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Observed regimes of submesoscale dynamics in the Southern Ocean seasonal ice zone

Author

Listed:
  • Channing J. Prend

    (University of Washington
    California Institute of Technology)

  • Sebastiaan Swart

    (University of Gothenburg
    University of Cape Town)

  • Andrew L. Stewart

    (University of California Los Angeles)

  • Marcel D. Plessis

    (University of Gothenburg)

  • Georgy E. Manucharyan

    (University of Washington)

  • Andrew F. Thompson

    (California Institute of Technology)

Abstract

Submesoscale flows, occurring at scales of about 1–10 km, are crucial to the vertical transport of heat and other tracers in the upper ocean. These flows are energized by instabilities that extract potential energy from lateral buoyancy gradients, which are ubiquitous in the seasonal sea ice zone. Process studies have shown that submesoscale flows influence sea ice mechanics and thermodynamics. However, it is necessary to quantify the spatiotemporal distribution of submesoscale fluxes in order to upscale their impact. Here, we utilize hydrographic data from seal-borne sensors to demonstrate that the Southern Ocean seasonal ice zone can be separated into three regimes of submesoscale flux variability, which are associated with distinct dominant drivers. Furthermore, the magnitude and sign of the mean heat fluxes in these regimes differs, which dictates their influence on the upper-ocean heat budget, mixed-layer depth, and sea ice properties.

Suggested Citation

  • Channing J. Prend & Sebastiaan Swart & Andrew L. Stewart & Marcel D. Plessis & Georgy E. Manucharyan & Andrew F. Thompson, 2025. "Observed regimes of submesoscale dynamics in the Southern Ocean seasonal ice zone," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-11, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-63775-7
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-63775-7
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jörn Callies & Raffaele Ferrari & Jody M. Klymak & Jonathan Gula, 2015. "Seasonality in submesoscale turbulence," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 6(1), pages 1-8, November.
    2. Georgy E. Manucharyan & Andrew F. Thompson, 2022. "Heavy footprints of upper-ocean eddies on weakened Arctic sea ice in marginal ice zones," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    3. Thomas Rackow & Sergey Danilov & Helge F. Goessling & Hartmut H. Hellmer & Dmitry V. Sein & Tido Semmler & Dmitry Sidorenko & Thomas Jung, 2022. "Delayed Antarctic sea-ice decline in high-resolution climate change simulations," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.
    4. Violaine Pellichero & Jean-Baptiste Sallée & Christopher C. Chapman & Stephanie M. Downes, 2018. "The southern ocean meridional overturning in the sea-ice sector is driven by freshwater fluxes," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-9, December.
    5. Jonathan Gula & M. Jeroen Molemaker & James C. McWilliams, 2016. "Topographic generation of submesoscale centrifugal instability and energy dissipation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 7(1), pages 1-7, November.
    6. Zhan Su & Jinbo Wang & Patrice Klein & Andrew F. Thompson & Dimitris Menemenlis, 2018. "Ocean submesoscales as a key component of the global heat budget," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-8, December.
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