Compensation between meridional flow components of the Atlantic MOC at 26° N
From ten years of observations of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (MOC) at 26° N (2004–2014), we revisit the question of flow compensation between components of the circulation. Contrasting with early results from the observations, transport variations of the Florida Current (FC) and...
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fttriple:oai:gotriple.eu:oai:doaj.org/article:74f7a90fd70d45de9f1a09f87e99d6ce 2023-05-15T17:25:25+02:00 Compensation between meridional flow components of the Atlantic MOC at 26° N E. Frajka-Williams C. S. Meinen W. E. Johns D. A. Smeed A. Duchez A. J. Lawrence D. A. Cuthbertson G. D. McCarthy H. L. Bryden M. O. Baringer B. I. Moat D. Rayner 2016-04-01 https://doi.org/10.5194/os-12-481-2016 http://www.ocean-sci.net/12/481/2016/os-12-481-2016.pdf https://doaj.org/article/74f7a90fd70d45de9f1a09f87e99d6ce en eng Copernicus Publications 1812-0784 1812-0792 doi:10.5194/os-12-481-2016 http://www.ocean-sci.net/12/481/2016/os-12-481-2016.pdf https://doaj.org/article/74f7a90fd70d45de9f1a09f87e99d6ce undefined Ocean Science, Vol 12, Iss 2, Pp 481-493 (2016) geo envir Journal Article https://vocabularies.coar-repositories.org/resource_types/c_6501/ 2016 fttriple https://doi.org/10.5194/os-12-481-2016 2023-01-22T19:25:57Z From ten years of observations of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (MOC) at 26° N (2004–2014), we revisit the question of flow compensation between components of the circulation. Contrasting with early results from the observations, transport variations of the Florida Current (FC) and upper mid-ocean (UMO) transports (top 1000 m east of the Bahamas) are now found to compensate on sub-annual timescales. The observed compensation between the FC and UMO transports is associated with horizontal circulation and means that this part of the correlated variability does not project onto the MOC. A deep baroclinic response to wind-forcing (Ekman transport) is also found in the lower North Atlantic Deep Water (LNADW; 3000–5000 m) transport. In contrast, co-variability between Ekman and the LNADW transports does contribute to overturning. On longer timescales, the southward UMO transport has continued to strengthen, resulting in a continued decline of the MOC. Most of this interannual variability of the MOC can be traced to changes in isopycnal displacements on the western boundary, within the top 1000 m and below 2000 m. Substantial trends are observed in isopycnal displacements in the deep ocean, underscoring the importance of deep boundary measurements to capture the variability of the Atlantic MOC. Article in Journal/Newspaper North Atlantic Deep Water North Atlantic Unknown Ocean Science 12 2 481 493 |
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language |
English |
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geo envir E. Frajka-Williams C. S. Meinen W. E. Johns D. A. Smeed A. Duchez A. J. Lawrence D. A. Cuthbertson G. D. McCarthy H. L. Bryden M. O. Baringer B. I. Moat D. Rayner Compensation between meridional flow components of the Atlantic MOC at 26° N |
topic_facet |
geo envir |
description |
From ten years of observations of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (MOC) at 26° N (2004–2014), we revisit the question of flow compensation between components of the circulation. Contrasting with early results from the observations, transport variations of the Florida Current (FC) and upper mid-ocean (UMO) transports (top 1000 m east of the Bahamas) are now found to compensate on sub-annual timescales. The observed compensation between the FC and UMO transports is associated with horizontal circulation and means that this part of the correlated variability does not project onto the MOC. A deep baroclinic response to wind-forcing (Ekman transport) is also found in the lower North Atlantic Deep Water (LNADW; 3000–5000 m) transport. In contrast, co-variability between Ekman and the LNADW transports does contribute to overturning. On longer timescales, the southward UMO transport has continued to strengthen, resulting in a continued decline of the MOC. Most of this interannual variability of the MOC can be traced to changes in isopycnal displacements on the western boundary, within the top 1000 m and below 2000 m. Substantial trends are observed in isopycnal displacements in the deep ocean, underscoring the importance of deep boundary measurements to capture the variability of the Atlantic MOC. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
E. Frajka-Williams C. S. Meinen W. E. Johns D. A. Smeed A. Duchez A. J. Lawrence D. A. Cuthbertson G. D. McCarthy H. L. Bryden M. O. Baringer B. I. Moat D. Rayner |
author_facet |
E. Frajka-Williams C. S. Meinen W. E. Johns D. A. Smeed A. Duchez A. J. Lawrence D. A. Cuthbertson G. D. McCarthy H. L. Bryden M. O. Baringer B. I. Moat D. Rayner |
author_sort |
E. Frajka-Williams |
title |
Compensation between meridional flow components of the Atlantic MOC at 26° N |
title_short |
Compensation between meridional flow components of the Atlantic MOC at 26° N |
title_full |
Compensation between meridional flow components of the Atlantic MOC at 26° N |
title_fullStr |
Compensation between meridional flow components of the Atlantic MOC at 26° N |
title_full_unstemmed |
Compensation between meridional flow components of the Atlantic MOC at 26° N |
title_sort |
compensation between meridional flow components of the atlantic moc at 26° n |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
publishDate |
2016 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-12-481-2016 http://www.ocean-sci.net/12/481/2016/os-12-481-2016.pdf https://doaj.org/article/74f7a90fd70d45de9f1a09f87e99d6ce |
genre |
North Atlantic Deep Water North Atlantic |
genre_facet |
North Atlantic Deep Water North Atlantic |
op_source |
Ocean Science, Vol 12, Iss 2, Pp 481-493 (2016) |
op_relation |
1812-0784 1812-0792 doi:10.5194/os-12-481-2016 http://www.ocean-sci.net/12/481/2016/os-12-481-2016.pdf https://doaj.org/article/74f7a90fd70d45de9f1a09f87e99d6ce |
op_rights |
undefined |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-12-481-2016 |
container_title |
Ocean Science |
container_volume |
12 |
container_issue |
2 |
container_start_page |
481 |
op_container_end_page |
493 |
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1766116847332098048 |