General circulation and intergyre dynamics in the eastern North Atlantic from a regional primitive equation model

The mean circulation of the eastern North Atlantic is investigated using a regional 0.8 degrees x cos(latitude)-resolution configuration of the SPEM primitive equation sigma coordinate model, forced by seasonal and monthly surface fluxes. The computational domain is surrounded by three self-adapting...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Penduff, T, Colin De Verdiere, Emmanuel, Barnier, B
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Amer Geophysical Union 2001
Subjects:
Online Access:https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00000/10274/9577.pdf
https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00000/10274/
id ftarchimer:oai:archimer.ifremer.fr:10274
record_format openpolar
spelling ftarchimer:oai:archimer.ifremer.fr:10274 2023-05-15T17:25:18+02:00 General circulation and intergyre dynamics in the eastern North Atlantic from a regional primitive equation model Penduff, T Colin De Verdiere, Emmanuel Barnier, B 2001-10 application/pdf https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00000/10274/9577.pdf https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00000/10274/ eng eng Amer Geophysical Union https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00000/10274/9577.pdf https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00000/10274/ 2001 AGU info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess restricted use Journal Of Geophysical Research Oceans (0148-0227) (Amer Geophysical Union), 2001-10 , Vol. 106 , N. C10 , P. 22313-22329 text Publication info:eu-repo/semantics/article 2001 ftarchimer 2021-09-23T20:18:03Z The mean circulation of the eastern North Atlantic is investigated using a regional 0.8 degrees x cos(latitude)-resolution configuration of the SPEM primitive equation sigma coordinate model, forced by seasonal and monthly surface fluxes. The computational domain is surrounded by three self-adapting open boundaries which evacuate the outgoing perturbations and laterally control the baroclinic modes in inflow regions, but let the model adjust the barotropic Mode to a large extent. The final solution is stable and reproduces most features of the basin's mean circulation well: A realistic Azores Current, the observed paths and transports of subpolar currents, of the branches of the North Atlantic Current, of the intergyre zone modal and intermediate water masses down to about 2000 m. Some unrealistic circulation features, attributed to the modest resolution and to certain limitations of the sigma coordinates, are found below 2000 m. The buoyancy and vorticity balances are investigated in the intergyre zone. The Subpolar Mode Water (SPMW), subducted at a realistic rate, continues its southward journey toward the ocean's interior in accordance with the ventilated thermocline theory, with eddy diapycnal fluxes exerting a moderating effect. The poleward motion observed between 300 and 1000 m is well reproduced north of 45 degreesN and governed by similar dynamics, but is absent south of 45 degreesN within the upper Mediterranean Water. Article in Journal/Newspaper north atlantic current North Atlantic Archimer (Archive Institutionnelle de l'Ifremer - Institut français de recherche pour l'exploitation de la mer)
institution Open Polar
collection Archimer (Archive Institutionnelle de l'Ifremer - Institut français de recherche pour l'exploitation de la mer)
op_collection_id ftarchimer
language English
description The mean circulation of the eastern North Atlantic is investigated using a regional 0.8 degrees x cos(latitude)-resolution configuration of the SPEM primitive equation sigma coordinate model, forced by seasonal and monthly surface fluxes. The computational domain is surrounded by three self-adapting open boundaries which evacuate the outgoing perturbations and laterally control the baroclinic modes in inflow regions, but let the model adjust the barotropic Mode to a large extent. The final solution is stable and reproduces most features of the basin's mean circulation well: A realistic Azores Current, the observed paths and transports of subpolar currents, of the branches of the North Atlantic Current, of the intergyre zone modal and intermediate water masses down to about 2000 m. Some unrealistic circulation features, attributed to the modest resolution and to certain limitations of the sigma coordinates, are found below 2000 m. The buoyancy and vorticity balances are investigated in the intergyre zone. The Subpolar Mode Water (SPMW), subducted at a realistic rate, continues its southward journey toward the ocean's interior in accordance with the ventilated thermocline theory, with eddy diapycnal fluxes exerting a moderating effect. The poleward motion observed between 300 and 1000 m is well reproduced north of 45 degreesN and governed by similar dynamics, but is absent south of 45 degreesN within the upper Mediterranean Water.
format Article in Journal/Newspaper
author Penduff, T
Colin De Verdiere, Emmanuel
Barnier, B
spellingShingle Penduff, T
Colin De Verdiere, Emmanuel
Barnier, B
General circulation and intergyre dynamics in the eastern North Atlantic from a regional primitive equation model
author_facet Penduff, T
Colin De Verdiere, Emmanuel
Barnier, B
author_sort Penduff, T
title General circulation and intergyre dynamics in the eastern North Atlantic from a regional primitive equation model
title_short General circulation and intergyre dynamics in the eastern North Atlantic from a regional primitive equation model
title_full General circulation and intergyre dynamics in the eastern North Atlantic from a regional primitive equation model
title_fullStr General circulation and intergyre dynamics in the eastern North Atlantic from a regional primitive equation model
title_full_unstemmed General circulation and intergyre dynamics in the eastern North Atlantic from a regional primitive equation model
title_sort general circulation and intergyre dynamics in the eastern north atlantic from a regional primitive equation model
publisher Amer Geophysical Union
publishDate 2001
url https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00000/10274/9577.pdf
https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00000/10274/
genre north atlantic current
North Atlantic
genre_facet north atlantic current
North Atlantic
op_source Journal Of Geophysical Research Oceans (0148-0227) (Amer Geophysical Union), 2001-10 , Vol. 106 , N. C10 , P. 22313-22329
op_relation https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00000/10274/9577.pdf
https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00000/10274/
op_rights 2001 AGU
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
restricted use
_version_ 1766116698916651008