Temperature inversion and its decline over the eastern continental slope in the Gulf of Alaska based on seal observation

Guo Shaojing; Jing Chunsheng; Zhang Shanwu; Wang Weibo

doi:10.12284/hyxb2022053

Volume 44 Issue 6

Jul. 2022

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Guo Shaojing，Jing Chunsheng，Zhang Shanwu, et al. Temperature inversion and its decline over the eastern continental slope in the Gulf of Alaska based on seal observation[J]. Haiyang Xuebao，2022, 44(6)：48–57 doi: 10.12284/hyxb2022053

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Temperature inversion and its decline over the eastern continental slope in the Gulf of Alaska based on seal observation

doi: 10.12284/hyxb2022053

Guo Shaojing^{1, 2
,},
Jing Chunsheng^{1, 2
,
,},
Zhang Shanwu^{1, 2},
Wang Weibo^{1, 2}

1.
Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen 361005, China
2.
Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Physical and Geological Processes, Xiamen 361005, China

Received Date: 2021-06-15
Rev Recd Date: 2021-10-14

Available Online: 2022-02-11

Publish Date: 2022-07-13

Abstract

Abstract

Hydrographic data collected from March to April 2014 by CTD-SRDL mounted on northern elephant seal were analyzed to study the distribution and decline of the temperature inversion over the eastern continental slope in Gulf of Alaska. The results show that temperature inversion occurred significantly in this region. Temperature difference was between 0.2°C and 1.6°C and thickness of temperature inversion was between 20 m and 280 m, respectively. The temperature difference increased northward along the continental slope, while the thickness thickened from 50°N to 58°N, but the average thickness at north of 58°N was relative thinner. The temperature inversion was decay during March 25 to April 22, 2014. The subsurface maximum temperature continued to fall, the temperature difference tended to be weaker, and the thickness presented a thinning tendency. Numerical results of a one-dimensional model reveal that, the temperature at the upper mixed layer increased by heating on the sea surface, but the temperature at the bottom of the mixed layer remained low, therefore the minimum temperature of temperature inversion change was not notable. With a strong temperature gradient in the subsurface, the subsurface maximum temperature dropped pronouncedly due to the turbulent diffusion, which is the main reason for temperature inversion decline. Turbulent diffusion modified temperature and salinity in subsurface water to be uniform, thus it is important to study this process for the formation and evolution of temperature inversion.
- Gulf of Alaska,
- temperature inversion,
- turbulent diffusion

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References(23)

References

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