Advances in Earth Science ›› 2021, Vol. 36 ›› Issue (2): 139-153. doi: 10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2021.022

Previous Articles     Next Articles

Multi-Scale Variations of Barrier Layer in the Tropical Ocean and Its Impacts on Air-Sea Interaction: A Review

Shanshan PANG 1 , 2( ), Xidong WANG 1 , 2 , 3( ), Hailong LIU 4, Caixia SHAO 1 , 2   

  1. 1.Key Laboratory of Marine Hazards Forecasting,Ministry of Natural Resources,Hohai University,Nanjing 210098,China
    2.College of Oceanography,Hohai University,Nanjing 210098,China
    3.Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai),Zhuhai 519000,China
    4.Institute of Oceanography,Shanghai Jiaotong University,Shanghai 200030,China
  • Received:2020-12-04 Revised:2021-01-22 Online:2021-04-13 Published:2021-04-19
  • Contact: Xidong WANG E-mail:ccp@hhu.edu.cn;xidong_wang@hhu.edu.cn
  • About author:PANG Shanshan (1994-), female, Boai County, Henan Province, Ph. D student. Research areas include oceanic salinity-stratified barrier layer. E-mail: ccp@hhu.edu.cn
  • Supported by:
    the National Natural Science Foundation of China “Intraseasonal variability of the barrier layer in the Bay of Bengal and its effect on air-sea interaction”(41776004);“Study on the interaction between the barrier layer and the dominant air-sea coupled mode of the tropical Pacific”(41776019)

Shanshan PANG, Xidong WANG, Hailong LIU, Caixia SHAO. Multi-Scale Variations of Barrier Layer in the Tropical Ocean and Its Impacts on Air-Sea Interaction: A Review[J]. Advances in Earth Science, 2021, 36(2): 139-153.

In the vertical, the isothermal layer and mixed layer are two parameters governing the upper ocean structure. High salinity stratification in the surface layer often limits the mixed layer depth and thus results in the interlayer called the barrier layer between the base of mixed layer and the top of the thermocline. The barrier layer acts as a "barrier" for the transfer of heat, monmentum, mass, and nutrient fluxes between the mixed layer and the thermocline, affecting the heat budget of the surface mixed layer and resultant air-sea interaction. Owing to the implementation of global ocean observation programs, scientists have gradually realized the importance of oceanic salinity in ocean circulation and climate change in the past two decades. Thus, the role of barrier layer caused by salinity in heat balance of upper ocean is the present hotspot in physical oceanography field. Focusing on the key scientific issues centered at the barrier layer variations and its climatic impacts, three aspects of it are introduced under the review:Spatial structures and multi-scale variations of barrier layer in the world ocean; roles of oceanic and atmospheric processes in barrier layer variations; key processes and mechanisms of interactions between barrier layer and weather, climate and biology. We mainly emphasize the ocean-atmosphere interactions associated with the barrier layer variations and their cliamtic impacts. Finally, we propose several issues that remian to be solved were proposed.

No related articles found!
Viewed
Full text


Abstract