The Southern Ocean's eddy response to changing climate remains unclear, with observations suggesting non-monotonic changes in eddy kinetic energy (EKE) across scales. Here simulations reappear that smaller-mesoscale EKE is suppressed while larger-mesoscale EKE increases with strengthened winds. This change was linked to scale-wise changes in the kinetic energy cycle, where a sensitive balance between the dominant mesoscale energy sinks—inverse KE cascade, and source—baroclinic energization. Such balance induced a strong (weak) mesoscale suppression in the flat (ridge) channel. Mechanistically, this mesoscale suppression is attributed to stronger zonal jets weakening smaller mesoscale eddies and promoting larger-scale waves. These EKE multiscale changes lead to multiscale changes in meridional and vertical eddy transport, which can be parameterized using a scale-dependent diffusivity linked to the EKE spectrum. This multiscale eddy response may have significant implications for understanding and modeling the Southern Ocean eddy activity and transport under a changing climate.

中文翻译：

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理想化南极绕极流中涡动能和传输对西风带增强的多尺度响应

南大洋的涡流对气候变化的响应仍不清楚，观测表明涡动能（EKE）在不同尺度上存在非单调变化。这里的模拟再次显示，较小的中尺度 EKE 受到抑制，而较大的中尺度 EKE 随着风的增强而增加。这种变化与动能循环中的尺度变化有关，其中主要中尺度能量汇（逆KE级联）和源（斜压能量）之间的敏感平衡。这种平衡在平坦（脊）通道中引起强（弱）中尺度抑制。从机制上讲，这种中尺度抑制归因于更强的纬向急流削弱了较小的中尺度涡流并促进了更大尺度的波浪。这些 EKE 多尺度变化导致经向和垂直涡流传输的多尺度变化，可以使用与 EKE 谱相关的尺度相关扩散率进行参数化。这种多尺度涡旋响应可能对理解和模拟气候变化下的南大洋涡旋活动和运输具有重要意义。