Connecting Antarctic Cross-Slope Exchange with Southern Ocean Overturning
Previous idealized investigations of Southern Ocean overturning have omitted its connection with the Antarctic continental shelves, leaving the influence of shelf processes on Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) export unconsidered. In particular, the contribution of mesoscale eddies to setting the strati...
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American Meteorological Society
2013
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ftcaltechauth:oai:authors.library.caltech.edu:43713 2023-05-15T14:04:55+02:00 Connecting Antarctic Cross-Slope Exchange with Southern Ocean Overturning Stewart, Andrew L. Thompson, Andrew F. 2013-07 application/pdf https://authors.library.caltech.edu/43713/ https://authors.library.caltech.edu/43713/1/jpo-d-12-0205.1.pdf https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20140207-083123508 en eng American Meteorological Society https://authors.library.caltech.edu/43713/1/jpo-d-12-0205.1.pdf Stewart, Andrew L. and Thompson, Andrew F. (2013) Connecting Antarctic Cross-Slope Exchange with Southern Ocean Overturning. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 43 (7). pp. 1453-1471. ISSN 0022-3670. doi:10.1175/JPO-D-12-0205.1. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20140207-083123508 <https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20140207-083123508> other Article PeerReviewed 2013 ftcaltechauth https://doi.org/10.1175/JPO-D-12-0205.1 2021-11-11T18:56:45Z Previous idealized investigations of Southern Ocean overturning have omitted its connection with the Antarctic continental shelves, leaving the influence of shelf processes on Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) export unconsidered. In particular, the contribution of mesoscale eddies to setting the stratification and overturning circulation in the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) is well established, yet their role in cross-shelf exchange of water masses remains unclear. This study proposes a residual-mean theory that elucidates the connection between Antarctic cross-shelf exchange and overturning in the ACC, and the contribution of mesoscale eddies to the export of AABW. The authors motivate and verify this theory using an eddy-resolving process model of a sector of the Southern Ocean. The strength and pattern of the simulated overturning circulation strongly resemble those of the real ocean and are closely captured by the residual-mean theory. Over the continental slope baroclinic instability is suppressed, and so transport by mesoscale eddies is reduced. This suppression of the eddy fluxes also gives rise to the steep āVā-shaped isopycnals that characterize the Antarctic Slope Front in AABW-forming regions of the continental shelf. Furthermore, to produce water on the continental shelf that is dense enough to sink to the deep ocean, the deep overturning cell must be at least comparable in strength to wind-driven mean overturning on the continental slope. This results in a strong sensitivity of the deep overturning strength to changes in the polar easterly winds. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Southern Ocean Caltech Authors (California Institute of Technology) Antarctic Southern Ocean The Antarctic Journal of Physical Oceanography 43 7 1453 1471 |
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Caltech Authors (California Institute of Technology) |
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ftcaltechauth |
language |
English |
description |
Previous idealized investigations of Southern Ocean overturning have omitted its connection with the Antarctic continental shelves, leaving the influence of shelf processes on Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) export unconsidered. In particular, the contribution of mesoscale eddies to setting the stratification and overturning circulation in the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) is well established, yet their role in cross-shelf exchange of water masses remains unclear. This study proposes a residual-mean theory that elucidates the connection between Antarctic cross-shelf exchange and overturning in the ACC, and the contribution of mesoscale eddies to the export of AABW. The authors motivate and verify this theory using an eddy-resolving process model of a sector of the Southern Ocean. The strength and pattern of the simulated overturning circulation strongly resemble those of the real ocean and are closely captured by the residual-mean theory. Over the continental slope baroclinic instability is suppressed, and so transport by mesoscale eddies is reduced. This suppression of the eddy fluxes also gives rise to the steep āVā-shaped isopycnals that characterize the Antarctic Slope Front in AABW-forming regions of the continental shelf. Furthermore, to produce water on the continental shelf that is dense enough to sink to the deep ocean, the deep overturning cell must be at least comparable in strength to wind-driven mean overturning on the continental slope. This results in a strong sensitivity of the deep overturning strength to changes in the polar easterly winds. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Stewart, Andrew L. Thompson, Andrew F. |
spellingShingle |
Stewart, Andrew L. Thompson, Andrew F. Connecting Antarctic Cross-Slope Exchange with Southern Ocean Overturning |
author_facet |
Stewart, Andrew L. Thompson, Andrew F. |
author_sort |
Stewart, Andrew L. |
title |
Connecting Antarctic Cross-Slope Exchange with Southern Ocean Overturning |
title_short |
Connecting Antarctic Cross-Slope Exchange with Southern Ocean Overturning |
title_full |
Connecting Antarctic Cross-Slope Exchange with Southern Ocean Overturning |
title_fullStr |
Connecting Antarctic Cross-Slope Exchange with Southern Ocean Overturning |
title_full_unstemmed |
Connecting Antarctic Cross-Slope Exchange with Southern Ocean Overturning |
title_sort |
connecting antarctic cross-slope exchange with southern ocean overturning |
publisher |
American Meteorological Society |
publishDate |
2013 |
url |
https://authors.library.caltech.edu/43713/ https://authors.library.caltech.edu/43713/1/jpo-d-12-0205.1.pdf https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20140207-083123508 |
geographic |
Antarctic Southern Ocean The Antarctic |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Southern Ocean The Antarctic |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Southern Ocean |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Southern Ocean |
op_relation |
https://authors.library.caltech.edu/43713/1/jpo-d-12-0205.1.pdf Stewart, Andrew L. and Thompson, Andrew F. (2013) Connecting Antarctic Cross-Slope Exchange with Southern Ocean Overturning. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 43 (7). pp. 1453-1471. ISSN 0022-3670. doi:10.1175/JPO-D-12-0205.1. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20140207-083123508 <https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20140207-083123508> |
op_rights |
other |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1175/JPO-D-12-0205.1 |
container_title |
Journal of Physical Oceanography |
container_volume |
43 |
container_issue |
7 |
container_start_page |
1453 |
op_container_end_page |
1471 |
_version_ |
1766276370819710976 |