# Imprint of Mesoscale Eddies on Air-Sea Interaction in the Tropical Atlantic Ocean  
[PERSON]  
1 University of Toulouse, LEGOS (CNES/CNRS/IRD/UPS), 31400 Toulouse, France; yves.moredllegos.obs-mip.fr (Y.M)1 University of Toulouse, LEGOS (CNES/CNRS/IRD/UPS), 31400 Toulouse, France; yves.moredllegos.obs-mip.fr ([PERSON]
the other hand, CEs with negative SST anomalies reduce heat exchange with the atmosphere and thus reduce convection, clouds and PR [25]. The impact of CEs and AEs on turbulent heat exchange at the ocean-atmosphere interface has also been studied in the South Atlantic, particularly in highly energetic eddy regions such as the Brazil-Malvinas confluence and the Agulhas Current retroflection [10]. Our study aims to fill the gap in the knowledge of the impact of mesoscale eddies on heat and freshwater exchange in the tropical Atlantic Ocean (TAO), a region of interest in this regard, in particular because of the possible impact on the African Monsoon. The TAO is a vital component of the Earth's climate system, playing a significant role in shaping the world's weather patterns by exchanging heat, moisture and other important variables between the ocean and atmosphere [26]. Its location near the equator and high intensity of solar radiation result in higher sea surface temperatures (SST, Figure 1) and a positive heat balance, making it a key source of heat for the atmosphere [26]. This heat exchange leads to increased atmospheric turbulence and low-level wind speeds [24], driving deep atmospheric convection and the formation of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ, Figure 1). The ITCZ, marked by cumulus and cumulonimbus clouds and heavy PR, represents an essential feature in the global water and energy cycles, affecting the distribution of PR, clouds, and atmospheric circulation across the tropics. The ITCZ's seasonal migration from its northernmost position (approximately 8\({}^{\circ}\)N) in the boreal summer to its southernmost position (approximately 2\({}^{\circ}\)N) in the boreal winter (Figure 1) [27; 28; 29] also influences global wind patterns and ocean currents, making the TAO a critical component of the Earth's climate system. However, these complex processes in the TAO can also be influenced by mesoscale oceanic eddies that can have, as mentioned above, a significant impact on air-sea heat and moisture exchanges. Our study aims to investigate the imprint of these mesoscale eddies on air-sea interaction in the TAO, and in particular, in the ITCZ region, which is a key area for heat and moisture exchange between the ocean and atmosphere. In the Earth climate models (e.g., CPIM) small-scale structures are not taken into account explicitly, due to the coarse spatial resolution. Warm SST biases are mentioned in the CMIP estimations in the eastern part of the TAO [30] and might be due to the non representation of small-scale structures such as mesoscale eddies. A comprehensive understanding of the influence  
Figure 1: Mean sea surface temperature (SST, background color) and SST gradient (black thin contour lines) in the tropical Atlantic ocean (TAO) from 2010 to 2017. The green thick solid and dashed lines denote the average and the northernmost and southernmost locations of the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ), during boreal winter and summer, respectively. Magenta dashed lines represent Cape Verde Frontal Zone, Angola Benguela Frontal and Cabo Frio Frontal. North Brazil Current Retroflection (NBCR), North Equatorial Current (NEC), North Equatorial Counter-current (NECC), Brazil Current (BC), Angola Current (AC) and Benguela Current (BeC) are shown by wide black arrows. of mesoscale eddies on air-sea interaction in the TAO is thus crucial for improving our understanding and modeling of the Earth's climate system. In the TAO, mesoscale eddies have typical amplitudes of 1-5 cm and radii of 40-100 km, with the highest eddy kinetic energy (EKE) located in the western boundary in the North Brazil Current retroflection [1].