Tropical cyclone intensity exacerbated by increasing depth of ocean mixed layer, finds study

Tropical cyclones can have severe consequences for both the marine and terrestrial environments, as well as the organisms and communities who inhabit them. In the oceans, there can be alterations in sea surface temperature that disrupt biological processes and hospitable conditions for life, the devastation of surface algae and other primary producers, which impacts complex marine food chains, as well as damaging coral reefs. Meanwhile, on land, the heavy rainfall, strong winds and storm surges can lead to significant damage to property and infrastructure, as well as loss of lives.

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The researchers found that ocean mixed layer depth only has a small influence on the track the tropical cyclone takes, with slower translation speeds resulting from shallower ocean mixed layer depth moving the center of the tropical storm. However, they discovered a greater impact on the size and intensity of the event, reaching its peak 72 to 84 hours after initiation.

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However, as the ocean mixed layer depth increases beyond this threshold point of 15 m, the effect of surface winds on sea surface temperature cooling is reduced, leading to increasing surface temperatures below the tropical cyclones, therefore fueling their development.

Furthermore, the passage of multiple tropical cyclones through the same area can cause the ocean mixed layer depth to deepen, which may reduce their future activity in that region, though the timescales between events to allow this are still being studied.

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