Éditeur(s) : Amer Geophysical Union
Résumé : The objective of the paper is to analyze the degree of realism of the Parallel Ocean Program ( POP) model of the Los Alamos Laboratory using the combined TOPEX/Poseidon and ERS-1/2 (TPERS) sea level anomaly (SLA) data sets and to present a detailed study of mesoscale characteristics in the North Atlantic. This description spans 8 years of data from 1993 to 2000. At first, we focus on the analysis of the mean eddy kinetic energy ( EKE) and show that the major characteristics of mesoscale variability are realistically simulated despite an overestimation of the EKE model in the Gulf Stream region. We then describe the SLA space and timescales and propagation velocities at a resolution never achieved before. There is a high level of agreement between the model and altimeter values regarding spatial scales and propagation velocities. POP timescales are, however, significantly longer in the subtropical regions. The westward zonal propagation velocity of both the model and the observations are higher than the speed computed from standard Rossby wave theory. The effect of mean current advection on POP and TPERS propagation velocities is also clearly seen in the Labrador Current and in the Gulf Stream and its recirculations. Finally, a study of the seasonal and interannual variability of the high-frequency (HF) EKE is carried out. The model reproduces accurately most of the HF-EKE seasonal variations in the Caribbean Sea and at high latitudes despite a phase advance. A clear HF-EKE interannual variability is then evidenced. Our hypothesis is that a contraction of the subpolar and subtropical gyres due to the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) could explain a reduction of the eddy activity in the North Atlantic Current, in the Newfoundland basin, and in the Azores Current. In the Caribbean Sea, the interannual variability of the EKE for both POP and TPERS seems to be caused by an interannual variability of the wind stress.
Journal Of Geophysical Research-oceans (0148-0227) (Amer Geophysical Union), 2004-12 , Vol. 109 , N. C1205 , P. 16 PP.

Droits : 2004 AGU
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00087/19841/17491.pdf
DOI:10.1029/2004JC002360
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00087/19841/

Éditeur(s) : Amer Geophysical Union
Résumé : This study focuses on the improved estimation of mesoscale surface ocean circulation obtained by merging TOPEX/Poseidon (T/P) and ERS-1 and -2 altimeter measurements between October 1992 and May 1998. Once carefully intercalibrated and homogenized, these data are merged through an advanced global objective analysis method that allows us to correct for residual long wavelength errors and uses realistic correlation scales of ocean dynamics, The high-resolution (0.25 degrees x 0.25 degrees) merged T/P + ERS-1 and -2 sea level anomaly maps provide more homogeneous and reduced mapping errors than either individual data set and more realistic sea level and geostrophic velocity statistics than T/P data alone. Furthermore, the merged T/P + ERS-1 and -2 maps yield eddy kinetic energy (EKE) levels 30% higher than maps of T/P alone. They also permit realistic global estimates of east and north components of EKE and their seasonal variations, to study EKE sources better. A comparison of velocity statistics with World Ocean Circulation Experiment surface drifters in the North Atlantic shows very good agreement. Comparison with contemporary current meter data in various oceanic regimes also produces comparable levels of energy and similar ratios of northward and eastward energy, showing that the maps are suitable to studying anisotropy. The T/P + ERS zonal and meridional components of the mapped currents usually present comparable rms variability, even though the variability in the Atlantic is more isotropic than that in the Pacific, which exhibits strong zonal changes. The EKE map presents a very detailed description, presumably never before achieved at a global scale. Pronounced seasonal changes of the EKE are found in many regions, notably the northeastern Pacific, the northeastern and northwestern Atlantic, the tropical oceans, and the zonally extended bands centered near 20 degrees S in the Indian and western Pacific Oceans and at 20 degrees N in the northwestern nl Pacific.
Journal Of Geophysical Research-oceans (0148-0227) (Amer Geophysical Union), 2000-08 , Vol. 105 , N. C8 , P. 19477-19498

Droits : 2000 AGU
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00079/19033/16617.pdf
DOI:10.1029/2000JC900063
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00079/19033/

Éditeur(s) : Amer Geophysical Union
Résumé : Recent ROV dives and high-resolution bathymetric data acquired over the Ashadze fields on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (13 degrees N) allow us to derive constraints on the regional and local geological setting of ultramafic-hosted hydrothermal fields. The active vent fields of Ashadze hydrothermal fields are located in the western axial valley wall, downslope from the termination of a prominent corrugated surface and in a transitional domain with respect to ridge segmentation. The study of the shipboard and ROV bathymetry shows that decameter (100 m by 60 m) to kilometer-scaled rockslides shape the axial valley wall slopes in this region. The Ashadze 1 vent field occurs on a coherent granular landslide rock mass that is elongated in an E-W direction. The Ashadze 1 vent field comprises hundreds of active and inactive sulfide chimneys. The Ashadze 2 vent field is located in a NNE-trending linear depression which separates outcrops of gabbros and serpentinized peridotites. Active black smokers in the Ashadze 2 field are located on ultramafic substratum in a 40-m diameter crater, 5-m deep. This crater recalls similar structures described at some vents of the Logatchev hydrothermal field (Mid-Atlantic Ridge 15 degrees N). We discuss the mode of formation for these craters, as well as that for a breadcrust-like array of radial fissures identified at Ashadze 1. We propose that hydrothermalism at Ashadze can be an explosive phenomena associated with geyser-like explosions. Our study also constrains the geological and geophysical context of the ultramafic-hosted Ashadze hydrothermal system that may use the oceanic detachment fault as a preferred permeability conduit.
Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems (1525-2027) (Amer Geophysical Union), 2012-11 , Vol. 13 , N. 1 , P. Q0AG14

Droits : 2012. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved.
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00111/22223/19895.pdf
DOI:10.1029/2012GC004433
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00111/22223/

Éditeur(s) : Amer Geophysical Union
Résumé : We quantify, analyze, and characterize the frequency-dependent microseismic noise recorded by worldwide distributed seismic stations. Microseismic noise is generated through the interaction of ocean waves. It is the strongest ambient noise, and it is observed everywhere on Earth. We introduce a new approach which permits us to detect polarized signals in the time-frequency domain and which we use to characterize the microseismic noise. We analyze 7 years of continuous seismograms from the global GEOSCOPE network. Microseisms are dominated by Rayleigh waves, and we therefore focus on elliptically polarized signals. The polarized signals are detected in the time-frequency domain through a degree of polarization measure. We design polarization spectra and show that microseismic noise is more strongly polarized than noise in other frequency bands. This property is used to measure the directions of the polarized noise at individual stations as a function of time and frequency. Seasonal variations are found for the back azimuths and for the number of polarized signals at many stations. We show that the back azimuth directions are robust measurements that point toward the source areas computed from ocean wave models.
Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems (1525-2027) (Amer Geophysical Union), 2011-07 , Vol. 12 , N. Q07014 , P. 14 p.

Droits : 2011. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved.
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00041/15219/12713.pdf
DOI:10.1029/2011GC003661
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00041/15219/

Éditeur(s) : Amer Geophysical Union
Résumé : Hydrographic (0-1000 dbar) and direct current measurements (0-600 dbar) along 165-degrees-E (20-degrees-S-10-degrees-N) between January 1984 and July 1991 are used to investigate the mean circulation and its relationships with the distributions of salinity and potential vorticity on isopycnal surfaces. Less well documented mean sections along 142-degrees-E and 137-degrees-E are used to complement the 165-degrees-E analysis. The Equatorial Undercurrent is centered on the equator at 165-degrees-E and on 0.5-degrees-N at 142-degrees-E. No variation in its transport (15.0 x 10(6) m3 s-1) is found between those longitudes. We find indication of the Equatorial Undercurrent at 137-degrees-E-0.75-degrees-N in the geostrophic field. The northern and southern Subsurface Countercurrents are clearly identified by extrema of eastward velocity at 165-degrees-E around 3-degrees-N and 3-degrees-S (250 dbar). No evidence of a southern Subsurface Countercurrent is found at 142-degrees-E. At 137-degrees-E the northern Subsurface Countercurrent is not characterized by a local extrema of eastward velocity: the North Equatorial Countercurrent seems to extend from the surface to 400 dbar with a southward shift of its core. Analysis of the seasonal variability at 165-degrees-E indicates that the Equatorial Undercurrent transport increases by a factor 2 between January (10.7 x 10(6) m3 s-1) and July (21.5 x 10(6) m3 s-1) and the Equatorial Intermediate Current transport is halved (6.3 x 10(6) m3 s-1 in January, 3.5 x 10(6) m3 s-1 in July). hi contrast, the transport of the Subsurface Countercurrents does not vary substantially between those two months. The meridional distributions of salinity and potential vorticity show that the axes of the main eastward currents are associated with strong meridional property gradients, not with property extrema. The eastward currents thus represent a barrier to the northward extension of the high salinity Tropical Water. Relatively weak meridional gradients of salinity and potential vorticity are observed in the westward directed South Equatorial Current and Equatorial Intermediate Current.
Journal Of Geophysical Research-oceans (0148-0227) (Amer Geophysical Union), 1993-12 , Vol. 98 , N. C12 , P. 22495-22520

Droits : 1993 by the American Geophysical Union.
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00192/30346/29190.pdf
DOI:10.1029/93JC02513
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00192/30346/

Éditeur(s) : Amer Geophysical Union
Résumé : An analysis is presented for the spatial and intensity distributions of North Atlantic extreme atmospheric events crossing the buoyant Amazon-Orinoco freshwater plume. The sea surface cooling amplitude in the wake of an ensemble of storm tracks traveling in that region is estimated from satellite products for the period 1998-2012. For the most intense storms, cooling is systematically reduced by approximate to 50% over the plume area compared to surroundings open-ocean waters. Historical salinity and temperature observations from in situ profiles indicate that salt-driven vertical stratification, enhanced oceanic heat content, and barrier-layer presence within the plume waters are likely key oceanic factors to explain these results. Satellite SMOS surface salinity data combined with in situ observations are further used to detail the oceanic response to category 4 hurricane Igor in 2010. Argo and satellite measurements confirm the haline stratification impact on the cooling inhibition as the hurricane crossed the river plume. Over this region, the SSS mapping capability is further tested and demonstrated to monitor the horizontal distribution of the vertical stratification parameter. SMOS SSS data can thus be used to consistently anticipate the cooling inhibition in the wake of TCs traveling over the Amazon-Orinoco plume region.
Journal Of Geophysical Research-oceans (0148-0027) (Amer Geophysical Union), 2014-12 , Vol. 119 , N. 12 , P. 8271-8295

Droits : 2014. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved.
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00252/36326/34855.pdf
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00252/36326/34856.pdf
DOI:10.1002/2014JC010107
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00252/36326/

Éditeur(s) : Amer Geophysical Union
Résumé : The meridional transport of salt in the Atlantic ocean is an important process for climate, controlling the stability of the meridional overturning circulation. The contribution of transient eddies to this transport is quantified in an eddy resolving North Atlantic model at 1/12 degrees resolution (NATL12), and compared with lower resolution North-Atlantic and global 1/4 degrees models. In NATL12 between 10 degrees N and 40 degrees N, there is a volume loss by evaporation of 0.6 Sverdrups (Sv). The divergence of the eddy flux of salt (normalized by a reference salinity of 34.8) is 0.2 Sv over the region, a significant fraction of the total air-seawater exchange, but it is compensated by an opposite convergent transport of salt by the mean flow, so that the total transport of salt is small. The compensation between eddy and mean salt transport is almost complete in a multicentury long global model experiment, but less effective in NATL12 because the short integration time does not allow the salt content to equilibrate and the model drift is large. Eddies arising from baroclinic instability contribute to the meridional salt transports at the northern and southern boundary of the subtropical gyre, where they appear consistent with a lateral diffusion acting on the mean salinity gradient. However, the eddy transport of salt is the sum of two terms: an advective contribution (arising from the correlations of velocity and isopycnal thicknesses) and a diffusion along isopycnals. Both components have the same amplitude at the southern boundary of the subtropical gyre, while diffusion is dominant at the northern boundary.
Journal Of Geophysical Research-oceans (0148-0227) (Amer Geophysical Union), 2012-05 , Vol. 117 , N. C05010 , P. 19 pp.

Droits : 2012 AGU
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00083/19441/17052.pdf
DOI:10.1029/2012JC007927
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00083/19441/