HR: 1400h
AN: OS33A-04    [Abstracts]
TI: Seasonal to Interannual Variability of Sea Surface Temperature in the Gulf of Panama
AU: Vazquez, J
EM: jorge.vazquez@jpl.nasa.gov
AF: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, MS 300/323 4800 Oak Grove Dr., Pasadena, CA , United States
AU: Chao, Y
EM: yi.chao@jpl.nasa.gov
AF: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, MS 300/323 4800 Oak Grove Dr., Pasadena, CA , United States
AU: * D'Croz, L
EM: DCROZL@si.edu
AF: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Post Office Box 2072, Balboa, Panama
AB: Satellite derived sea surface temperatures (SSTs), in-situ data, and output from a Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) are used to study the seasonal-to-interannual variability in the Gulf of Panama. Monthly Climatological data from SSTs clearly show a drop of 8 degrees Celsius during the late winter-early spring surface cooling. The cooling is significantly correlated with local wind data and confirms its relationship to the panama wind jets. This confirms that surface cooling is due to local wind induced upwelling. On the interannual time scale, however, SST shows no correlation with the local wind forcing. Both satellite derived SST data and in-situ data indicate the interannual variability is dominated by offshore warming of greater than 2 degrees Celsius during El Nino years. From these in situ measurements, we hypothesized the seasonal scale is driven by local wind events, while the interannual scale is driven by remote forcing associated with the El Nino-La Nina oscillation. Comparisons with ocean model simulations that were carried out on the Columbia computer managed through the NASA Advanced Supercomputing division indicate that to properly simulate the annual cooling, high-resolution QuikSCAT 25km winds are necessary, as opposed to 2 degree NCEP winds. We concluded that the high- resolution25km winds are necessary to resolve the mountain gaps associated with the Panama Jets.
DE: 4504 Air/sea interactions (0312, 3339)
DE: 4520 Eddies and mesoscale processes
DE: 4522 ENSO (4922)
DE: 4532 General circulation (1218, 1222)
DE: 4546 Nearshore processes
SC: Ocean Sciences [OS]
MN: 2007 Joint Assembly