Okajima et al. (2026) Rectified Effect of Synoptic‐Scale Atmospheric Eddies on Global Ocean‐Atmosphere Heat Exchanges

⚠️ Warning: This summary was generated from the abstract only, as the full text was not available.

Identification

• Journal: Geophysical Research Letters
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-10-15
• Authors: Satoru Okajima, Shoichiro Kido, Hiroyuki Tomita, Meghan F. Cronin
• DOI: 10.1029/2026gl123091

Research Groups

• National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR)
• University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

Short Summary

This study investigates the long-term effect of synoptic-scale atmospheric eddies on turbulent heat flux between the ocean and atmosphere, revealing a significant enhancement in midlatitude regions.

Objective

• Investigate the rectified effect of synoptic-scale atmospheric eddies on air-sea interactions, particularly in midlatitudes.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Global assessment with focus on midlatitude oceans.
• Temporal Scale: Climatological-mean and interannual variability analysis.

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Not specified (likely a combination of atmospheric models).
• Data sources: Satellite, observation, and reanalysis data are likely used for this study.

Main Results

• Synoptic-scale eddies enhance annual-mean climatological upward turbulent heat flux by ∼30% in midlatitude oceanic frontal zones.
• Atmospheric eddies amplify interannual turbulent heat flux variability in mid- and high-latitudes, while suppressing it in low-latitudes.

Contributions

• This study provides new insights into the long-term effect of synoptic-scale atmospheric eddies on air-sea interactions, highlighting their importance for climate models.

Funding

• Not specified (likely funded by a combination of research grants and programs).

Citation

@article{Okajima2026Rectified,
  author = {Okajima, Satoru and Kido, Shoichiro and Tomita, Hiroyuki and Cronin, Meghan F.},
  title = {Rectified Effect of Synoptic‐Scale Atmospheric Eddies on Global Ocean‐Atmosphere Heat Exchanges},
  journal = {Geophysical Research Letters},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1029/2026gl123091},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1029/2026gl123091}
}