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Submesoscale Thermohaline Compensation and Its Role in Frontogenesis.

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Title: Submesoscale Thermohaline Compensation and Its Role in Frontogenesis.
Authors: Tang, Haibo1 (AUTHOR), Yu, Xiaolong1,2 (AUTHOR), Wang, Dongxiao1,2 (AUTHOR) dxwang@mail.sysu.edu.cn, Shu, Yeqiang3 (AUTHOR) shuyeq@scsio.ac.cn, Qiu, Chunhua1,2 (AUTHOR), Yu, Jiancheng4 (AUTHOR), Shang, Xuekun3 (AUTHOR)
Source: Journal of Physical Oceanography. Jul2026, Vol. 56 Issue 7, p1-17. 17p.
Subjects: Salinity, Ocean dynamics, Oceanography, Ocean-atmosphere interaction, Tropical cyclones
Geographic Terms: South China Sea
Abstract: Upper thermohaline properties play a critical role in mediating the transfer of momentum, heat, and biogeochemical tracers, thereby influencing the global carbon cycle and climate system. Thermohaline compensation – where temperature and salinity exert opposing effects on seawater density–is more prevalent in the mixed layer and modulates frontal dynamics. In this study, observations from 12 underwater gliders reveal that thermohaline compensation within salinity fronts becomes more pronounced at submesoscales during a tropical cyclone in the northern South China Sea. Comparative analyses from idealized numerical experiments demonstrate that surface cooling enhances submesoscale activity and thermohaline compensation at salinity fronts, with the compensated ratio reaching approximately 20%. Through intense submesoscale ageostrophic motions and restratification, surface cooling generates temperature perturbations to rapidly form temperature fronts aligned with salinity gradients, thereby enhancing submesoscale thermohaline compensation more effectively. Surface diabatic effects are incorporated into the frontogenesis function by accounting for surface cooling and submesoscale restratification. This process becomes more pronounced and efficient as submesoscale restratification shoals the mixed layer. Atmospheric cooling over submesoscale salinity fronts, together with the accompanying submesoscale compensation, constitutes a sink of oceanic eddy potential energy (EPE). These findings advance our understanding of thermohaline compensation mechanisms and the modulation of submesoscale frontal dynamics by atmospheric forcing, offering further insights into air-sea interactions in dynamically active, salinity-dominated ocean regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Physical Oceanography is the property of American Meteorological Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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  Data: Submesoscale Thermohaline Compensation and Its Role in Frontogenesis.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Tang%2C+Haibo%22">Tang, Haibo</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yu%2C+Xiaolong%22">Yu, Xiaolong</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wang%2C+Dongxiao%22">Wang, Dongxiao</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> dxwang@mail.sysu.edu.cn</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Shu%2C+Yeqiang%22">Shu, Yeqiang</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> shuyeq@scsio.ac.cn</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Qiu%2C+Chunhua%22">Qiu, Chunhua</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yu%2C+Jiancheng%22">Yu, Jiancheng</searchLink><relatesTo>4</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Shang%2C+Xuekun%22">Shang, Xuekun</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Physical+Oceanography%22">Journal of Physical Oceanography</searchLink>. Jul2026, Vol. 56 Issue 7, p1-17. 17p.
– Name: Subject
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Salinity%22">Salinity</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ocean+dynamics%22">Ocean dynamics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Oceanography%22">Oceanography</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ocean-atmosphere+interaction%22">Ocean-atmosphere interaction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Tropical+cyclones%22">Tropical cyclones</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22South+China+Sea%22">South China Sea</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Upper thermohaline properties play a critical role in mediating the transfer of momentum, heat, and biogeochemical tracers, thereby influencing the global carbon cycle and climate system. Thermohaline compensation – where temperature and salinity exert opposing effects on seawater density–is more prevalent in the mixed layer and modulates frontal dynamics. In this study, observations from 12 underwater gliders reveal that thermohaline compensation within salinity fronts becomes more pronounced at submesoscales during a tropical cyclone in the northern South China Sea. Comparative analyses from idealized numerical experiments demonstrate that surface cooling enhances submesoscale activity and thermohaline compensation at salinity fronts, with the compensated ratio reaching approximately 20%. Through intense submesoscale ageostrophic motions and restratification, surface cooling generates temperature perturbations to rapidly form temperature fronts aligned with salinity gradients, thereby enhancing submesoscale thermohaline compensation more effectively. Surface diabatic effects are incorporated into the frontogenesis function by accounting for surface cooling and submesoscale restratification. This process becomes more pronounced and efficient as submesoscale restratification shoals the mixed layer. Atmospheric cooling over submesoscale salinity fronts, together with the accompanying submesoscale compensation, constitutes a sink of oceanic eddy potential energy (EPE). These findings advance our understanding of thermohaline compensation mechanisms and the modulation of submesoscale frontal dynamics by atmospheric forcing, offering further insights into air-sea interactions in dynamically active, salinity-dominated ocean regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Physical Oceanography is the property of American Meteorological Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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        Value: 10.1175/JPO-D-25-0176.1
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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      Pagination:
        PageCount: 17
        StartPage: 1
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Salinity
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Ocean dynamics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Oceanography
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Ocean-atmosphere interaction
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Tropical cyclones
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: South China Sea
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Submesoscale Thermohaline Compensation and Its Role in Frontogenesis.
        Type: main
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            NameFull: Tang, Haibo
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            NameFull: Yu, Xiaolong
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            NameFull: Wang, Dongxiao
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            NameFull: Shu, Yeqiang
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            NameFull: Qiu, Chunhua
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            NameFull: Yu, Jiancheng
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            NameFull: Shang, Xuekun
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            – D: 01
              M: 07
              Text: Jul2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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              Value: 56
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