Energetics of the Southern Ocean mode

Recently, multidecadal variability in the Southern Ocean has been found in a strongly eddying global ocean circulation model. In this paper, we study the Lorenz energy cycle of this so‐called Southern Ocean Mode (SOM). The Lorenz energy cycle analysis provides details on the energy pathways associat...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans
Main Authors: Jüling, A., Viebahn, J. P., Drijfhout, S. S., Dijkstra, H. A.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: 2019
Subjects:
Antarctic
Southern Ocean
Weddell
Antarc*
Online Access:https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/427777/
https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/427777/1/J_ling_et_al_2018_Journal_of_Geophysical_Research_Oceans.pdf
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Summary:Recently, multidecadal variability in the Southern Ocean has been found in a strongly eddying global ocean circulation model. In this paper, we study the Lorenz energy cycle of this so‐called Southern Ocean Mode (SOM). The Lorenz energy cycle analysis provides details on the energy pathways associated with the SOM. It shows that ocean eddies and the baroclinic energy pathway together with variations in the kinetic energy input by the wind are crucial aspects of the variability. It is also shown how convective mixing, which is induced by the SOM in particular in the Weddell Gyre, is responsible for the large‐scale multidecadal variability in Antarctic Bottom Water and Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation.

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