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...
Published in: | Annals of Geophysics |
---|---|
Main Author: | |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Instituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia
2003
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/7019/ https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/7019/1/99_107Latif.pdf https://doi.org/10.4401/ag-3392 |
id |
ftoceanrep:oai:oceanrep.geomar.de:7019 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftoceanrep:oai:oceanrep.geomar.de:7019 2023-05-15T17:28:58+02:00 Tropical Pacific influences on the North Atlantic thermohaline circulation Latif, Mojib 2003 text https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/7019/ https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/7019/1/99_107Latif.pdf https://doi.org/10.4401/ag-3392 en eng Instituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/7019/1/99_107Latif.pdf Latif, M. (2003) Tropical Pacific influences on the North Atlantic thermohaline circulation. Open Access Annals of Geophysics, 46 (1). pp. 99-107. DOI 10.4401/ag-3392 <https://doi.org/10.4401/ag-3392>. doi:10.4401/ag-3392 cc_by_3.0 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Article PeerReviewed 2003 ftoceanrep https://doi.org/10.4401/ag-3392 2023-04-07T14:53:57Z 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 OceanRep (GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre für Ocean Research Kiel) Pacific Annals of Geophysics 46 1 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
OceanRep (GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre für Ocean Research Kiel) |
op_collection_id |
ftoceanrep |
language |
English |
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, Mojib |
spellingShingle |
Latif, Mojib Tropical Pacific influences on the North Atlantic thermohaline circulation |
author_facet |
Latif, Mojib |
author_sort |
Latif, Mojib |
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 |
Instituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia |
publishDate |
2003 |
url |
https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/7019/ https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/7019/1/99_107Latif.pdf 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_relation |
https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/7019/1/99_107Latif.pdf Latif, M. (2003) Tropical Pacific influences on the North Atlantic thermohaline circulation. Open Access Annals of Geophysics, 46 (1). pp. 99-107. DOI 10.4401/ag-3392 <https://doi.org/10.4401/ag-3392>. doi:10.4401/ag-3392 |
op_rights |
cc_by_3.0 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.4401/ag-3392 |
container_title |
Annals of Geophysics |
container_volume |
46 |
container_issue |
1 |
_version_ |
1766122268790882304 |