Deep Ocean Impact of a Madden-Julian Oscillation Observed by Argo Floats
Adrian J. Matthews,1,2*
Patama Singhruck,1
Karen J. Heywood1
Using the new Argo array of profiling floats that gives unprecedented
space-time coverage of the upper 2000 meters of the global ocean,
we present definitive evidence of a deep tropical ocean component
of the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO). The surface wind stress
anomalies associated with the MJO force eastward-propagating
oceanic equatorial Kelvin waves that extend downward to 1500
meters. The amplitude of the deep ocean anomalies is up to six
times the amplitude of the observed annual cycle. This deep
ocean sink of energy input from the wind is potentially important
for understanding phenomena such as El Niño–Southern
Oscillation and for interpreting deep ocean measurements made
from ships.
2 School of Mathematics, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK.
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: a.j.matthews{at}uea.ac.uk
