Tropical Cyclone Chlorophyll-a Production in a Fully-Coupled Air-Sea-Biology Model

Tropical cyclone induced phytoplankton productivity is examined using an Earth System Modeling Framework-based (ESMF) tropical cyclone version of the Coupled Ocean/Atmosphere Mesoscale Prediction System (COAMPS-TC). A four-component Nutrient-Phytoplankton-Detritus biological model is integrated into COAMPS to create a state-of-the-art fully-integrated air-ocean-wave-biology model. This study investigates the upper ocean physical and biological states before and after Hurricane Ivan traversed the central Gulf of Mexico in mid-September 2004. Elevated concentrations of surface chlorophyll-a appear in the simulation after the passage of the tropical cyclone, and these results are spatially and temporally coherent with SeaWiFS satellite data for this time period. Model results reveal enhancement of chlorophyll-a in cold core cyclonic eddies and entrainment around the outer margin of the warm core anticyclonic eddy, in agreement with SeaWiFS satellite data for this significant Gulf of Mexico upwelling event.