Mechanisms of Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation(AMOC) Variability in a Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere GCM

• Published in: Advances in Atmospheric Sciences
• Main Authors: Huang, Boyin, Zhu Jiang, Yang Haijun
• Other Authors: Huang, BY (reprint author), NOAA, Natl Climat Data Ctr, Asheville, NC 28801 USA., NOAA, Natl Climat Data Ctr, Asheville, NC 28801 USA., Peking Univ, Lab Climate & Ocean Atmosphere Studies, Sch Phys, Beijing 100871, Peoples R China., Peking Univ, Dept Atmospher & Ocean Sci, Sch Phys, Beijing 100871, Peoples R China.
• Format: Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 大气科学进展英文版 2014
• Subjects: Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation; AMOC variability; coupled mode; and forcing mode; NORTH-ATLANTIC; THERMOHALINE CIRCULATION; DECADAL VARIABILITY; CLIMATE-CHANGE; MODEL; OSCILLATION; PRECIPITATION; SIMULATION; TRANSPORTS; North Atlantic; North atlantic Thermohaline circulation
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11897/214825; https://doi.org/10.1007/s00376-013-3021-3

The mechanisms involved in the variability of Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) are studied using a 2000-yr control simulation of the coupled Fast Ocean-Atmosphere Model (FOAM). This study identifies a coupled mode between SST and surface heat flux in the North Atlantic at the decadal timescale, as well as a forcing mode of surface heat flux at the interannual timescale. The coupled mode is regulated by AMOC through meridional heat transport. The increase in surface heating in the North Atlantic weakens the AMOC approximately 10 yr later, and the weakened AMOC in turn decreases SST and sea surface salinity. The decreased SST results in an increase in surface heating in the North Atlantic, thus forming a positive feedback loop. Meanwhile, the weakened AMOC weakens northward heat transport and therefore lowers subsurface temperature approximately 19 yr later, which prevents the AMOC from weakening. In the forcing mode, the surface heat flux leads AMOC by approximately 4 yr. http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000334180700001&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=8e1609b174ce4e31116a60747a720701 Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences SCI(E) 中国科技核心期刊(ISTIC) 中国科学引文数据库(CSCD) 2 ARTICLE [e-mail] 2 241-251 31