Low-frequency oscillations of the Atlantic Ocean meridional overturning circulation in a coupled climate model
Using a 3-dimensional climate model of intermediate complexity we show that the overturning circulation of the Atlantic Ocean can vary at multicentennial-to-millennial timescales for modern boundary conditions. A continuous freshwater perturbation in the Labrador Sea pushes the overturning circulati...
| Published in: | Climate of the Past |
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| Main Authors: | , , |
| Format: | Text |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2018
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-3-97-2007 https://cp.copernicus.org/articles/3/97/2007/ |
| Summary: | Using a 3-dimensional climate model of intermediate complexity we show that the overturning circulation of the Atlantic Ocean can vary at multicentennial-to-millennial timescales for modern boundary conditions. A continuous freshwater perturbation in the Labrador Sea pushes the overturning circulation of the Atlantic Ocean into a bi-stable regime, characterized by phases of active and inactive deep-water formation in the Labrador Sea. In contrast, deep-water formation in the Nordic Seas is active during all phases of the oscillations. The actual timing of the transitions between the two circulation states occurs randomly. The oscillations constitute a 3-dimensional phenomenon and have to be distinguished from low-frequency oscillations seen previously in 2-dimensional models of the ocean. A conceptual model provides further insight into the essential dynamics underlying the oscillations of the large-scale ocean circulation. The model experiments indicate that the coupled climate system can exhibit unforced climate variability at multicentennial-to-millennial timescales that may be of relevance for Holocene climate variations. |
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