Interaction of a surface Quasi-Geostrophic buoyancy strip and an internal vortex

Abstract eng:
We consider the interaction between a surface buoyancy strip and an internal vortex. This research investigates the coupling between the observable ocean surface and the less well observed deeper ocean. We show that the strip?vortex interaction depends on the ratio of the time scales of the two features, and on their relative displacement (horizontally and vertically). Intense buoyancy strips break down rapidly once perturbed by the vortex, whereas weak strips tend to wrap due to the vortex rotation. When the vortex is close to the surface and below an intense strip, the vortex may destabilise and break into smaller vortices. Importantly, the interaction depends on the sign of the buoyancy strip relative to that of the internal vortex. Above a cyclone, a surface strip with positive buoyancy rolls up into a spiral filament, while a strip with negative buoyancy forms a row of billows on both sides of the vortex.

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