Buoyancy forcing and the subpolar Atlantic meridional overturning circulation
The North Atlantic meridional overturning circulation and its variability are examined in terms of the overturning in density space and diapycnal water mass transformation. The magnitude of the mean overturning is similar to the surface water mass transformation, but the density and properties of th...
Published in: | Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences |
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The Royal Society
2023
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Online Access: | https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00858/96985/105673.pdf https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00858/96985/105674.pdf https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2022.0181 https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00858/96985/ |
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ftarchimer:oai:archimer.ifremer.fr:96985 2024-02-11T10:05:36+01:00 Buoyancy forcing and the subpolar Atlantic meridional overturning circulation Buckley, Martha W. Lozier, M. Susan Desbruyères, Damien Evans, Dafydd Gwyn 2023-12 application/pdf https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00858/96985/105673.pdf https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00858/96985/105674.pdf https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2022.0181 https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00858/96985/ eng eng The Royal Society info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/FP7/101059547/EU//EPOC https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00858/96985/105673.pdf https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00858/96985/105674.pdf doi:10.1098/rsta.2022.0181 https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00858/96985/ info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess restricted use Philosophical Transactions Of The Royal Society A-mathematical Physical And Engineering Sciences (1364-503X) (The Royal Society), 2023-12 , Vol. 381 , N. 2262 , P. 20220181 (31p.) Atlantic meridional overturning circulation buoyancy forcing water mass transformation text Article info:eu-repo/semantics/article 2023 ftarchimer https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2022.0181 2024-01-16T23:51:06Z The North Atlantic meridional overturning circulation and its variability are examined in terms of the overturning in density space and diapycnal water mass transformation. The magnitude of the mean overturning is similar to the surface water mass transformation, but the density and properties of these waters are modified by diapycnal mixing. Surface waters are progressively densified while circulating cyclonically around the subpolar gyre, with the densest waters and deepest convection occurring in the Labrador Sea and Nordic Seas. The eddy-driven interaction between the convective interior and boundary currents is a key to the export of dense waters from marginal seas. Due to the multitude of pathways of dense waters within the subpolar gyre, as well as mixing with older waters, waters exiting the subpolar gyre have a wide range of ages, with a mean age on the order of a decade. As a result, interannual changes in water mass transformation are mostly balanced locally and do not result in changes in export to the subtropics. Only persistent changes in water mass transformation result in changes in export to the subtropics. The dilution of signals from upstream water mass transformation suggests that variability in export of dense waters to the subtropics may be controlled by other processes, including interaction of dense waters with the energetic upper ocean. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue ‘Atlantic overturning: new observations and challenges’. Article in Journal/Newspaper Labrador Sea Nordic Seas North Atlantic Archimer (Archive Institutionnelle de l'Ifremer - Institut français de recherche pour l'exploitation de la mer) Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences 381 2262 |
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 |
topic |
Atlantic meridional overturning circulation buoyancy forcing water mass transformation |
spellingShingle |
Atlantic meridional overturning circulation buoyancy forcing water mass transformation Buckley, Martha W. Lozier, M. Susan Desbruyères, Damien Evans, Dafydd Gwyn Buoyancy forcing and the subpolar Atlantic meridional overturning circulation |
topic_facet |
Atlantic meridional overturning circulation buoyancy forcing water mass transformation |
description |
The North Atlantic meridional overturning circulation and its variability are examined in terms of the overturning in density space and diapycnal water mass transformation. The magnitude of the mean overturning is similar to the surface water mass transformation, but the density and properties of these waters are modified by diapycnal mixing. Surface waters are progressively densified while circulating cyclonically around the subpolar gyre, with the densest waters and deepest convection occurring in the Labrador Sea and Nordic Seas. The eddy-driven interaction between the convective interior and boundary currents is a key to the export of dense waters from marginal seas. Due to the multitude of pathways of dense waters within the subpolar gyre, as well as mixing with older waters, waters exiting the subpolar gyre have a wide range of ages, with a mean age on the order of a decade. As a result, interannual changes in water mass transformation are mostly balanced locally and do not result in changes in export to the subtropics. Only persistent changes in water mass transformation result in changes in export to the subtropics. The dilution of signals from upstream water mass transformation suggests that variability in export of dense waters to the subtropics may be controlled by other processes, including interaction of dense waters with the energetic upper ocean. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue ‘Atlantic overturning: new observations and challenges’. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Buckley, Martha W. Lozier, M. Susan Desbruyères, Damien Evans, Dafydd Gwyn |
author_facet |
Buckley, Martha W. Lozier, M. Susan Desbruyères, Damien Evans, Dafydd Gwyn |
author_sort |
Buckley, Martha W. |
title |
Buoyancy forcing and the subpolar Atlantic meridional overturning circulation |
title_short |
Buoyancy forcing and the subpolar Atlantic meridional overturning circulation |
title_full |
Buoyancy forcing and the subpolar Atlantic meridional overturning circulation |
title_fullStr |
Buoyancy forcing and the subpolar Atlantic meridional overturning circulation |
title_full_unstemmed |
Buoyancy forcing and the subpolar Atlantic meridional overturning circulation |
title_sort |
buoyancy forcing and the subpolar atlantic meridional overturning circulation |
publisher |
The Royal Society |
publishDate |
2023 |
url |
https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00858/96985/105673.pdf https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00858/96985/105674.pdf https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2022.0181 https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00858/96985/ |
genre |
Labrador Sea Nordic Seas North Atlantic |
genre_facet |
Labrador Sea Nordic Seas North Atlantic |
op_source |
Philosophical Transactions Of The Royal Society A-mathematical Physical And Engineering Sciences (1364-503X) (The Royal Society), 2023-12 , Vol. 381 , N. 2262 , P. 20220181 (31p.) |
op_relation |
info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/FP7/101059547/EU//EPOC https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00858/96985/105673.pdf https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00858/96985/105674.pdf doi:10.1098/rsta.2022.0181 https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00858/96985/ |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess restricted use |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2022.0181 |
container_title |
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences |
container_volume |
381 |
container_issue |
2262 |
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1790602692860575744 |