Causes of Interannual–Decadal Variability in the Meridional Overturning Circulation of the Midlatitude North Atlantic Ocean
The causes and characteristics of interannual–decadal variability of the meridional overturning circulation (MOC) in the North Atlantic are investigated with a suite of basin-scale ocean models [the Family of Linked Atlantic Model Experiments (FLAME)] and global ocean–ice models (ORCA), varying in r...
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ftoceanrep:oai:oceanrep.geomar.de:3096 2024-09-30T14:39:17+00:00 Causes of Interannual–Decadal Variability in the Meridional Overturning Circulation of the Midlatitude North Atlantic Ocean Biastoch, Arne Böning, Claus W. Getzlaff, Julia Molines, J.-M. Madec, G. 2008-06-09 text https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/3096/ https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/3096/1/2008jcli2404.1.pdf https://doi.org/10.1175/2008JCLI2404.1 en eng AMS (American Meteorological Society) https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/3096/1/2008jcli2404.1.pdf Biastoch, A. , Böning, C. W. , Getzlaff, J., Molines, J. M. and Madec, G. (2008) Causes of Interannual–Decadal Variability in the Meridional Overturning Circulation of the Midlatitude North Atlantic Ocean. Open Access Journal of Climate, 21 . pp. 6599-6615. DOI 10.1175/2008JCLI2404.1 <https://doi.org/10.1175/2008JCLI2404.1>. doi:10.1175/2008JCLI2404.1 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Article PeerReviewed 2008 ftoceanrep https://doi.org/10.1175/2008JCLI2404.1 2024-09-04T05:04:40Z The causes and characteristics of interannual–decadal variability of the meridional overturning circulation (MOC) in the North Atlantic are investigated with a suite of basin-scale ocean models [the Family of Linked Atlantic Model Experiments (FLAME)] and global ocean–ice models (ORCA), varying in resolution from medium to eddy resolving (½°–1/12°), using various forcing configurations built on bulk formulations invoking atmospheric reanalysis products. Comparison of the model hindcasts indicates similar MOC variability characteristics on time scales up to a decade; both model architectures also simulate an upward trend in MOC strength between the early 1970s and mid-1990s. The causes of the MOC changes are examined by perturbation experiments aimed selectively at the response to individual forcing components. The solutions emphasize an inherently linear character of the midlatitude MOC variability by demonstrating that the anomalies of a (non–eddy resolving) hindcast simulation can be understood as a superposition of decadal and longer-term signals originating from thermohaline forcing variability, and a higher-frequency wind-driven variability. The thermohaline MOC signal is linked to the variability in subarctic deep-water formation, and rapidly progressing to the tropical Atlantic. However, throughout the subtropical and midlatitude North Atlantic, this signal is effectively masked by stronger MOC variability related to wind forcing and, especially north of 30°–35°N, by internally induced (eddy) fluctuations. Article in Journal/Newspaper North Atlantic Orca Subarctic OceanRep (GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre für Ocean Research Kiel) Journal of Climate 21 24 6599 6615 |
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Open Polar |
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OceanRep (GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre für Ocean Research Kiel) |
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ftoceanrep |
language |
English |
description |
The causes and characteristics of interannual–decadal variability of the meridional overturning circulation (MOC) in the North Atlantic are investigated with a suite of basin-scale ocean models [the Family of Linked Atlantic Model Experiments (FLAME)] and global ocean–ice models (ORCA), varying in resolution from medium to eddy resolving (½°–1/12°), using various forcing configurations built on bulk formulations invoking atmospheric reanalysis products. Comparison of the model hindcasts indicates similar MOC variability characteristics on time scales up to a decade; both model architectures also simulate an upward trend in MOC strength between the early 1970s and mid-1990s. The causes of the MOC changes are examined by perturbation experiments aimed selectively at the response to individual forcing components. The solutions emphasize an inherently linear character of the midlatitude MOC variability by demonstrating that the anomalies of a (non–eddy resolving) hindcast simulation can be understood as a superposition of decadal and longer-term signals originating from thermohaline forcing variability, and a higher-frequency wind-driven variability. The thermohaline MOC signal is linked to the variability in subarctic deep-water formation, and rapidly progressing to the tropical Atlantic. However, throughout the subtropical and midlatitude North Atlantic, this signal is effectively masked by stronger MOC variability related to wind forcing and, especially north of 30°–35°N, by internally induced (eddy) fluctuations. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Biastoch, Arne Böning, Claus W. Getzlaff, Julia Molines, J.-M. Madec, G. |
spellingShingle |
Biastoch, Arne Böning, Claus W. Getzlaff, Julia Molines, J.-M. Madec, G. Causes of Interannual–Decadal Variability in the Meridional Overturning Circulation of the Midlatitude North Atlantic Ocean |
author_facet |
Biastoch, Arne Böning, Claus W. Getzlaff, Julia Molines, J.-M. Madec, G. |
author_sort |
Biastoch, Arne |
title |
Causes of Interannual–Decadal Variability in the Meridional Overturning Circulation of the Midlatitude North Atlantic Ocean |
title_short |
Causes of Interannual–Decadal Variability in the Meridional Overturning Circulation of the Midlatitude North Atlantic Ocean |
title_full |
Causes of Interannual–Decadal Variability in the Meridional Overturning Circulation of the Midlatitude North Atlantic Ocean |
title_fullStr |
Causes of Interannual–Decadal Variability in the Meridional Overturning Circulation of the Midlatitude North Atlantic Ocean |
title_full_unstemmed |
Causes of Interannual–Decadal Variability in the Meridional Overturning Circulation of the Midlatitude North Atlantic Ocean |
title_sort |
causes of interannual–decadal variability in the meridional overturning circulation of the midlatitude north atlantic ocean |
publisher |
AMS (American Meteorological Society) |
publishDate |
2008 |
url |
https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/3096/ https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/3096/1/2008jcli2404.1.pdf https://doi.org/10.1175/2008JCLI2404.1 |
genre |
North Atlantic Orca Subarctic |
genre_facet |
North Atlantic Orca Subarctic |
op_relation |
https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/3096/1/2008jcli2404.1.pdf Biastoch, A. , Böning, C. W. , Getzlaff, J., Molines, J. M. and Madec, G. (2008) Causes of Interannual–Decadal Variability in the Meridional Overturning Circulation of the Midlatitude North Atlantic Ocean. Open Access Journal of Climate, 21 . pp. 6599-6615. DOI 10.1175/2008JCLI2404.1 <https://doi.org/10.1175/2008JCLI2404.1>. doi:10.1175/2008JCLI2404.1 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1175/2008JCLI2404.1 |
container_title |
Journal of Climate |
container_volume |
21 |
container_issue |
24 |
container_start_page |
6599 |
op_container_end_page |
6615 |
_version_ |
1811641868372410368 |