Mechanisms of physical-biological-biogeochemical interaction at the oceanic mesoscale

Author Posting. © The Author(s), 2015. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here by permission of Annual Reviews for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Annual Review of Marine Science 8 (2016): 125-159, doi:10.1146/annurev-marine-010814-015606.Mesoscale phenomena are ubiquitous and highly energetic features of ocean circulation. Their influence on biological and biogeochemical processes varies widely, stemming from not only advective transport but also through generation of environmental variations that affect biological and chemical rates. Elucidation of the attendant mechanisms of physical-biological-biogeochemical interaction is made difficult by the ephemeral nature of the underlying processes, necessitating the use of multidisciplinary approaches involving in situ observations, remote sensing, and modeling. All three aspects are woven through this review in an attempt to synthesize current understanding of the topic, with particular emphasis on novel developments in recent years.I gratefully acknowledge support from the National Science Foundation, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the Holger W. Jannasch and Columbus O’Donnell Iselin Shared Chairs for Excellence in Oceanography