Heaving, Stretching and Spicing Modes: Climate Variability in the Ocean

The book focuses on the fundamental aspects of climate variability in the ocean, particularly the wind-driven circulation and heaving and stretching of isopycnal layers. It emphasizes the importance of studying isopycnal layers for accurate climate analysis and introduces the sigma-pi diagram as a valuable tool for analyzing water mass property distribution and climate variability.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 391 pages
Publication date: 21 August 2021
Publisher: Springer Verlag, Singapore

The book delves into the fundamental aspects of climate variability in the ocean, specifically focusing on changes in the wind-driven circulation. The vertical movement of isopycnal (isothermal) layers, including their stretching and compression, is referred to as heaving and stretching. A significant portion of climate variability in the ocean is characterized by heaving, primarily driven by adiabatic motions of isopycnal layers due to variations in wind stress. It is challenging to separate the contributions of adiabatic and diabatic processes. Isopycnal analysis has been extensively employed in climate studies, but it is more accurate to examine the isopycnal layers themselves. In this book, climate signals are analyzed in terms of changes in layer depth, thickness, temperature/salinity, spicity, and other relevant parameters.

In addition to the traditional Theta-S diagram, the sigma-pi (potential density – potential spicity) diagram can also be utilized for analyzing water mass property distribution and climate variability. Interestingly, a radius of signal can be defined rigorously for signals in the sigma-pi diagram, providing a valuable tool for analyzing climate variability in the world's oceans.

Weight: 765g
Dimension: 254 x 178 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9789811529436
Edition number: 1st ed. 2020