Diurnal Cycle effects on the Mixed Layer Depth

What is it about?

The surface winds and heat form the mixed layer in the surface ocean, and the mixed layer depth is important for air-sea interaction, phytoplankton blooming, and other oceanic events. In this study, it is shown that the diurnal cycling surface heat flux make the mixed layer depth greater at low latitude and smaller at high latitude. This mixed layer depth change also affects the sea surface temperature, therefore we also evaluate the diurnal cycle effects on it.

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Why is it important?

In many studies, the diurnal cycle effects of ocean were ignored because of its high specific heat and the small diurnal cycle of sea surface temperature. But, our study suggested that the diurnal cycle affects the mixed layer depth. This implies the diurnal cycle change the longer time scale climate variability than the diurnal cycle through the mixed layer change since the mixed layer depth has a important role on climate variability.