Felix Landerer (Jet Propulsion Laboratory, USA)

This is a short summary of an OSTST project entitled "Dynamics of Regional Heat Convergence and Deep-Ocean Warming in the subtropical South Pacific and Indian Oceans" The goal of this project is to monitor and analyze the mechanisms of heat accumulation in the subtropical South Pacific and Indian Oceans. We have addressed the following science questions: (i) Does the observed accumulation of heat in the South Pacific extend below 2000 m depth? (ii) What physical processes and mechanisms are responsible for the observed accumulation of heat? (iii) How is the 2014-2016 El Nino event affecting the subtropical South Pacific and South Indian Oceans? Does it signify the onset of a long-term cooling trend, or is it a transient negative anomaly?