Response of the thermohaline circulation to cold climates ...
A coupled atmosphere-ocean-sea ice-land surface-ice sheet model of intermediate complexity, the so-called McGill Paleoclimate Model, is employed to study the response of the thermohaline circulation (THC) to various global climate coolings, which are realized by increasing the present-day planetary...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | unknown |
| Published: |
Columbia University
2002
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://dx.doi.org/10.7916/d8736qp5 https://academiccommons.columbia.edu/doi/10.7916/D8736QP5 |
| Summary: | A coupled atmosphere-ocean-sea ice-land surface-ice sheet model of intermediate complexity, the so-called McGill Paleoclimate Model, is employed to study the response of the thermohaline circulation (THC) to various global climate coolings, which are realized by increasing the present-day planetary emissivity to various values. Generally, it is found that the response of the THC to global cooling is nonlinear: For a slightly cold climate the THC in the North Atlantic and the Pacific upwelling become intensified. For a very cold climate the THC in the North Atlantic may be weakened or even collapsed. The associated Pacific upwelling for a very cold climate also becomes weak when the THC is weakened, and intermediate deep water may form in the Pacific when the THC is collapsed. Some support for this nonlinear response is found in recent paleoceanographic data. The reduced atmospheric poleward moisture transport due to the global cooling is mainly responsible for the intensification of the THC in the North ... |
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