Rapid Southern Ocean front transitions in an eddy-resolving ocean GCM
The formation of persistent multiple fronts is an established feature of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC). Front strength and location are closely linked to eddy properties and therefore have important implications for the eddy-driven closure of the Southern Ocean meridional overturning circu...
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2010GL045386 |
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ftcaltechauth:oai:authors.library.caltech.edu:rqape-6yv47 2024-06-23T07:46:43+00:00 Rapid Southern Ocean front transitions in an eddy-resolving ocean GCM Thompson, Andrew F. Haynes, Peter H. Wilson, Chris Richards, Kelvin J. 2010-12 https://doi.org/10.1029/2010GL045386 unknown American Geophysical Union https://doi.org/10.1029/2010GL045386 oai:authors.library.caltech.edu:rqape-6yv47 eprintid:37345 resolverid:CaltechAUTHORS:20130306-112357390 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Other Geophysical Research Letters, 37(23), Art. No. L23602, (2010-12) Antarctic Circumpolar Current fronts jets potential vorticity info:eu-repo/semantics/article 2010 ftcaltechauth https://doi.org/10.1029/2010GL045386 2024-06-12T03:19:13Z The formation of persistent multiple fronts is an established feature of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC). Front strength and location are closely linked to eddy properties and therefore have important implications for the eddy-driven closure of the Southern Ocean meridional overturning circulation. ACC front structure is analyzed here by calculating regional probability density functions (PDFs) of potential vorticity diagnosed in an eddy-resolving ocean general circulation model. Rapid spatial transitions in the number of fronts and in the density classes over which they occur are found. Front transitions are associated with the major topographic obstacles Kerguelen Island, Campbell Plateau and Drake Passage; multiple fronts are preferentially found downstream of these features. These findings highlight the significant departure from zonal symmetry of the ACC front structure and emphasize the importance of local dynamics on large-scale Southern Ocean properties. © 2010 American Geophysical Union. Received 14 September 2010; revised 16 October 2010; accepted 19 October 2010; published 2 December 2010. The authors gratefully acknowledge the provision of OFES output by Hideharu Sasaki and James Potemra. We also thank Matt Mazloff for supplying SOSE output. AFT was supported by NERC, NE/E013171/1. CW was supported by NERC through Oceans 2025 and NE/1001794/1. Published - Thompson_etal_GRL2010.pdf Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Drake Passage Southern Ocean Caltech Authors (California Institute of Technology) Antarctic Campbell Plateau ENVELOPE(171.000,171.000,-50.667,-50.667) Drake Passage Kerguelen Kerguelen Island ENVELOPE(69.500,69.500,-49.250,-49.250) Southern Ocean The Antarctic Geophysical Research Letters 37 23 |
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Open Polar |
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Caltech Authors (California Institute of Technology) |
op_collection_id |
ftcaltechauth |
language |
unknown |
topic |
Antarctic Circumpolar Current fronts jets potential vorticity |
spellingShingle |
Antarctic Circumpolar Current fronts jets potential vorticity Thompson, Andrew F. Haynes, Peter H. Wilson, Chris Richards, Kelvin J. Rapid Southern Ocean front transitions in an eddy-resolving ocean GCM |
topic_facet |
Antarctic Circumpolar Current fronts jets potential vorticity |
description |
The formation of persistent multiple fronts is an established feature of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC). Front strength and location are closely linked to eddy properties and therefore have important implications for the eddy-driven closure of the Southern Ocean meridional overturning circulation. ACC front structure is analyzed here by calculating regional probability density functions (PDFs) of potential vorticity diagnosed in an eddy-resolving ocean general circulation model. Rapid spatial transitions in the number of fronts and in the density classes over which they occur are found. Front transitions are associated with the major topographic obstacles Kerguelen Island, Campbell Plateau and Drake Passage; multiple fronts are preferentially found downstream of these features. These findings highlight the significant departure from zonal symmetry of the ACC front structure and emphasize the importance of local dynamics on large-scale Southern Ocean properties. © 2010 American Geophysical Union. Received 14 September 2010; revised 16 October 2010; accepted 19 October 2010; published 2 December 2010. The authors gratefully acknowledge the provision of OFES output by Hideharu Sasaki and James Potemra. We also thank Matt Mazloff for supplying SOSE output. AFT was supported by NERC, NE/E013171/1. CW was supported by NERC through Oceans 2025 and NE/1001794/1. Published - Thompson_etal_GRL2010.pdf |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Thompson, Andrew F. Haynes, Peter H. Wilson, Chris Richards, Kelvin J. |
author_facet |
Thompson, Andrew F. Haynes, Peter H. Wilson, Chris Richards, Kelvin J. |
author_sort |
Thompson, Andrew F. |
title |
Rapid Southern Ocean front transitions in an eddy-resolving ocean GCM |
title_short |
Rapid Southern Ocean front transitions in an eddy-resolving ocean GCM |
title_full |
Rapid Southern Ocean front transitions in an eddy-resolving ocean GCM |
title_fullStr |
Rapid Southern Ocean front transitions in an eddy-resolving ocean GCM |
title_full_unstemmed |
Rapid Southern Ocean front transitions in an eddy-resolving ocean GCM |
title_sort |
rapid southern ocean front transitions in an eddy-resolving ocean gcm |
publisher |
American Geophysical Union |
publishDate |
2010 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1029/2010GL045386 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(171.000,171.000,-50.667,-50.667) ENVELOPE(69.500,69.500,-49.250,-49.250) |
geographic |
Antarctic Campbell Plateau Drake Passage Kerguelen Kerguelen Island Southern Ocean The Antarctic |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Campbell Plateau Drake Passage Kerguelen Kerguelen Island Southern Ocean The Antarctic |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Drake Passage Southern Ocean |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Drake Passage Southern Ocean |
op_source |
Geophysical Research Letters, 37(23), Art. No. L23602, (2010-12) |
op_relation |
https://doi.org/10.1029/2010GL045386 oai:authors.library.caltech.edu:rqape-6yv47 eprintid:37345 resolverid:CaltechAUTHORS:20130306-112357390 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Other |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1029/2010GL045386 |
container_title |
Geophysical Research Letters |
container_volume |
37 |
container_issue |
23 |
_version_ |
1802647742305009664 |