Heat fluxes in Drake Passage

Abstract

Eddy heat flux and heat flux by the mean flow distributions of were examined in Drake Passage. The in situ velocity and temperature time series used to estimate the poleward heat flux in Drake Passage were obtained at five mooring sites across the Yaghan Basin (from January 2006 to March 2009), and at four mooring sites across Ona Basin (from February 2006 to April 2008). In the northern part of Antarctic Circumpolar Current (Yaghan Basin), the computed eddy heat flux was significant only in the northern branch of the Subantarctic Front (∼90 kW m-2). The poleward eddy heat flux on the southern flank of the ACC (Ona Basin) was significant across the Polar Front and Southern Antarctic Circumpolar Current Front (∼10 kW m-2). However, eddy activity on the southern flank of the ACC is too weak to transport sufficient heat poleward to accomplish the Southern Ocean heat balance required task.es across the Yaghan Basin (from January 2006 to March 2009), and at four mooring sites across Ona Basin (from February 2006 to April 2008). In the northern part of Antarctic Circumpolar Current (Yaghan Basin), the computed eddy heat flux was significant only in the northern branch of the Subantarctic Front (∼90 kW m-2). The poleward eddy heat flux on the southern flank of the ACC (Ona Basin) was significant across the Polar Front and Southern Antarctic Circumpolar Current Front (∼10 kW m-2). However, eddy activity on the southern flank of the ACC is too weak to transport sufficient heat poleward to accomplish the Southern Ocean heat balance required task.