Modulation of airsea fluxes by ocean eddies' MIT Climode

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Modulation of air-sea fluxes by ocean eddies.
(MIT Climode)
Winter time cold air outbreaks (white streaks in
figure on left) cool the ocean. Air-sea heat flux
is modulate by warm/cold ocean eddies
(surrounding the cyan/purple gulf-stream contour
in the figure on left).
Diffusivity of temperature classes due to ocean
eddies as a function of depth.
Using ECCO2 high-resolution simulations, the
diffusivity equivalent to ocean eddy heat flux
can be estimated as a function of depth and
temperature. The results (figure on the right)
show the climate impact of ocean eddies in
transporting heat polewards at mid-latitude in
the top layers on the ocean and the water masses
that are involved.
ECCO2 Science Jan 2007