. Coccolithophores are considered a dominant phytoplankton group in these waters. As marine calcifying organisms they are expected to respond to the ongoing changes in seawater carbonate chemistry. We provide here a description of the springtime coccolithophore distribution in the Mediterranean Sea and relate this to a broad set of in situ-measured environmental variables. Samples were taken during the R/V Meteor (M84/3) oceanographic cruise in April 2011, between 0 and 100 m water depth from 28 stations. Total diatom and silicoflagellate cell concentrations are also presented. Our results highlight the importance of seawater carbonate chemistry, especially [CO32−] but also [PO43−] in unraveling the distribution of heterococcolithophores, the most abundant coccolithophore life phase. Holo- and heterococcolithophores respond differently to environmental factors. For instance, changes in heterococcolithophore assemblages were best linked to the combination of [CO32−], pH, and salinity (ρ = 0.57), although salinity might be not functionally related to coccolithophore assemblage distribution. Holococcolithophores, on the other hand, showed higher abundances and species diversity in oligotrophic areas (best fit, ρ = 0.32 for nutrients), thriving in nutrient-depleted waters. Clustering of heterococcolithophores revealed three groups of species sharing more than 65% similarities. These clusters could be assigned to the eastern and western basins and deeper layers (below 50 m), respectively. In addition, the species Gephyrocapsa oceanica, G. muellerae, and Emiliania huxleyi morphotype B/C are spatially distributed together and trace the influx of Atlantic waters into the Mediterranean Sea. The results of the present work emphasize the importance of considering holo- and heterococcolithophores separately when analyzing changes in species assemblages and diversity. Our findings suggest that coccolithophores are a main phytoplankton group in the entire Mediterranean Sea and can dominate over siliceous phytoplankton. They have life stages that are expected to respond differently to the variability in seawater carbonate chemistry and nutrient concentrations.

Phytoplankton blooms on the western shelf of Tasmania: evidence of a highly productive ecosystem - J. Kämpf (Ocean Science, 2015)
Satellite-derived chlorophyll a data using the standard NASA-OC3 (ocean colour) algorithm are strongly biased by coloured dissolved organic matter and suspended sediment of river discharges, which is a particular problem for the western Tasmanian shelf. This work reconstructs phytoplankton blooms in the study region using a quadratic regression between OC3 data and chlorophyll fluorescence based on the fluorescence line height (FLH) data. This regression is derived from satellite data of the nearby Bonney upwelling region, which is devoid of river influences. To this end, analyses of 10 years of MODIS-aqua satellite data reveal the existence of a highly productive ecosystem on the western Tasmanian shelf. The region normally experiences two phytoplankton blooms per annum. The first bloom occurs during late austral summer months as a consequence of upwelling-favourable coastal winds. Hence, the western Tasmanian shelf forms a previously unknown upwelling centre of the regional upwelling system, known as Great South Australian Coastal Upwelling System. The second phytoplankton bloom is a classical spring bloom also developing in the adjacent Tasman Sea. The author postulates that this region forms another important biological hot spot for the regional marine ecosystem.

Chemical and physical transformations of mercury in the ocean: a review - N. Batrakova; O. Travnikov; O. Rozovskaya (Ocean Science, 2014)
Mercury is well known as a dangerous neurotoxin enriched in the environment by human activities. It disperses over the globe, cycling between different environmental media. The ocean plays an important role in the global mercury cycle, acting both as a dispersion medium and as an exposure pathway. In this paper, we review the current knowledge on the major physical and chemical transformations of mercury in the ocean. This review describes the mechanisms and provides a compilation of available rate constants for the major processes in seawater, including oxidation and reduction reactions under light and dark conditions, biotic and abiotic methylation/demethylation, and adsorption by particles. These data could be useful for the development of transport models describing processes undergone by mercury in the ocean.

A century of sea level data and the UK's 2013/14 storm surges: an assessment of extremes and clustering using the Newlyn tide gauge record - M. P. Wadey; I. D. Haigh; J. M. Brown (Ocean Science, 2014)
For the UK's longest and most complete sea level record (Newlyn), we assess extreme high waters and their temporal clustering; prompted by the 2013/2014 winter of storms and flooding. These are set into context against this almost 100-year record. We define annual periods for which storm activity and high sea levels can be compared on a year-by-year basis. Amongst the storms and high tides which affected Newlyn, the recent winter produced the largest recorded high water level (3 February 2014) and five other high water events above a 1 in 1-year return period. The large magnitude of tide and mean sea level, and the close inter-event spacings (of large return period high waters), suggests that the 2013/2014 extreme high water level "season" can be considered the most extreme on record. However, storm and sea level events may be classified in different ways. For example, in the context of sea level rise (which we calculate linearly as 1.81 ± 0.1 mm yr−1 from records between 1915 to 2014), a lower probability combination of surge and tide occurred on 29 January 1948, whilst the 1995/1996 storm surge season saw the most high waters of ≥ the 1 in 1-year return period. We provide a basic categorisation of the four types of extreme high water level cluster, ranging from consecutive tidal cycles to multiple years. The assessment is extended to other UK sites (with shorter sea level records and different tide-surge characteristics), which suggests 2013/2014 was particularly unusual. Further work will assess clustering mechanisms and flood system "memory".

Forecasting the mixed-layer depth in the Northeast Atlantic: an ensemble approach, with uncertainties based on data from operational ocean forecasting systems - Y. Drillet; J. M. Lellouche; B. Levier; M. Drévillon; O. Le Galloudec; G. Reffray; C. Regnier; E. Greiner; M. Clavier (Ocean Science, 2014)
Operational systems operated by Mercator Ocean provide daily ocean forecasts, and combining these forecasts we can produce ensemble forecast and uncertainty estimates. This study focuses on the mixed-layer depth in the Northeast Atlantic near the Porcupine Abyssal Plain for May 2013. This period is of interest for several reasons: (1) four Mercator Ocean operational systems provide daily forecasts at a horizontal resolution of 1/4, 1/12 and 1/36° with different physics; (2) glider deployment under the OSMOSIS project provides observation of the changes in mixed-layer depth; (3) the ocean stratifies in May, but mixing events induced by gale force wind are observed and forecast by the systems. Statistical scores and forecast error quantification for each system and for the combined products are presented. Skill scores indicate that forecasts are consistently better than persistence, and temporal correlations between forecast and observations are greater than 0.8 even for the 4-day forecast. The impact of atmospheric forecast error, and for the wind field in particular (miss or time delay of a wind burst forecast), is also quantified in terms of occurrence and intensity of mixing or stratification events.

Sensitivity of phytoplankton distributions to vertical mixing along a North Atlantic transect - L. Hahn-Woernle; H. A. Dijkstra; H. J. Van der Woerd (Ocean Science, 2014)
Using in situ data of upper ocean vertical mixing along a transect in the North Atlantic and a one-dimensional phytoplankton growth model, we study the sensitivity of the surface phytoplankton concentration to vertical mixing distributions. The study is divided into two parts. In the first part, the model is calibrated to the observations. The optical model parameters are determined from measurements of the light attenuation. The biological parameters are calibrated to three different reference stations with observed vertical profiles of the chlorophyll a (Chl a) concentration and the nutrient concentration. In the second part, the sensitivity of the three model calibrations to the vertical mixing is studied. Therefore measured vertical mixing profiles are applied to the model. These mixing profiles are based on the measurements along the transect and are treated as a set of possible mixing situations of the North Atlantic. Results show that shifts in vertical mixing are able to induce a transition from an upper chlorophyll maximum to a deep one and vice versa. Furthermore, a clear correlation between the surface phytoplankton concentration and the mixing induced nutrient flux is found for nutrient-limited cases. This may open up the possibility to extract characteristics of vertical mixing from satellite ocean colour data using data-assimilation methods.

Wave-induced mixing and transport of buoyant particles: application to the Statfjord A oil spill - M. Drivdal; G. Broström; K. H. Christensen (Ocean Science, 2014)
This study focuses on how wave–current and wave–turbulence interactions modify the transport of buoyant particles in the ocean. Here the particles can represent oil droplets, plastic particles, or plankton such as fish eggs and larvae. Using the General Ocean Turbulence Model (GOTM), modified to take surface wave effects into account, we investigate how the increased mixing by wave breaking and Stokes shear production, as well as the stronger veering by the Coriolis–Stokes force, affects the drift of the particles. The energy and momentum fluxes, as well as the Stokes drift, depend on the directional wave spectrum obtained from a wave model. As a first test, the depth and velocity scales from the model are compared with analytical solutions based on a constant eddy viscosity (i.e., classical Ekman theory). Secondly, the model is applied to a case in which we investigate the oil drift after an oil spill off the west coast of Norway in 2007. During this accident the average net drift of oil was observed to be both slower and more deflected away from the wind direction than predicted by oil-drift models. In this case, using wind and wave forcing from the ERA Interim archive it is shown that the wave effects are important for the resultant drift and have the potential to improve drift forecasting.

The Rossby radius in the Arctic Ocean - A. J. G. Nurser; S. Bacon (Ocean Science, 2014)
The first (and second) baroclinic deformation (or Rossby) radii are presented north of ~60° N, focusing on deep basins and shelf seas in the high Arctic Ocean, the Nordic seas, Baffin Bay, Hudson Bay and the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, derived from climatological ocean data. In the high Arctic Ocean, the first Rossby radius increases from ~5 km in the Nansen Basin to ~15 km in the central Canadian Basin. In the shelf seas and elsewhere, values are low (1–7 km), reflecting weak density stratification, shallow water, or both. Seasonality strongly impacts the Rossby radius only in shallow seas, where winter homogenization of the water column can reduce it to below 1 km. Greater detail is seen in the output from an ice–ocean general circulation model, of higher resolution than the climatology. To assess the impact of secular variability, 10 years (2003–2012) of hydrographic stations along 150° W in the Beaufort Gyre are also analysed. The first-mode Rossby radius increases over this period by ~20%. Finally, we review the observed scales of Arctic Ocean eddies.

Influence of frontal cyclone evolution on the 2009 (Ekman) and 2010 (Franklin) Loop Current eddy detachment events - Y. S. Androulidakis; V. H. Kourafalou; M. Le Hénaff (Ocean Science, 2014)
The anticyclonic Loop Current Eddy (LCE) shedding events are strongly associated with the evolution of Loop Current Frontal Eddies (LCFEs) over the eastern Gulf of Mexico (GoM). A numerical simulation, in tandem with in situ measurements and satellite data, was used to investigate the Loop Current (LC) evolution and the surrounding LCFE formation, structure, growth and migration during the Eddy Ekman and Eddy Franklin shedding events in the summers of 2009 and 2010, respectively. During both events, northern GoM LCFEs appeared vertically coherent to at least 1500 m in temperature observations. They propagated towards the base of the LC, where, together with the migration of Campeche Bank (southwest GoM shelf) eddies from south of the LC, contributed to its "necking-down". Growth of Campeche Bank LCFEs involved in Eddy Franklin was partially attributed to Campeche Bank waters following upwelling events. Slope processes associated with such upwelling included offshore exports of high positive potential vorticity that may trigger cyclone formation and growth. The advection and growth of LCFEs, originating from the northern and southern GoM, and their interaction with the LC over the LCE detachment area favor shedding conditions and may contribute to the final separation of the LCE.

Assessment of the representation of Antarctic Bottom Water properties in the ECCO2 reanalysis - M. Azaneu; R. Kerr; M. M. Mata (Ocean Science, 2014)
We analyzed the ability of the Estimating the Circulation and Climate of the Ocean – Phase II (ECCO2) reanalysis to represent the hydrographic properties and variability of Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) in the Southern Ocean. We used a 20-year (1992–2011) observational database to perform comparisons of hydrographic properties and reanalysis output for the same time period. Four case studies based on current meter data and the AABW volume transport estimates previously reported in the literature were also evaluated. The opening and maintenance of an oceanic polynya in the Weddell Sea sector is observed after 2004 in the reanalysis product. Moreover, intense deep water production due to deep convection occurs, which leads to a scenario in which the Weddell Sea is flooded with AABW. For this reason, our analyses focused on the period that was identified as more reliable (1992–2004). The main Southern Ocean oceanographic features, as well as the characteristic shape of the regional potential temperature–salinity (θ–S) diagrams, are coincident with observations. However, the reanalysis output produces surface waters that are generally denser than observations due to the reproduction of waters that are generally saltier than expected, which probably resulted from the strong seasonality of sea ice concentrations. Bottom waters are warmer and less dense, while intermediate waters are statistically closest to the observations. The differences in bottom water properties are partially due to the inability of the reanalysis to properly reproduce the formation and export of dense waters from the shelf and the consequent absence of the densest AABW variety for most of the analyzed period. Despite differences in the absolute values, the upper AABW limit (γn ≥ 28.27 kg m−3) and AABW occupied area estimates are coincident with the observations in the World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE) repeat sections SR2 and SR4. Moreover, the AABW volume export and current velocity variability are correlated with the observed time series in the most important region of dense water export (i.e., the Weddell Sea). Despite the consistency in terms of variability, the absolute volume transport and velocity estimates are underrepresented in all cases.

On the glacial and interglacial thermohaline circulation and the associated transports of heat and freshwater - M. Ballarotta; S. Falahat; L. Brodeau; K. Döös (Ocean Science, 2014)
The thermohaline circulation (THC) and the oceanic heat and freshwater transports are essential for understanding the global climate system. Streamfunctions are widely used in oceanography to represent the THC and estimate the transport of heat and freshwater. In the present study, the regional and global changes of the THC, the transports of heat and freshwater and the timescale of the circulation between the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM, ≈ 21 kyr ago) and the present-day climate are explored using an Ocean General Circulation Model and streamfunctions projected in various coordinate systems. We found that the LGM tropical circulation is about 10% stronger than under modern conditions due to stronger wind stress. Consequently, the maximum tropical transport of heat is about 20% larger during the LGM. In the North Atlantic basin, the large sea-ice extent during the LGM constrains the Gulf Stream to propagate in a more zonal direction, reducing the transport of heat towards high latitudes by almost 50% and reorganising the freshwater transport. The strength of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation depends strongly on the coordinate system. It varies between 9 and 16 Sv during the LGM, and between 12 to 19 Sv for the present day. Similar to paleo-proxy reconstructions, a large intrusion of saline Antarctic Bottom Water takes place into the Northern Hemisphere basins and squeezes most of the Conveyor Belt circulation into a shallower part of the ocean. These different haline regimes between the glacial and interglacial period are illustrated by the streamfunctions in latitude–salinity coordinates and thermohaline coordinates. From these diagnostics, we found that the LGM Conveyor Belt circulation is driven by an enhanced salinity contrast between the Atlantic and the Pacific basin. The LGM abyssal circulation lifts and makes the Conveyor Belt cell deviate from the abyssal region, resulting in a ventilated upper layer above a deep stagnant layer, and an Atlantic circulation more isolated from the Pacific. An estimate of the timescale of the circulation reveals a sluggish abyssal circulation during the LGM, and a Conveyor Belt circulation that is more vigorous due to the combination of a stronger wind stress and a shortened circulation route.

Evaluation of wet troposphere path delays from atmospheric reanalyses and radiometers and their impact on the altimeter sea level - J.-F. Legeais; M. Ablain; S. Thao (Ocean Science, 2014)
The assessment of long-term errors in altimeter sea level measurements is essential for studies related to the mean sea level (MSL) evolution. One of the main contributors to the long-term sea level uncertainties is the correction of the altimeter range from the wet troposphere path delay, which is provided by onboard microwave radiometers for the main altimeter missions. The wet troposphere correction (WTC) derived from the operational European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecast (ECMWF) atmospheric model is usually used as a reference for comparison with the radiometer WTC. However, due to several improvements in the processing, this model is not homogenous over the altimetry period (from 1993 onwards), preventing the detection of errors in the radiometer WTC, especially in the first altimetry decade. In this study, we determine the quality of WTC provided by the operational ECMWF atmospheric model in comparison with the fields derived from the ERA-Interim (ECMWF) and the National Centers for Environmental Predictions/National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCEP/NCAR) reanalyses. Separating our analyses on several temporal and spatial scales, we demonstrate that ERA-Interim provides the best modeled WTC for the altimeter sea level at climate scales. This allows us to better evaluate the radiometer WTC errors, especially for the first altimetry decade (1993–2002), and thus to improve the altimeter MSL error budget. This work also demonstrates the relevance of the interactions between the "altimetry" and "atmosphere" communities, since the expertise of each is of benefit to the other.

Changes in extreme regional sea surface height due to an abrupt weakening of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation - S.-E. Brunnabend; H. A. Dijkstra; M. A. Kliphuis; B. van Werkhoven; H. E. Bal; F. Seinstra; J. Maassen; M. van Meersbergen (Ocean Science, 2014)
As an extreme scenario of dynamical sea level changes, regional sea surface height (SSH) changes that occur in the North Atlantic due to an abrupt weakening of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) are simulated. Two versions of the same ocean-only model are used to study the effect of ocean model resolution on these SSH changes: a high-resolution (HR) strongly eddying version and a low-resolution (LR) version in which the effect of eddies is parameterised. The weakening of the AMOC is induced in both model versions by applying strong freshwater perturbations around Greenland. A rapid decrease of the AMOC in the HR version induces much shorter return times of several specific regional and coastal extremes in North Atlantic SSH than in the LR version. This effect is caused by a change in main eddy pathways associated with a change in separation latitude of the Gulf Stream.

Effects of bottom topography on dynamics of river discharges in tidal regions: case study of twin plumes in Taiwan Strait - K. A. Korotenko; A. A. Osadchiev; P. O. Zavialov; R.-C. Kao; C.-F. Ding (Ocean Science, 2014)
The Princeton Ocean Model (POM) is used to investigate the intratidal variability of currents and turbulent mixing and their impact on the characteristics and evolution of the plumes of two neighbouring rivers, the Zhuoshui River and the Wu River, at the central eastern coast of Taiwan Strait. The two estuaries are located close to each other and their conditions are similar in many respects, and yet the two plumes exhibit significantly different behaviour. We explain this through differences of the bottom topography in the areas adjacent to the two river mouths. The Zhuoshui River runs into a shallow area that is permanently exposed to strong tidal mixing, while the Wu River mouth is located in a deeper, stratified area outside the region of intense mixing. This destruction of the plume by tidal mixing is confirmed by the results of numerical modeling with POM. The spatial and temporal variability of turbulent kinetic energy, the rates of its production by shear and destruction rate by buoyancy in the study, as well as the horizontal diffusivity, are analysed with the emphasis given to the dependence of the turbulence parameters on the bottom topography on the one hand and their influence on the river plumes on the other. The results of the study support the central hypothesis of this paper: the dynamic behaviours of the Zhuoshui and Wu plumes are different because their evolution occurs under different regimes of bottom-generated turbulent mixing. Further, we use a Lagrangian particle tracking model in combination with POM to investigate the effect of the tidal wetting-and-drying (WAD) near the Zhuoshui River estuary, and demonstrate that WAD leads to significant reduction of the plume extent and surface salinity deficit near the river mouth. We use observational data from a short field campaign in the study area to tune and validate the model experiments.

A method to generate fully multi-scale optimal interpolation by combining efficient single process analyses, illustrated by a DINEOF analysis spiced with a local optimal interpolation - J.-M. Beckers; A. Barth; I. Tomazic; A. Alvera-Azcárate (Ocean Science, 2014)
We present a method in which the optimal interpolation of multi-scale processes can be expanded into a succession of simpler interpolations. First, we prove how the optimal analysis of a superposition of two processes can be obtained by different mathematical formulations involving iterations and analysis focusing on a single process. From the different mathematical equivalent formulations, we then select the most efficient ones by analyzing the behavior of the different possibilities in a simple and well-controlled test case. The clear guidelines deduced from this experiment are then applied to a real situation in which we combine large-scale analysis of hourly Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) satellite images using data interpolating empirical orthogonal functions (DINEOF) with a local optimal interpolation using a Gaussian covariance. It is shown that the optimal combination indeed provides the best reconstruction and can therefore be exploited to extract the maximum amount of useful information from the original data.

Evaluation of the eastern equatorial Pacific SST seasonal cycle in CMIP5 models - Z. Y. Song; H. L. Liu; C. Z. Wang; L. P. Zhang; F. L. Qiao (Ocean Science, 2014)
The annual cycle of sea surface temperature (SST) in the eastern equatorial Pacific (EEP) has the largest amplitude in the tropical oceans, but it is poorly represented in the coupled general circulation models (CGCMs) of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 3 (CMIP3). In this study, 18 models from CMIP5 are evaluated in terms of their capability of simulating the SST annual cycle in the EEP. Fourteen models are able to simulate the annual cycle fairly well, which suggests that the performances of CGCMs have been improved. The results of multi-model ensemble (MME) mean show that CMIP5 CGCMs can capture the annual cycle signal in the EEP with a correlation coefficient up to 0.9. Moreover, the CMIP5 models can simulate the westward propagation character of the EEP SST – in particular, EEP region 1 (EP1) near the eastern coast leading EEP region 2 (EP2) near the central equatorial Pacific by 1 to 2 months in spring. However, the models fail to reproduce the in-phase SST relationship between EP1 and EP2 in August and September. For amplitude simulations, the model SST in EP1 shows weaker seasonal variation than the observations due to the large warm SST biases from the southeastern tropical Pacific in the boreal autumn. In EP2, the simulated SST amplitudes are nearly the same as the observations while there is the presence of a quasi-constant cold bias associated with poor cold tongue simulation in the CGCMs. To improve CGCM simulation of a realistic SST seasonal cycle, local and remote SST biases that exist in both CMIP3 and CMIP5 CGCMs must be resolved at least for simulating the SSTs in the central equatorial Pacific and the southeastern tropical Pacific.

Springtime zooplankton size structure over the continental shelf of the Bay of Biscay - P. Vandromme; E. Nogueira; M. Huret; & Aacute; . Lopez-Urrutia; G. González-Nuevo González; M. Sourisseau; P. Petitgas (Ocean Science, 2014)
Linking lower and higher trophic levels requires special focus on the essential role played by mid-trophic levels, i.e., the zooplankton. One of the most relevant pieces of information regarding zooplankton in terms of flux of energy lies in its size structure. In this study, an extensive data set of size measurements is presented, covering parts of the western European continental shelf and slope, from the Galician coast to the Ushant front, during the springs from 2005 to 2012. Zooplankton size spectra were estimated using measurements carried out in situ with the Laser Optical Plankton Counter (LOPC) and with an image analysis of WP2 net samples (200 μm mesh size) performed following the ZooScan methodology. The LOPC counts and sizes particles within 100–2000 μm of spherical equivalent diameter (ESD), whereas the WP2/ZooScan allows for counting, sizing and identification of zooplankton from ~ 400 μm ESD. The difference between the LOPC (all particles) and the WP2/ZooScan (zooplankton only) was assumed to provide the size distribution of non-living particles, whose descriptors were related to a set of explanatory variables (including physical, biological and geographic descriptors). A statistical correction based on these explanatory variables was further applied to the LOPC size distribution in order to remove the non-living particles part, and therefore estimate the size distribution of zooplankton. This extensive data set provides relevant information about the zooplankton size distribution variability, productivity and trophic transfer efficiency in the pelagic ecosystem of the Bay of Biscay at a regional and interannual scale.

Flow dynamics around downwelling submarine canyons - J. M. Spurgin; S. E. Allen (Ocean Science, 2014)
Flow dynamics around a downwelling submarine canyon were analysed with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology general circulation model. Blanes Canyon (northwestern Mediterranean) was used for topographic and initial forcing conditions. Fourteen scenarios were modelled with varying forcing conditions. Rossby and Burger numbers were used to determine the significance of Coriolis acceleration and stratification (respectively) and their impacts on flow dynamics. A new non-dimensional parameter (χ) was introduced to determine the significance of vertical variations in stratification. Some simulations do see brief periods of upwards displacement of water during the 10-day model period; however, the presence of the submarine canyon is found to enhance downwards advection of density in all model scenarios. High Burger numbers lead to negative vorticity and a trapped anticyclonic eddy within the canyon, as well as an increased density anomaly. Low Burger numbers lead to positive vorticity, cyclonic circulation, and weaker density anomalies. Vertical variations in stratification affect zonal jet placement. Under the same forcing conditions, the zonal jet is pushed offshore in more uniformly stratified domains. The offshore jet location generates upwards density advection away from the canyon, while onshore jets generate downwards density advection everywhere within the model domain. Increasing Rossby values across the canyon axis, as well as decreasing Burger values, increase negative vertical flux at shelf break depth (150 m). Increasing Rossby numbers lead to stronger downwards advection of a passive tracer (nitrate), as well as stronger vorticity within the canyon. Results from previous studies are explained within this new dynamic framework.

Qualified temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen climatologies in a changing Adriatic Sea - M. Lipizer; E. Partescano; A. Rabitti; A. Giorgetti; A. Crise (Ocean Science, 2014)
An updated climatology, based on a comprehensive data set (1911–2009) of temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen, has been produced for the whole Adriatic Sea with the variational inverse method using the DIVA (Data-Interpolating Variational Analysis) software. Climatological maps were produced at 26 levels and validated with ordinary cross-validation and with a real vs. synthetic temperature–salinity diagram intercomparison. The concept of climatology–observation misfit (COM) has been introduced as an estimate of the physical variability associated with the climatological structures. In order to verify the temporal stability of the climatology, long-term variability has been investigated in the Middle Adriatic and the South Adriatic pits, regarded as the most suitable records of possible long-term changes. Compared with previous climatologies, this study allows a clear identification of the seasonal dynamic of the southern Adriatic, where a clear oxygen minimum is typically observed in the centre of the South Adriatic Gyre. New and better resolved features emerged from this analysis: (1) below 100 m all properties profoundly differ between the central and the southern Adriatic and seem characterized by different biogeochemical dynamics; (2) the South Adriatic Pit clearly shows the remote effects of the Eastern Mediterranean Transient, while no effect is observed in the Middle Adriatic Pit; (3) the deepest part of the southern Adriatic seems now to be significantly saltier (+0.18 psu since the period 1910–1914, with an increase of +0.018 decade−1 since the late 1940s) and warmer (+0.54 °C since 1910–1914) even though a long-term temperature trend could not be statistically demonstrated; (4) the Middle Adriatic Pit shows a long-term increase in apparent oxygen utilization (+0.77 mL L−1 since 1910–1914, with a constant increase of +0.2 mL L−1 decade−1 after the 1970s).

Variability of water mass properties in the Strait of Sicily in summer period of 1998–2013 - A. Bonanno; F. Placenti; G. Basilone; R. Mifsud; S. Genovese; B. Patti; M. Di Bitetto; S. Aronica; M. Barra; G. Giacalone; R. Ferreri; I. Fontana; et al. (Ocean Science, 2014)
The Strait of Sicily plays a crucial role in determining the water-mass exchanges and related properties between the western and eastern Mediterranean. Hydrographic measurements carried out from 1998 to 2013 allowed the identification of the main water masses present in the Strait of Sicily: a surface layer composed of Atlantic water (AW) flowing eastward, intermediate and deep layers mainly composed of Levantine intermediate water (LIW), and transitional eastern Mediterranean deep water (tEMDW) flowing in the opposite direction. Furthermore, for the first time, the signature of intermittent presence of western intermediate water (WIW) is also highlighted in the northwestern part of the study area (12.235° E, 37.705° N). The excellent area coverage allowed to highlight the high horizontal and vertical inter-annual variability affecting the study area and also to recognize the permanent character of the main mesoscale phenomena present in the surface water layer. Moreover, strong temperature-salinity correlations in the intermediate layer, for specific time intervals, seem to be linked to the reversal of surface circulation in the central Ionian Sea. The analysis of CTD data in deeper water layer indicates the presence of a large volume of tEMDW in the Strait of Sicily during the summers of 2006 and 2009.

Characterisation and quantification of regional diurnal SST cycles from SEVIRI - I. Karagali; J. L. Høyer (Ocean Science, 2014)
Hourly SST (sea surface temperature) fields from the geostationary Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) offer a unique opportunity for the characterisation and quantification of the diurnal cycle of SST in the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea and the northern European shelf seas. Six years of SST fields from SEVIRI are validated against the Advanced Along-Track Scanning Radiometer (AATSR) Reprocessed for Climate (ARC) data set. The overall SEVIRI–AATSR bias is −0.07 K, and the standard deviation is 0.51 K, based on more than 53 × 106 match-ups. Identification of the diurnal signal requires an SST foundation temperature field representative of well-mixed conditions which typically occur at night-time or under moderate and strong winds. Such fields are generated from the SEVIRI archive and are validated against pre-dawn SEVIRI SSTs and night-time SSTs from drifting buoys. The different methodologies tested for the foundation temperature fields reveal variability introduced by averaging night-time SSTs over many days compared to single-day, pre-dawn values. Diurnal warming is most pronounced in the Mediterranean and Baltic seas while weaker diurnal signals are found in the tropics. Longer diurnal warming duration is identified in the high latitudes compared to the tropics. The maximum monthly mean diurnal signal can be up to 0.5 K in specific regions.

Computation of a new mean dynamic topography for the Mediterranean Sea from model outputs, altimeter measurements and oceanographic in situ data - M.-H. Rio; A. Pascual; P.-M. Poulain; M. Menna; B. Barceló; J. Tintoré (Ocean Science, 2014)
The accurate knowledge of the ocean's mean dynamic topography (MDT) is a crucial issue for a number of oceanographic applications and, in some areas of the Mediterranean Sea, important limitations have been found pointing to the need of an upgrade. We present a new MDT that was computed for the Mediterranean Sea. It profits from improvements made possible by the use of extended data sets and refined processing. The updated data set spans the 1993–2012 period and consists of drifter velocities, altimetry data, hydrological profiles and model data. The methodology is similar to the previous MDT by Rio et al. (2007). However, in Rio et al. (2007) no hydrological profiles had been taken into account. This required the development of dedicated processing. A number of sensitivity studies have been carried out to obtain the most accurate MDT as possible. The main results from these sensitivity studies are the following: moderate impact to the choice of correlation scales but almost negligible sensitivity to the choice of the first guess (model solution). A systematic external validation to independent data has been made to evaluate the performance of the new MDT. Compared to previous versions, SMDT-MED-2014 (Synthetic Mean Dynamic Topography of the MEDiterranean sea) features shorter-scale structures, which results in an altimeter velocity variance closer to the observed velocity variance and, at the same time, gives better Taylor skills.

Heat loss from the Atlantic water layer in the northern Kara Sea: causes and consequences - I. A. Dmitrenko; S. A. Kirillov; N. Serra; N. V. Koldunov; V. V. Ivanov; U. Schauer; I. V. Polyakov; D. Barber; M. Janout; V. S. Lien; M. Makhotin; Y. Aksenov (Ocean Science, 2014)
A distinct, subsurface density front along the eastern St. Anna Trough in the northern Kara Sea is inferred from hydrographic observations in 1996 and 2008–2010. Direct velocity measurements show a persistent northward subsurface current (~ 18 cm s−1) along the St. Anna Trough eastern flank. This sheared flow, carrying the outflow from the Barents and Kara seas to the Arctic Ocean, is also evident from shipboard observations as well as from geostrophic velocities and numerical model simulations. Although we cannot substantiate our conclusions by direct observation-based estimates of mixing rates in the area, we hypothesize that the enhanced vertical mixing along the St. Anna Trough eastern flank favors the upward heat loss from the intermediate warm Atlantic water layer. Modeling results support this hypothesis. The upward heat flux inferred from hydrographic data and model simulations is of O(30–100) W m−2. The region of lowered sea ice thickness and concentration seen both in sea ice remote sensing observations and model simulations marks the Atlantic water pathway in the St. Anna Trough and adjacent Nansen Basin continental margin. In fact, the sea ice shows a delayed freeze-up onset during fall and a reduction in the sea ice thickness during winter. This is consistent with our results on the enhanced Atlantic water heat loss along the Atlantic water pathway in the St. Anna Trough.

Weighing the ocean with bottom-pressure sensors: robustness of the ocean mass annual cycle estimate - Joanne Williams; C. W. Hughes; M. E. Tamisiea; S. D. P. Williams (Ocean Science, 2014)
We use ocean bottom-pressure measurements from 17 tropical sites to determine the annual cycle of ocean mass. We show that such a calculation is robust, and use three methods to estimate errors in the mass determination. Our final best estimate, using data from the best sites and two ocean models, is that the annual cycle has an amplitude of 0.85 mbar (equivalent to 8.4 mm of sea level, or 3100 Gt of water), with a 95% chance of lying within the range 0.61–1.17 mbar. The time of the peak in ocean mass is 10 October, with 95% chance of occurring between 21 September and 25 October. The simultaneous fitting of annual ocean mass also improves the fitting of bottom-pressure instrument drift.

The Mediterranean is becoming saltier - M. Borghini; H. Bryden; K. Schroeder; S. Sparnocchia; A. Vetrano (Ocean Science, 2014)
The deep waters of the western Mediterranean Sea have become saltier and warmer for at least the past 40 years at rates of about 0.015 and 0.04 °C per decade. Here we show that two processes contribute to these increases in temperature and salinity. On interannual timescales, deep water formation events in severe winters transmit increasingly salty intermediate waters into the deep water. The second process is a steady downward flux of heat and salt associated with salt finger mixing down through the halocline–thermocline that connects the Levantine Intermediate Water with the deep water. We illustrate these two processes with observations from repeat surveys of the western Mediterranean basin we have made over the past 10 years.

Impact of a 30% reduction in Atlantic meridional overturning during 2009–2010 - H. L. Bryden; B. A. King; G. D. McCarthy; E. L. McDonagh (Ocean Science, 2014)
The Atlantic meridional overturning circulation comprises warm upper waters flowing northward, becoming colder and denser until they form deep water in the Labrador and Nordic Seas that then returns southward through the North and South Atlantic. The ocean heat transport associated with this circulation is 1.3 PW, accounting for 25% of the maximum combined atmosphere–ocean heat transport necessary to balance the Earth's radiation budget. We have been monitoring the circulation at 25° N since 2004. A 30% slowdown in the circulation for 14 months during 2009–2010 reduced northward ocean heat transport across 25° N by 0.4 PW and resulted in colder upper ocean waters north of 25° N and warmer waters south of 25° N. The spatial pattern of upper ocean temperature anomalies helped push the wintertime circulation 2010–2011 into record-low negative NAO (North Atlantic Oscillation) conditions with accompanying severe winter conditions over northwestern Europe. The warmer temperatures south of 25° N contributed to the high intensity hurricane season in summer 2010.

Hydrographic situation during cruise M84/3 and P414 (spring 2011) in the Mediterranean Sea - D. Hainbucher; A. Rubino; V. Cardin; T. Tanhua; K. Schroeder; M. Bensi (Ocean Science, 2014)
Aspects of hydrography and large-scale circulation observed in the Mediterranean Sea during the M84/3 and P414 cruises (April and June 2011, respectively) are presented. In contrast to most of the recent expeditions, which were limited to special areas of the basin, these two cruises, especially the M84/3, offered the opportunity of delineating a quasi-synoptic picture of the distribution of the relevant physical parameters along a section extending through the whole Mediterranean, from the Lebanese coast up to the Strait of Gibraltar. The foci of our analysis are the observed water mass properties and velocity fields. The first are investigated through T–S diagrams and an optimum multiparameter (OMP) analysis and the results are discussed also in the context of recently identified modes of variability; the second are studied by comparing the velocity fields observed using a vessel-mounted Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler and those calculated from the observed density fields. Overall, a distribution of temperature, salinity and geostrophic velocities emerges, which is far from that observed before the beginning of the so-called "Eastern Mediterranean Transient", a major climatic shift in the hydrography and circulation of the Mediterranean Sea which began at the end of the 1980s. The picture which emerges helps to further address the complexity of long-term evolution of hydrography and large-scale circulation of the Mediterranean Sea.

Corrigendum to "Observations of a phytoplankton spring bloom onset triggered by a density front in NW Mediterranean" published in Ocean Sci., 10, 657–666, 2014 - A. Olita; S. Sparnocchia; S. Cusí; L. Fazioli; R. Sorgente; J. Tintoré; A. Ribotti (Ocean Science, 2014)

Observations of a phytoplankton spring bloom onset triggered by a density front in NW Mediterranean - A. Olita; S. Sparnocchia; S. Cusí; L. Fazioli; R. Sorgente; J. Tintoré; A. Ribotti (Ocean Science, 2014)
Phytoplankton blooms in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea are seasonal events that mainly occur in a specific area comprising the Gulf of Lion and the Provençal basin, where they are promoted by a general cyclonic circulation, strong wind-driven mixing and subsequent re-stratification of the water column. At the southern boundary of this area, a persistent density front known as the north Balearic front can be found. The front is presumed to cause an early phytoplankton bloom in its vicinity because (a) it enhances the transport of nutrients into the euphotic layer and (b) it promotes the speedy re-stratification of the water column (through frontal instabilities). In February and March 2013, a glider, equipped with a CTD (conductivity, temperature, and depth device) and a fluorometer, was deployed on a mission that took it from the Balearic Islands to Sardinia and back. The frontal zone was crossed twice, once during the outbound leg and the once on the return leg. The data provided by the glider clearly showed the onset of a bloom soon after a decrease in wind-driven turbulent convection and mixing. The in situ observations were supported and confirmed by satellite imagery. It is shown that frontal dynamics play a key role in the promotion and acceleration of re-stratification, which is a necessary pre-conditioning factor for the onset of blooms much like other relevant processes such as an enhanced biological pump. Swift re-stratification stimulates new production by inhibiting mixing. Finally, viewing the blooming phenomenon from a regional perspective, it seems that Sverdrup's critical depth model applies in the northern well-mixed area whereas, in the south, front-related re-stratification seems to be the principal cause.

Mechanisms of Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation variability simulated by the NEMO model - V. N. Stepanov; K. Haines (Ocean Science, 2014)
We have investigated mechanisms for the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) variability at 26.5° N (other than the Ekman component) that can be related to external forcings, in particular wind variability. Resolution dependence is studied using identical experiments with 1° and 1/4° NEMO model runs over 1960–2010. The analysis shows that much of the variability in the AMOC at 26° N can be related to the wind strength over the North Atlantic, through mechanisms lagged on different timescales. At ~ 1-year lag the January–June difference of mean sea level pressure between high and mid-latitudes in the North Atlantic explains 35–50% of the interannual AMOC variability (with negative correlation between wind strength and AMOC). At longer lead timescales ~ 4 years, strong (weak) winds over the northern North Atlantic (specifically linked to the NAO index) are followed by higher (lower) AMOC transport, but this mechanism only works in the 1/4° model. Analysis of the density correlations suggests an increase (decrease) in deep water formation in the North Atlantic subpolar gyre to be the cause. Therefore another 30% of the AMOC variability at 26° N can be related to density changes in the top 1000 m in the Labrador and Irminger seas occurring ~ 4 years earlier.

The surface thermal signature and air–sea coupling over the Agulhas rings propagating in the South Atlantic Ocean interior - J. M. A. C. Souza; B. Chapron; E. Autret (Ocean Science, 2014)
The surface signature of Agulhas rings propagating across the South Atlantic Ocean is observed based on three independent data sets: Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for the Earth Observing System/Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Microwave Imager (TMI) (TMI/AMSR-E) satellite sea surface temperature, Argo profiling floats and a merged winds product derived from scatterometer observations and reanalysis results. A persistent pattern of cold (negative) sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in the eddy core, with warm (positive) anomalies at the boundary, is revealed. This pattern contrasts with the classical idea of a warm core anticyclone. Taking advantage of a moving reference frame corresponding to the altimetry-detected Agulhas rings, modifications of the surface winds by the ocean-induced currents and SST gradients are evaluated using satellite SST and wind observations. As obtained, the averaged stationary thermal expression and mean eddy-induced circulation are coupled to the marine atmospheric boundary layer, leading to surface wind anomalies. Consequently, an average Ekman pumping associated with these mean surface wind variations consistently emerges. This average Ekman pumping is found to explain very well the SST anomaly signatures of the detected Agulhas rings. Particularly, this mechanism seems to be the key factor determining that these anticyclonic eddies exhibit stationary imprints of cold SST anomalies near their core centers. A residual phase with the maximum sea surface height (SSH) anomaly and wind speed anomaly is found to the right of the mean wind direction, apparently maintaining a coherent stationary thermal expression coupled to the marine atmospheric boundary layer.

Residual circulation and freshwater transport in the Dutch Wadden Sea: a numerical modelling study - M. Duran-Matute; T. Gerkema; G. J. de Boer; J. J. Nauw; U. Gräwe (Ocean Science, 2014)
The Dutch Wadden Sea is a region of intertidal flats located between the chain of Wadden Islands and the Dutch mainland. We present numerical model results on the tidal prisms and residual flows through the tidal inlets and across one of the main watersheds. The model also provides insight into the pathways of fresh water originating from the two sluices at the Afsluitdijk (enclosure dike) through the use of passive tracers. All these results are obtained from three-dimensional numerical simulations carried out with the General Estuarine Transport Model (GETM), at a horizontal resolution of 200 m and with terrain-following vertical coordinates with 30 layers. We concentrate on the years 2009–2010, for which we impose meteorological forcing, freshwater discharge, and boundary conditions for tidal forcing and storm surges. Results from the model show an excellent agreement with various observational data sets for sea surface height, temperature, salinity and transport through the Texel Inlet. The simulations show that although tides are responsible for a characteristic pattern of residual transport through the inlets, the wind imposes a large variability on its magnitude and can even invert its direction during strong southwesterly winds. Even though these events are sporadic, they play an important role in the flushing of the Dutch Wadden Sea, as they strongly diminish the flushing time of fresh water. In addition, wind can force a residual transport across the Terschelling watershed of the same order, if not larger, than through any of the main tidal inlets, despite the fact that its tidal prism is much smaller than any of those of the inlets. For the pathways of fresh water, the Terschelling watershed turns out to be more important than was previously thought, while the opposite holds for the Vlie Inlet.

An observed 20-year time series of Agulhas leakage - D. Le Bars; J. V. Durgadoo; H. A. Dijkstra; A. Biastoch; W. P. M. De Ruijter (Ocean Science, 2014)
We provide a time series of Agulhas leakage anomalies over the last 20-years from satellite altimetry. Until now, measuring the interannual variability of Indo-Atlantic exchange has been the major barrier in the investigation of the dynamics and large scale impact of Agulhas leakage. We compute the difference of transport between the Agulhas Current and Agulhas Return Current, which allows us to deduce Agulhas leakage. The main difficulty is to separate the Agulhas Return Current from the southern limb of the subtropical "supergyre" south of Africa. For this purpose, an algorithm that uses absolute dynamic topography data is developed. The algorithm is applied to a state-of-the-art ocean model. The comparison with a Lagrangian method to measure the leakage allows us to validate the new method. An important result is that it is possible to measure Agulhas leakage in this model using the velocity field along a section that crosses both the Agulhas Current and the Agulhas Return Current. In the model a good correlation is found between measuring leakage using the full depth velocities and using only the surface geostrophic velocities. This allows us to extend the method to along-track absolute dynamic topography from satellites. It is shown that the accuracy of the mean dynamic topography does not allow us to determine the mean leakage but that leakage anomalies can be accurately computed.

An automated gas exchange tank for determining gas transfer velocities in natural seawater samples - K. Schneider-Zapp; M. E. Salter; R. C. Upstill-Goddard (Ocean Science, 2014)
In order to advance understanding of the role of seawater surfactants in the air–sea exchange of climatically active trace gases via suppression of the gas transfer velocity (kw), we constructed a fully automated, closed air–water gas exchange tank and coupled analytical system. The system allows water-side turbulence in the tank to be precisely controlled with an electronically operated baffle. Two coupled gas chromatographs and an integral equilibrator, connected to the tank in a continuous gas-tight system, allow temporal changes in the partial pressures of SF6, CH4 and N2O to be measured simultaneously in the tank water and headspace at multiple turbulence settings, during a typical experimental run of 3.25 h. PC software developed by the authors controls all operations and data acquisition, enabling the optimisation of experimental conditions with high reproducibility. The use of three gases allows three independent estimates of kw for each turbulence setting; these values are subsequently normalised to a constant Schmidt number for direct comparison. The normalised kw estimates show close agreement. Repeated experiments with Milli-Q water demonstrate a typical measurement accuracy of 4% for kw. Experiments with natural seawater show that the system clearly resolves the effects on kw of spatial and temporal trends in natural surfactant activity. The system is an effective tool with which to probe the relationships between kw, surfactant activity and biogeochemical indices of primary productivity, and should assist in providing valuable new insights into the air–sea gas exchange process.

Upper ocean response to the passage of two sequential typhoons - D. B. Baranowski; P. J. Flatau; S. Chen; P. G. Black (Ocean Science, 2014)
The atmospheric wind stress forcing and the oceanic response are examined for the period between 15 September 2008 and 6 October 2008, during which two typhoons – Hagupit and Jangmi – passed through the same region of the western Pacific at Saffir–Simpson intensity categories one and three, respectively. A three-dimensional oceanic mixed layer model is compared against the remote sensing observations as well as high-repetition Argo float data. Numerical model simulations suggested that magnitude of the cooling caused by the second typhoon, Jangmi, would have been significantly larger if the ocean had not already been influenced by the first typhoon, Hagupit. It is estimated that the temperature anomaly behind Jangmi would have been about 0.4 °C larger in both cold wake and left side of the track. The numerical simulations suggest that the magnitude and position of Jangmi's cold wake depends on the precursor state of the ocean as well as lag between typhoons. Based on sensitivity experiments we show that temperature anomaly difference between "single typhoon" and "two typhoons" as well as magnitude of the cooling strongly depends on the distance between them. The amount of kinetic energy and coupling with inertial oscillations are important factors for determining magnitude of the temperature anomaly behind moving typhoons. This paper indicates that studies of ocean–atmosphere tropical cyclone interaction will benefit from denser, high-repetition Argo float measurements.

Quantification of octacalcium phosphate, authigenic apatite and detrital apatite in coastal sediments using differential dissolution and standard addition - J. F. Oxmann; L. Schwendenmann (Ocean Science, 2014)
Knowledge of calcium phosphate (Ca-P) solubility is crucial for understanding temporal and spatial variations of phosphorus (P) concentrations in water bodies and sedimentary reservoirs. In situ relationships between liquid- and solid-phase levels cannot be fully explained by dissolved analytes alone and need to be verified by determining particular sediment P species. Lack of quantification methods for these species limits the knowledge of the P cycle. To address this issue, we (i) optimized a specifically developed conversion–extraction (CONVEX) method for P species quantification using standard additions, and (ii) simultaneously determined solubilities of Ca-P standards by measuring their pH-dependent contents in the sediment matrix. Ca-P minerals including various carbonate fluorapatite (CFAP) specimens from different localities, fluorapatite (FAP), fish bone apatite, synthetic hydroxylapatite (HAP) and octacalcium phosphate (OCP) were characterized by XRD, Raman, FTIR and elemental analysis. Sediment samples were incubated with and without these reference minerals and then sequentially extracted to quantify Ca-P species by their differential dissolution at pH values between 3 and 8. The quantification of solid-phase phosphates at varying pH revealed solubilities in the following order: OCP > HAP > CFAP (4.5% CO3) > CFAP (3.4% CO3) > CFAP (2.2% CO3) > FAP. Thus, CFAP was less soluble in sediment than HAP, and CFAP solubility increased with carbonate content. Unspiked sediment analyses together with standard addition analyses indicated consistent differential dissolution of natural sediment species vs. added reference species and therefore verified the applicability of the CONVEX method in separately determining the most prevalent Ca-P minerals. We found surprisingly high OCP contents in the coastal sediments analyzed, which supports the hypothesis of apatite formation by an OCP precursor mechanism.