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An idealized modeling study of the midlatitude variability of the wind-driven meridional overturning circulation

Spall, M.A., 2021:  An Idealized Modeling Study of the Midlatitude Variability of the Wind-Driven Meridional Overturning Circulation.  Journal of Physical Oceanography, 2425-2441, https://doi.org/10.1175/JPO-D-20-0317.1 The amplitude of the wind-forced meridional overturning circulation variability as a function of latitude and forcing frequency for the upper (layer 1), mid (layer 2), and abyssal (layer 3) ocean as predicted…

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State of the Observatory Report gives an overview of the 20 year history of the observatory and outlines possible paths for the future of MVCO and its assets

Kirincich, A. (2021) Martha’s Vineyard Coastal Observatory 2021: State of the Observatory Report. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Schematic drawing of MVCO’s assets, the Air-Sea Interaction Tower, Offshore Node, Meteorological Mast, and Shore Lab. The Martha’s Vineyard Coastal Observatory 2021: State of the Observatory Report gives an overview of the 20 year history of the observatory…

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Seasonal prediction of bottom temperature on the Northeast U.S. continental shelf

Chen, Z., Y.-O. Kwon, K. Chen, P. Fratantoni, G. Gawarkiewicz, T.J. Joyce, T.J. Miller, J.A. Nye, V.S. Saba, and B.C. Stock, 2021: Seasonal Prediction of Bottom Temperature on the Northeast U.S. Continental Shelf. J. Geophys. Res., 126, e2021JC017187. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021JC017187. Reliable prediction of bottom temperature could improve fisheries stock assessments on the Northeast U.S. shelf (NES),…

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Long-distance radiation of Rossby waves from the equatorial current system

Farrar, J. T., Durland, T., Jayne, S. R., and Price, J. F., 2021. Long-Distance Radiation of Rossby Waves from the Equatorial Current System. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 51(6):1947-1966. https://doi.org/10.1175/JPO-D-20-0048.1 Satellite sea surface height measurements on 2 Dec 1998, after filtering to emphasize the monthly period “tropical instability waves” that result from an instability or breakdown…

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Intraseasonal sea level variability in the Persian Gulf

Piecuch, C.G., Fukumori, I., and Ponte, R. M., 2021. Intraseasonal Sea Level Variability in the Persian Gulf. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 51(5), 1687-1704. https://doi.org/10.1175/JPO-D-20-0296.1   The Persian Gulf is one of the world’s busiest water ways, and its coastline is home to millions of people. However, due to a lack of historical data, sea-level variability in…

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Climate did not drive Common Era Maldivian sea-level lowstands

Piecuch, C.G., Kemp, A.C., Gebbie, G., and Meltzner, A. J., 2021. Climate did not drive Common Era Maldivian sea-level lowstands. Nature Geoscience, 14, 273–275. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-021-00731-2   Reconstructions of sea level during Common Era—the past 2,000 years—are informative of relationships between sea level and natural climate variability, and the uniqueness of modern sea-level rise. Researchers recently reconstructed…

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Understanding physical drivers of the 2015/16 marine heatwaves in the Northwest Atlantic

Perez, E., Ryan, S., Andres, M. et al, 2021. Understanding physical drivers of the 2015/16 marine heatwaves in the Northwest Atlantic. Scientific Reports 11, 17623. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-97012-0 The authors of this study looked into major marine heatwave events that happened in the Northwest Atlantic during 2015-16. We analyze spatiotemporal patterns of surface and subsurface temperature structures…

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How much Arctic fresh water participates in the subpolar overturning circulation?

Le Bras, I., F. Straneo, M. Muilwijk, L. H. Smedsrud, F. Li, M. S. Lozier, and N. P. Holliday, 2021: How much Arctic fresh water participates in the subpolar overturning circulation? Journal of Physical Oceanography, 955–973, https://doi.org/10.1175/jpo-d-20-0240.1. Fresh Arctic waters flowing into the Atlantic are thought to have two primary fates. They may be mixed…

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Gulf Stream mean and eddy kinetic energy: Three‐dimensional estimates from underwater glider observations

GS_KE_RobertTodd

Todd, R.E. 2021, Gulf stream mean and eddy kinetic energy: Three-dimensional estimates from underwater glider observations, Geophysical Research Letters, 48(6), e2020GL090281, doi: 10.1029/2020GL090281. Energy is a key metric of the Earth’s climate system, of which the ocean is a major part. Kinetic energy, the energy of moving water in the ocean, is partitioned into mean…

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Microstructure mixing observations and finescale parameterizations in the Beaufort Sea

finebeaufortsea

Fine, E. C., J. A. MacKinnon, M. H. Alford, J. M. Mickett (2021). Microstructure mixing observations and finescale parameterizations in the Beaufort Sea, J. Phys. Oceanogr. 51, 19-35 https://doi.org/10.1175/JPO-D-19-0233.1 In the Beaufort Sea in September of 2015, concurrent mooring and microstructure observations were used to assess dissipation rates in the vicinity of 72°35′N, 145°1′W. Microstructure…

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Better observations of the rapidly-warming Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean Features

Beal, L. M., and Coauthors, 2020. A roadmap to IndOOS-2: Better observations of the rapidly-warming Indian Ocean. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-19-0209.1. Indian Ocean main oceanographic features and phenomena. The surface circulation seasonally reverses north of 10°S under the influence of monsoons. The summer monsoon also promotes the intense Somali current as well…

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