Response of a Preexisting Cyclonic Ocean Eddy to a Typhoon

Abstract

Abstract The three-dimensional responses of a cyclonic ocean eddy (COE) for 1–2 months following a typhoon were investigated using altimeter data and numerical experiments. Two significant features were found: 1) the cyclonic eddy was enhanced, and the three-dimensional structure was changed, and 2) the cyclonic eddy underwent two processes: elliptical deformation and reaxisymmetrization in the horizontal plane. These two features are generally associated with typhoon-induced upwelling and the dynamic processes of eddy adjustment. These results imply that the local ocean processes can be affected by a typhoon through low-frequency response.