A Comparison of the Variability and Changes in Global Ocean Heat Content from Multiple Objective Analysis Products During the Argo Period

Ocean heat content (OHC) is key to estimating the energy imbalance of the earth system. Over the past two decades, an increasing number of OHC studies were conducted using oceanic objective analysis (OA) products. Here we perform an intercomparison of OHC from eight OA products with a focus on their robust features and significant differences over the Argo period (2005-2019), when the most reliable global scale oceanic measurements are available. For the global ocean, robust warming in the upper 2000 m is confirmed. The 0-300 m layer shows the highest warming rate but is heavily modulated by interannual variability, particularly the El Niño–Southern Oscillation. The 300-700 m and 700-2000 m layers, on the other hand, show unabated warming. Regionally, the Southern Ocean and mid-latitude North Atlantic show a substantial OHC increase, and the subpolar North Atlantic displays an OHC decrease. A few apparent differences in OHC among the examined OA products were identified. In particular, temporal means of a few OA products that incorporated other ocean measurements besides Argo show a global-scale cooling difference, which is likely related to the baseline climatology fields used to generate those products. Large differences also appear in the interannual variability in the Southern Ocean and in the long-term trends in the subpolar North Atlantic. These differences remind us of the possibility of product-dependent conclusions on OHC variations. Caution is therefore warranted when using merely one OA product to conduct OHC studies, particularly in regions and on timescales that display significant differences.

Manual point-measurements of sea ice mass balance during the MOSAiC Expedition

<p>Sea ice plays a critical role in the Arctic climate system, regulating much of the energy transfer between the ocean and the atmosphere. Repeat measurements of ice mass balance at discrete points allow us to determine the direct response of sea ice mass to environmental conditions. We installed a network of mass balance measurement sites across the MOSAiC Central Observatories, distributed over a diverse range of ice types and features. The sites were composed of gridded arrays of 9-17 hotwire thickness gauges, each paired with a surface ablation stake. Seven sites were installed on first year ice, and seven on second or multi year ice, with a total of 120+ individual measurement stations. The sites were operational over different periods throughout the year; several were destroyed or became inaccessible during ridging events. Initial ice thicknesses ranged from 0.13-3.50 m. We made measurements of ice and snow interfaces and thicknesses with 1 cm precision at each station, at intervals of 2-3 weeks during the growth season and as few as 1-2 days during the melt season. From these measurements, we infer ice growth, ice bottom melt, ice surface melt, snow deposition, snow erosion, and snow melt. The time series spans October 2019–September 2020, with a five-week measurement gap beginning mid-May 2020. We present an overview of the measurements and preliminary analysis, partitioning results by ice type and comparing mass balance to concurrent atmosphere and ocean measurements. We identify trends in the seasonal evolution of different ice types, and give particular attention to notable events in the time series. As true point-measurements, the data are especially relevant in improving one-dimensional thermodynamic sea ice models. The results also provide validation for satellite and electromagnetic induction ice-thickness measurements made during MOSAiC, which offer higher areal coverage but lower measurement- and spatial-precision.</p>

The Northwest Tropical Atlantic Station (NTAS): NTAS-19 Mooring Turnaround Cruise Report Cruise On Board RV Ronald H. Brown October 14 - November 1, 2020

The Northwest Tropical Atlantic Station (NTAS) was established to address the need for accurate air-sea flux estimates and upper ocean measurements in a region with strong sea surface temperature anomalies and the likelihood of significant local air–sea interaction on interannual to decadal timescales. The approach is to maintain a surface mooring outfitted for meteorological and oceanographic measurements at a site near 15°N, 51°W by successive mooring turnarounds. These observations will be used to investigate air–sea interaction processes related to climate variability. This report documents recovery of the NTAS-18 mooring and deployment of the NTAS-19 mooring at the same site. Both moorings used Surlyn foam buoys as the surface element. These buoys were outfitted with two Air–Sea Interaction Meteorology (ASIMET) systems. Each system measures, records, and transmits via Argos satellite the surface meteorological variables necessary to compute air–sea fluxes of heat, moisture and momentum. The upper 160 m of the mooring line were outfitted with oceanographic sensors for the measurement of temperature, salinity and velocity. Deep ocean temperature and salinity are measured at approximately 38 m above the bottom. The mooring turnaround was done on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Ship Ronald H. Brown, Cruise RB-20-06, by the Upper Ocean Processes Group of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. The cruise took place between 14 October and 1 November 2020. The NTAS-19 mooring was deployed on 22 October, with an anchor position of about 14° 49.48° N, 51° 00.96° W in 4985 m of water. A 31-hour intercomparison period followed, during which satellite telemetry data from the NTAS-19 buoy and the ship’s meteorological sensors were monitored. The NTAS-18 buoy, which had gone adrift on 28 April 2020, was recovered on 20 October near 13° 41.96° N, 58° 38.67° W. This report describes these operations, as well as other work done on the cruise and some of the pre-cruise buoy preparations.

Long-Autonomy Unmanned Aircraft Vehicle (UAV) for Quick Release of Ocean Minidrifters

In this work we present an unmanned aircraft vehicle (UAV) designed from off-the-shelf components to release ocean minidrifters. Its endurance (~1 h), payload (~5 kg), offshore range (~30 km), capability of operating into wind conditions of ~10 kt (1 kt ≈ 0.51 m s−1), high-precision autopilot (2–3 m), and flying altitude of ~500 m above sea level, along with its relatively low cost [<$5,000 (U.S. dollars)] enables quick and relatively easy oceanographic applications beyond 10 km offshore. We report here the very first successful ocean drifter releases, performed along the Baja California coast, between Tijuana and Rosarito, Mexico, and the technical details of the UAV. About 50 experiments (flights) allowed us to improve the takeoff and landing, the release tunnel for minidrifters, the cruise speed and altitude to release drifters safely, and to implement a parachute that controls the speed of the freefalling minidrifters. Quick release of up to six drifters (armed with real-time data transfer and web display) between 2 and 12 km offshore were performed at ~500 m above sea level, during a single flight in under 15 min, as opposed to classic techniques using boats or ships that, although can transport much more weight, can take several hours, use more human resources, and increase cost. Here we propose a novel open-source technique that can be used as a simplified method for scientific ocean measurements, as a quick-response emergency tool to map spills or for search and rescue.

High-resolution underwater laser spectrometer sensing provides new insights into methane distribution at an Arctic seepage site

Methane (CH4) in marine sediments has the potential to contribute to changes in the ocean and climate system. Physical and biochemical processes that are difficult to quantify with current standard methods such as acoustic surveys and discrete sampling govern the distribution of dissolved CH4 in oceans and lakes. Detailed observations of aquatic CH4 concentrations are required for a better understanding of CH4 dynamics in the water column, how it can affect lake and ocean acidification, the chemosynthetic ecosystem, and mixing ratios of atmospheric climate gases. Here we present pioneering high-resolution in situ measurements of dissolved CH4 throughout the water column over a 400 m deep CH4 seepage area at the continental slope west of Svalbard. A new fast-response underwater membrane-inlet laser spectrometer sensor demonstrates technological advances and breakthroughs for ocean measurements. We reveal decametre-scale variations in dissolved CH4 concentrations over the CH4 seepage zone. Previous studies could not resolve such heterogeneity in the area, assumed a smoother distribution, and therefore lacked both details on and insights into ongoing processes. We show good repeatability of the instrument measurements, which are also in agreement with discrete sampling. New numerical models, based on acoustically evidenced free gas emissions from the seafloor, support the observed heterogeneity and CH4 inventory. We identified sources of CH4, undetectable with echo sounder, and rapid diffusion of dissolved CH4 away from the sources. Results from the continuous ocean laser-spectrometer measurements, supported by modelling, improve our understanding of CH4 fluxes and related physical processes over Arctic CH4 degassing regions.

High-resolution under-water laser spectrometer sensing provides new insights to methane distribution at an Arctic seepage site

Methane (CH4) in marine sediments has the potential to contribute to changes in the ocean- and climate system. Physical and biochemical processes that are difficult to quantify with current standard methods such as acoustic surveys and discrete sampling govern the distribution of dissolved CH4 in oceans and lakes. Detailed observations of aquatic CH4 concentrations are required for a better understanding of CH4 dynamics in the water column, how it can affect lake- and ocean acidification, the chemosynthetic ecosystem, and mixing ratios of atmospheric climate gases. Here we present pioneering high-resolution in-situ measurements of dissolved CH4 throughout the water column over a 400 m deep CH4 seepage area at the continental slope west of Svalbard. A new fast-response under-water membrane-inlet laser spectrometer sensor demonstrates technological advances and breakthroughs for ocean measurements. We reveal decametre-scale variations of dissolved CH4 concentrations over the CH4 seepage zone. Previous studies could not resolve such heterogeneity in the area, assumed smoother distribution and therefore lacked both details and insights to ongoing processes. We show good repeatability of the instrument measurements, which are also in agreement with discrete sampling. New numerical models, based on acoustically evidenced free gas emissions from the seafloor, support the observed heterogeneity and CH4 inventory. We identified sources of CH4, undetectable with echosounder, and rapid diffusion of dissolved CH4 away from the sources. Results from the continuous ocean laser-spectrometer measurements, supported by modelling, improve our understanding of CH4 fluxes and related physical processes over Arctic CH4 degassing regions.

Target strength of skipjack tuna (Katsuwanus pelamis) associated with fish aggregating devices (FADs)

This paper presents measures of target strength (TS; dB re 1 m2) and models of TS vs. fork length (L; cm), i.e. TS=20logL+b20, for skipjack tuna associated with fish aggregating devices (FADs) in the Central Pacific Ocean. Measurements were made using 38-, 120-, and 200-kHz split-beam echosounders on a purse-seine workboat during fishing operations. To mitigate potential bias due to unresolved targets, TS measurements were rejected if they were not simultaneously detected with multiple echosounder frequencies in approximately the same location. The filtered TS and concomitantly sampled L data were used to estimate b20 = −76, −71, and −70.5 dB for 38, 120, and 200 kHz, respectively, using the method of least squares. For comparison, quasi-independent estimates of TS and b20 were calculated from acoustic echo-integration and catch data representing entire aggregations around the FADs. The results differed by ≤1 dB for all three frequencies. The sensitivities of these results to variations in fish morphology and behaviour were explored using a simulation of TS for fish without swimbladders. The utility of the results on acoustic properties of skipjack tuna and next research steps to achieve selective fishing at FADs are discussed.

Methane profiles from GOSAT thermal infrared spectra

This paper discusses the retrieval of atmospheric methane profiles from the thermal infrared band of the Japanese Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT) between 1210 and 1310 cm−1, using the RemoTeC analysis software. Approximately one degree of information on the vertical methane distribution is inferred from the measurements with the main sensitivity at about 9 km altitude but little sensitivity to methane in the lower troposphere. For verification, we compare the GOSAT methane abundance at measurement sites of the Total Carbon Column Observing Network (TCCON) to methane profiles provided by the Monitoring Atmospheric Composition and Climate (MACC) model fields scaled to the total column observations at the sites. Without any radiometric corrections of GOSAT observations, differences between both data sets can be as large as 10 %. To mitigate these differences, we developed a correction scheme using a principal component analysis of spectral fit residuals and airborne observations of methane during the HIAPER Pole-to-Pole Observations (HIPPO) campaign II and III. When the correction scheme is applied, the bias in the methane profile can be reduced to less than 2 % over the whole altitude range with respect to MACC model methane fields. Furthermore, we show that, with this correction, the retrievals result in smooth methane fields over land and ocean crossings and no differences are to be discerned between daytime and nighttime measurements. Finally, a cloud filter is developed for the nighttime and ocean measurements. This filter is rooted in the GOSAT-TIR measurements and is consistent with the cloud filter based on the GOSAT-SWIR measurements, despite the fact that the TIR-filter is less stringent.

Sensitivity of Subsurface Ocean Temperature Variability to Specification of Surface Observations in the Context of ENSO

To estimate the state of the ocean in the context of monitoring and prediction, ocean analysis products combine observed information from various sources that include both in situ ocean measurements and estimates of atmospheric forcings derived either from numerical models or from objective analysis methods. In the context of El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) variability in the equatorial tropical Pacific, this study discusses two questions: 1) the role of surface forcings in resolving the observed variability of subsurface ocean temperatures, and 2) which component of surface forcings plays a more important role. The analysis approach is based on ocean model simulations where specification of surface forcings is controlled and the resulting ocean state is either compared among various simulations or is compared with an independent ocean analysis (where information from in situ ocean temperature measurements is included). The results highlight the importance of the contribution of observed sea surface temperature (via its influence on surface winds due to coupled air–sea interactions) and the observed surface wind forcing in determining the evolution of subsurface ocean temperatures. Implications for assessing the feasibility of extending ocean analysis and forecasts back in time when in situ observations were limited are also discussed.