A global relationship between the ocean water cycle and near-surface salinity

Abstract

Ocean evaporation (E) and precipitation (P) are the fundamental components of the global water cycle. They are also the freshwater flux forcing (i.e., E-P) for the open ocean salinity. The apparent connection between ocean salinity and the global water cycle leads to the proposition of using the oceans as a rain gauge. However, the exact relationship between E-P and salinity is governed by complex upper ocean dynamics, which may complicate the inference of the water cycle from salinity observations. To gain a better understanding of the ocean rain gauge concept, here we address a fundamental issue as to how E-P and salinity are related on the seasonal timescales. A global map that outlines the dominant process for the mixed-layer salinity (MLS) in different regions is thus derived, using a lower-order MLS dynamics that allows key balance terms (i.e., E-P, the Ekman and geostrophic advection, vertical entrainment, and horizontal diffusion) to be computed from satellite-derived data sets and a salinity climatology. Major E-P control on seasonal MLS variability is found in two regions: the tropical convergence zones featuring heavy rainfall and the western North Pacific and Atlantic under the influence of high evaporation. Within this regime, E-P accounts for 40-70% MLS variance with peak correlations occurring at 2-4 month lead time. Outside of the tropics, the MLS variations are governed predominantly by the Ekman advection, and then vertical entrainment. The study suggests that the E-P regime could serve as a window of opportunity for testing the ocean rain gauge concept once satellite salinity observations are available.