Tropical Pacific influences on the North Atlantic Thermohaline Circulation
Most global climate models simulate a weakening of the North Atlantic Thermohaline Circulation (THC) in response to enhanced greenhouse warming. Both surface warming and freshening in high latitudes, the so-called sinking region, contribute to the weakening of the THC. Some models simulate even a co...
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ftjaog:oai:ojs.annalsofgeophysics.eu:article/3392 2023-05-15T17:29:09+02:00 Tropical Pacific influences on the North Atlantic Thermohaline Circulation Latif, M. 2003-12-25 application/pdf https://www.annalsofgeophysics.eu/index.php/annals/article/view/3392 https://doi.org/10.4401/ag-3392 eng eng Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, INGV https://www.annalsofgeophysics.eu/index.php/annals/article/view/3392/3438 https://www.annalsofgeophysics.eu/index.php/annals/article/view/3392 doi:10.4401/ag-3392 Annals of Geophysics; V. 46 N. 1 (2003) Annals of Geophysics; Vol. 46 No. 1 (2003) 2037-416X 1593-5213 thermohaline circulation air-sea 01.01.02. Climate 03.03.02. General circulation info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion 2003 ftjaog https://doi.org/10.4401/ag-3392 2022-03-27T06:36:14Z Most global climate models simulate a weakening of the North Atlantic Thermohaline Circulation (THC) in response to enhanced greenhouse warming. Both surface warming and freshening in high latitudes, the so-called sinking region, contribute to the weakening of the THC. Some models simulate even a complete breakdown of the THC at sufficiently strong forcing. Here results from a state-of-the-art global climate model are presented that does not simulate a weakening of the THC in response to greenhouse warming. Large-scale air-sea interactions in the tropics, similar to those operating during present-day El Niños, lead to anomalously high salinities in the tropical Atlantic. These are advected into the sinking region, thereby increasing the surface density and compensating the effects of the local warming and freshening. The results of the model study are corroborated by the analysis of observations. Article in Journal/Newspaper North Atlantic North atlantic Thermohaline circulation Annals of Geophysics (INGV, Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia) Pacific Annals of Geophysics 46 1 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Annals of Geophysics (INGV, Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia) |
op_collection_id |
ftjaog |
language |
English |
topic |
thermohaline circulation air-sea 01.01.02. Climate 03.03.02. General circulation |
spellingShingle |
thermohaline circulation air-sea 01.01.02. Climate 03.03.02. General circulation Latif, M. Tropical Pacific influences on the North Atlantic Thermohaline Circulation |
topic_facet |
thermohaline circulation air-sea 01.01.02. Climate 03.03.02. General circulation |
description |
Most global climate models simulate a weakening of the North Atlantic Thermohaline Circulation (THC) in response to enhanced greenhouse warming. Both surface warming and freshening in high latitudes, the so-called sinking region, contribute to the weakening of the THC. Some models simulate even a complete breakdown of the THC at sufficiently strong forcing. Here results from a state-of-the-art global climate model are presented that does not simulate a weakening of the THC in response to greenhouse warming. Large-scale air-sea interactions in the tropics, similar to those operating during present-day El Niños, lead to anomalously high salinities in the tropical Atlantic. These are advected into the sinking region, thereby increasing the surface density and compensating the effects of the local warming and freshening. The results of the model study are corroborated by the analysis of observations. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Latif, M. |
author_facet |
Latif, M. |
author_sort |
Latif, M. |
title |
Tropical Pacific influences on the North Atlantic Thermohaline Circulation |
title_short |
Tropical Pacific influences on the North Atlantic Thermohaline Circulation |
title_full |
Tropical Pacific influences on the North Atlantic Thermohaline Circulation |
title_fullStr |
Tropical Pacific influences on the North Atlantic Thermohaline Circulation |
title_full_unstemmed |
Tropical Pacific influences on the North Atlantic Thermohaline Circulation |
title_sort |
tropical pacific influences on the north atlantic thermohaline circulation |
publisher |
Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, INGV |
publishDate |
2003 |
url |
https://www.annalsofgeophysics.eu/index.php/annals/article/view/3392 https://doi.org/10.4401/ag-3392 |
geographic |
Pacific |
geographic_facet |
Pacific |
genre |
North Atlantic North atlantic Thermohaline circulation |
genre_facet |
North Atlantic North atlantic Thermohaline circulation |
op_source |
Annals of Geophysics; V. 46 N. 1 (2003) Annals of Geophysics; Vol. 46 No. 1 (2003) 2037-416X 1593-5213 |
op_relation |
https://www.annalsofgeophysics.eu/index.php/annals/article/view/3392/3438 https://www.annalsofgeophysics.eu/index.php/annals/article/view/3392 doi:10.4401/ag-3392 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.4401/ag-3392 |
container_title |
Annals of Geophysics |
container_volume |
46 |
container_issue |
1 |
_version_ |
1766122760957853696 |