The instability of diffusive convection and its implication for the thermohaline staircases in the deep Arctic Ocean
In the present study, the classical description of diffusive convection is updated to interpret the instability of diffusive interfaces and the dynamical evolution of the bottom layer in the deep Arctic Ocean. In the new consideration of convective instability, both the background salinity stratific...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:4a190dec47454008a32f970384b95572 2023-05-15T14:46:40+02:00 The instability of diffusive convection and its implication for the thermohaline staircases in the deep Arctic Ocean S.-Q. Zhou L. Qu Y.-Z. Lu X.-L. Song 2014-02-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.5194/os-10-127-2014 https://doaj.org/article/4a190dec47454008a32f970384b95572 EN eng Copernicus Publications http://www.ocean-sci.net/10/127/2014/os-10-127-2014.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1812-0784 https://doaj.org/toc/1812-0792 1812-0784 1812-0792 doi:10.5194/os-10-127-2014 https://doaj.org/article/4a190dec47454008a32f970384b95572 Ocean Science, Vol 10, Iss 1, Pp 127-134 (2014) Geography. Anthropology. Recreation G Environmental sciences GE1-350 article 2014 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.5194/os-10-127-2014 2022-12-31T12:10:58Z In the present study, the classical description of diffusive convection is updated to interpret the instability of diffusive interfaces and the dynamical evolution of the bottom layer in the deep Arctic Ocean. In the new consideration of convective instability, both the background salinity stratification and rotation are involved. The critical Rayleigh number of diffusive convection is found to vary from 10 3 to 10 11 in the deep Arctic Ocean as well as in other oceans and lakes. In such a wide range of conditions, the interface-induced thermal Rayleigh number is shown to be consistent with the critical Rayleigh number of diffusive convection. In most regions, background salinity stratification is found to be the main hindrance to the occurrence of convecting layers. With the new parameterization, it is predicted that the maximum thickness of the bottom layer is 1051 m in the deep Arctic Ocean, which is close to the observed value of 929 m. The evolution time of the bottom layer is predicted to be ~ 100 yr, which is on the same order as that based on 14 C isolation age estimation. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Arctic Ocean Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic Arctic Ocean Ocean Science 10 1 127 134 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Geography. Anthropology. Recreation G Environmental sciences GE1-350 |
spellingShingle |
Geography. Anthropology. Recreation G Environmental sciences GE1-350 S.-Q. Zhou L. Qu Y.-Z. Lu X.-L. Song The instability of diffusive convection and its implication for the thermohaline staircases in the deep Arctic Ocean |
topic_facet |
Geography. Anthropology. Recreation G Environmental sciences GE1-350 |
description |
In the present study, the classical description of diffusive convection is updated to interpret the instability of diffusive interfaces and the dynamical evolution of the bottom layer in the deep Arctic Ocean. In the new consideration of convective instability, both the background salinity stratification and rotation are involved. The critical Rayleigh number of diffusive convection is found to vary from 10 3 to 10 11 in the deep Arctic Ocean as well as in other oceans and lakes. In such a wide range of conditions, the interface-induced thermal Rayleigh number is shown to be consistent with the critical Rayleigh number of diffusive convection. In most regions, background salinity stratification is found to be the main hindrance to the occurrence of convecting layers. With the new parameterization, it is predicted that the maximum thickness of the bottom layer is 1051 m in the deep Arctic Ocean, which is close to the observed value of 929 m. The evolution time of the bottom layer is predicted to be ~ 100 yr, which is on the same order as that based on 14 C isolation age estimation. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
S.-Q. Zhou L. Qu Y.-Z. Lu X.-L. Song |
author_facet |
S.-Q. Zhou L. Qu Y.-Z. Lu X.-L. Song |
author_sort |
S.-Q. Zhou |
title |
The instability of diffusive convection and its implication for the thermohaline staircases in the deep Arctic Ocean |
title_short |
The instability of diffusive convection and its implication for the thermohaline staircases in the deep Arctic Ocean |
title_full |
The instability of diffusive convection and its implication for the thermohaline staircases in the deep Arctic Ocean |
title_fullStr |
The instability of diffusive convection and its implication for the thermohaline staircases in the deep Arctic Ocean |
title_full_unstemmed |
The instability of diffusive convection and its implication for the thermohaline staircases in the deep Arctic Ocean |
title_sort |
instability of diffusive convection and its implication for the thermohaline staircases in the deep arctic ocean |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
publishDate |
2014 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-10-127-2014 https://doaj.org/article/4a190dec47454008a32f970384b95572 |
geographic |
Arctic Arctic Ocean |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Arctic Ocean |
genre |
Arctic Arctic Ocean |
genre_facet |
Arctic Arctic Ocean |
op_source |
Ocean Science, Vol 10, Iss 1, Pp 127-134 (2014) |
op_relation |
http://www.ocean-sci.net/10/127/2014/os-10-127-2014.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1812-0784 https://doaj.org/toc/1812-0792 1812-0784 1812-0792 doi:10.5194/os-10-127-2014 https://doaj.org/article/4a190dec47454008a32f970384b95572 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-10-127-2014 |
container_title |
Ocean Science |
container_volume |
10 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
127 |
op_container_end_page |
134 |
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1766317861166383104 |