A monitoring design for the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation

• Published in: Geophysical Research Letters
• Main Authors: Hirschi, J., Baehr, J., Marotzke, J., Stark, J., Cunningham, S., Beismann, J.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2003
• Subjects: North Atlantic
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/11858/00-001M-0000-000E-7328-6; http://hdl.handle.net/11858/00-001M-0000-000E-ACFE-C; http://hdl.handle.net/11858/00-001M-0000-000E-AFC5-3

[1] Current hydrographic data can provide snapshots but no continuous timeseries of the meridional overturning circulation (MOC). Using output from two eddy-permitting numerical ocean models we test the feasibility of a monitoring system for the MOC in the North Atlantic. The results suggest that a relatively simple arrangement, using moorings placed across a longitude-depth section and the zonal wind stress, is able to capture most of the MOC strength and vertical structure as a function of time. Being closely related to the transport of energy to the North Atlantic, measuring the MOC would open the prospect of having continuous information about a key element of northern hemisphere climate.