Formation of Well-Mixed Warm Water Column in Central Bohai Sea During Summer: Role of High-Frequency Atmospheric Forcing

• Published in: Journal of Ocean University of China Vol. 16; no. 6; pp. 945 - 952
• Main Authors: Ma, Weiwei, Wan, Xiuquan, Wang, Zhankun, Liu, Yulong, Wan, Kai
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Science Press 01.12.2017; Springer Nature B.V; Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20740, USA%National Marine Data and Information Service, Tianjin 300171, P.R.China%Beihai Offshore Engineering Survey Institute, SOA, Qingdao 266061, P.R.China; College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, P.R.China%College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, P.R.China; Physical Oceanography Laboratory/CIMST, Ocean University of China and Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266100, P.R.China%National Centers for Environmental Information, NOAA, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
• Subjects: Atmospheric forcing; Atmospheric models; Bohai; column; Columnar structure; Columns (structural); Computer simulation; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; forcing; frequency; Heat transport; high; High frequencies; High frequency; Meteorology; numerical; Ocean models; Oceanography; Parameterization; Sea; Simulation; Summer; Surface water waves; Tidal effects; Vertical mixing; warm; Warm water; water; Water column; Bohai Sea; warm water column; Bohai Sea; numerical simulation; high frequency forcing; numerical simulation,high frequency forcing
• ISSN: 1672-5182; 1993-5021; 1672-5174
• DOI: 10.1007/s11802-017-3251-6

The influence of high-frequency atmospheric forcing on the formation of a well-mixed summer warm water column in the central Bohai Sea is investigated comparing model simulations driven by daily surface forcing and those using monthly forcing data. In the absence of high-frequency atmospheric forcing, numerical simulations have repeatedly failed to reproduce this vertically uniform column of warm water measured over the past 35 years. However, high-frequency surface forcing is found to strongly influence the structure and distribution of the well-mixed warm water column, and simulations are in good agreement with observations.Results show that high frequency forcing enhances vertical mixing over the central bank, intensifies downward heat transport, and homogenizes the water column to form the Bohai central warm column. Evidence presented shows that high frequency forcing plays a dominant role in the formation of the well-mixed warm water column in summer, even without the effects of tidal and surface wave mixing. The present study thus provides a practical and rational way of further improving the performance of oceanic simulations in the Bohai Sea and can be used to adjust parameterization schemes of ocean models.