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adele-morrison / IAF-meltwater

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atmospheric drivers of Ross Sea variability? #25

Open schmidt-christina opened 2 years ago

schmidt-christina commented 2 years ago

Compare wind stress in periods of high and low salinity in the Ross Sea

schmidt-christina commented 2 years ago

The zonal winds along the coast are normally easterlies. In periods of high salinity, they are weaker (redish shading) compared to the period of low salinity, especially in the Amundsen Sea. Also the offshore westerlies are weaker in periods of high salinity.

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In the Ross Sea, the magnitude of the meridional component is greater than the zonal component, but everywhere else (including the Amundsen-Bellingshausen Sea) the zonal component dominates.

The meridional winds in the Ross Sea and in most parts near the coast in the Amundsen-Bellingshausen Sea are normally offshore. In periods of high salinity, they are stronger in the Ross Sea and weaker in the Amundsen Sea compared to the period of low salinity. This holds especially in the first high salinity period, in the second high period mostly when looking only at Aug and Oct (excluding Sep, not shown).

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