2024 Articles

An Improved Bio‐Physical Parameterization for Ocean Radiant Heating in Conditions of Near‐Surface Stratification

Witte, Carson Riggs; Subramaniam, Ajit; Zappa, Christopher J.

Most of the sunlight that hits our planet is absorbed by the ocean as heat, and the vertical distribution of this heat influences the circulation patterns of the atmosphere and upper ocean. Phytoplankton in the ocean also absorb sunlight, preventing it from heating deeper water. It is important, therefore, for ocean models to have a realistic representation of the solar heating profile as a function of the phytoplankton concentration. However, current parameterizations of solar heating in ocean models do not work well at shallow depths. To remedy this, we use intuitive physical modeling tools to develop a new parameterization that balances simplicity and accuracy and can be applied across all types of ocean modeling. We compare our parameterization to several types of direct measurements to better understand its accuracy and limitations. Finally, we conclude with a case study demonstrating the value of the new parameterization in a novel application.