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. 2022 Nov 1;13(1):6535.
doi: 10.1038/s41467-022-34046-6.

Remote energy sources for mixing in the Indonesian Seas

Chengyuan Pang  1   2 , Maxim Nikurashin  3   4   5 , Beatriz Pena-Molino  6   7 , Bernadette M Sloyan  6   7
Affiliations

Remote energy sources for mixing in the Indonesian Seas

Chengyuan Pang et al. Nat Commun. .

Abstract

The role of the Indonesian Seas in climate is attributed to the intense mixing observed throughout the region. Mixing cools the surface temperature and hence modifies the atmospheric convection centered over the region. Mixing also controls the heat exchange between the Pacific and Indian Oceans by transforming water-mass properties while they transit through the region. Mixing in the Indonesian Seas has long been identified to be driven locally by tides. Here we show that the observed mixing can also be powered by the remotely generated planetary waves and eddies. We use a regional ocean model to show that the Indonesian Seas are a sink of the energy generated in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. We estimate that 1.7 GW of the remotely generated energy enters the region across all straits. The energy flux is surface intensified and characterized by a convergence, implying dissipation and mixing, within the straits and along topography. Locally, energy convergence associated with this process is comparable in magnitude to tidal energy dissipation, which dominates the deep ocean.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. A snapshot of the sea surface temperature in (°C) at 25 m depth at the end of the simulation.
Sections across the major entrance and exit straits and passages on the Indian and Pacific Ocean sides of the region used for the total energy flux calculation in Table 1 are shown by the solid black lines.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2. Eddy energy fluxes.
Time-averaged, vertically-integrated (a) radiative and (b) advective eddy energy fluxes in (kW m−1; 1 kW m−1 = 103 W m−1). The magnitude of the energy fluxes is shown in color on a logarithmic scale. Energy flux vectors represent 0.4° × 0.4° bin-averaged values. 200 m isobath is shown by the thin gray contour.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3. Divergence of time-averaged, vertically-integrated eddy energy fluxes in (mW m−2; 1 mW m−2 = 10−3 W m−2).
Red and blue correspond to energy sources (positive) and sinks (negative). The color scale is saturated to show regions of relatively weak eddy energy sources in the interior. 200 m isobath is shown by the thin gray contour.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4. Vertical profiles of time-averaged, horizontally-integrated eddy energy fluxes in (MW m−1; 1 MW m−1 = 106 W m−1) across major straits and passages.
Fluxes on the Indian Ocean side are shown by solid lines and fluxes on the Pacific Ocean side are shown by dashed lines.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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