Atlantic meridional overturning circulation modulates flood risk along the United States southeast coast ...

• Main Authors: Volkov, Denis, Zhang, Kate, Johns, William, Willis, Joshua, Hobbs, Will, Goes, Marlos, Zhang, Hong, Menemenlis, Dimitris
• Format: Conference Object
• Language: unknown
• Published: CNES 2023
• Subjects: North Atlantic
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.24400/527896/a03-2023.3746; https://ostst.aviso.altimetry.fr/programs/abstracts-details.html?tx_ausyclsseminar_pi2[objAbstracte]=3746&cHash=X

The system of ocean currents in the Atlantic Ocean, characterized by a northward flow of warm and salty water in the upper layers and a southward flow of colder and fresher water at depth, is called the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). By redistributing heat and other properties, the AMOC influences the global and regional climate, weather, sea level, and ecosystems. Climate models suggest that the AMOC may slow down towards the end of this century in response to the emission of greenhouse gases. A simple dynamic mechanism implies that an AMOC slowdown will accelerate sea level rise and increase the frequency of floods along the North America east coast. Here, we explore an alternative mechanism, according to which the AMOC-induced redistribution of heat causes large-scale warming and cooling, with the associated sea level increase and decrease, respectively. Specifically, when the subtropical North Atlantic warms and its sea level increases, the subpolar North Atlantic and the tropics ...