Temperature and Salinity Inverted for a Mediterranean Eddy Captured With Seismic Data, Using a Spatially Iterative Markov Chain Monte Carlo Approach

• DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2021.734125
• Publication Date: 2021-12-20T08:06:56Z
• Authors: Wuxin Xiao; Katy Louise Sheen; Qunshu Tang; Jamie Shutler; Richard Hobbs; Tobias Ehmen
• Keywords: Temperature salinity diagrams

Ocean submesoscale dynamics are thought to play a key role in both the climate system and ocean productivity, however, subsurface observations at these scales remain rare. Seismic oceanography, an established acoustic imaging method, provides unique tool for capturing oceanic structure throughout water column with spatial resolutions of tens meters. A drawback seismic method is that temperature salinity not measured directly, limiting quantitative interpretation imaged features. The Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) inversion approach has been used invert from data, spatially quantified uncertainties. However, requisite prior model previous studies relied upon highly continuous reflection horizons rarely present real environments due instabilities turbulence. Here we adapt MCMC iteratively updated based on hydrographic sidestepping necessity horizons. Furthermore, uncertainties introduced by starting thermohaline fields as well those itself accounted for. impact varying resolution data produce also investigated. applied mid-depth Mediterranean eddy (or meddy) captured Gulf Cadiz 2007. meddy boundary exhibits regions disrupted reflectivity rapid horizontal changes salinity. Inverted values typically have 0.16°C 0.055 psu, respectively, agree direct measurements. Uncertainties inverted results found be dependent model, particularly where background vary rapidly, such edge meddy. This further advancement techniques extract will help expand use acoustics understanding mesoscale finescale interior ocean.