Shun Yang1,2, Kun Zhang1,2, Haibin Song1,2,* , Barry Ruddick3, Mengli Liu1,2, Linghan Meng1,2
1School of Ocean and Earth Science, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
2State Key Laboratory of Marine Geology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
3Department of Oceanography, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
Abstract:Thermohaline staircases and mesoscale eddies play crucial roles in the transport of heat, salt, and nutrients in the ocean, yet their complex relationship remains unclear due to the limitations in observational resolution and lateral range. Here, utilizing high spatial resolution seismic images with a total length of 2,518 km, we show widespread occurrence of thermohaline staircases in the eastern Caribbean Sea and demonstrate their three-dimensional distribution. These staircases occupy about 70% of the total length of the seismic lines, with the remaining 30% occupied by six subsurface mesoscale eddies. These staircases are disrupted and interrupted due to the enhanced turbulent diffusivity driven by the vertical shear of these eddies. The numerous high-resolution seismic observations presented herein enhance our comprehension of the interplay between staircases and multiscale oceanic dynamical processes.
Full Article:https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-024-01577-3
