General circulation and intergyre dynamics in the eastern North Atlantic from a regional primitive equation model
International audience The mean circulation of the eastern North Atlantic is investigated using a regional 0.8°xcos(latitude)-resolution configuration of the SPEM primitive equation sigma coordinate model, forced by seasonal and monthly surface fluxes. The computational domain is surrounded by three...
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ftunigrenoble:oai:HAL:hal-00645401v1 2024-05-12T08:06:38+00:00 General circulation and intergyre dynamics in the eastern North Atlantic from a regional primitive equation model Penduff, Thierry Colin de Verdiere, Alain Barnier, Bernard Laboratoire des Écoulements Géophysiques et Industriels Grenoble (LEGI) Université Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1 (UJF)-Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble INP )-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) Laboratoire de physique des océans (LPO) Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut Français de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer (IFREMER)-Université de Brest (UBO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) 2001 https://hal.science/hal-00645401 https://hal.science/hal-00645401/document https://hal.science/hal-00645401/file/Penduff_JGR2001.pdf en eng HAL CCSD American Geophysical Union hal-00645401 https://hal.science/hal-00645401 https://hal.science/hal-00645401/document https://hal.science/hal-00645401/file/Penduff_JGR2001.pdf info:eu-repo/semantics/OpenAccess ISSN: 0148-0227 EISSN: 2156-2202 Journal of Geophysical Research https://hal.science/hal-00645401 Journal of Geophysical Research, 2001, 106, pp.22313-22329 [SDU.STU.OC]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Oceanography info:eu-repo/semantics/article Journal articles 2001 ftunigrenoble 2024-04-18T02:25:59Z International audience The mean circulation of the eastern North Atlantic is investigated using a regional 0.8°xcos(latitude)-resolution configuration of the SPEM primitive equation sigma coordinate model, forced by seasonal and monthly surface fluxes. The computational domain is surrounded by three self-adapting open boundaries which evacuate the outgoing perturbations and laterally control the baroclinic modes in inflow regions, but let the model adjust the barotropic mode to a large extent. The final solution is stable and reproduces most features of the basin's mean circulation well: a realistic Azores Current, the observed paths and transports of subpolar currents, of the branches of the North Atlantic Current, of the intergyre zone modal and intermediate water masses down to about 2000m. A few unrealistic features, attributed to the modest resolution and to certain limitations of the sigma coordinates, are found below 2000m. The buoyancy and vorticity balances are investigated in the intergyre zone. The Subpolar Mode Water (SPMW), subducted at a realistic rate, continues its southward journey toward the ocean's interior in accordance with the ventilated thermocline theory, with eddy diapycnal fluxes exerting a moderating effect. The poleward motion of the Mediterranean Water (MW) is reproduced well north of 45°N and governed by similar dynamics, but is absent south of 45°N. The southward motion of Labrador Sea Water (LSW) is mainly driven by diapycnal fluxes induced by vertical diffusion, which exert vertical stretching. This explanation contrasts with a recent study where salt fingering was shown to drive a similar LSW circulation. Article in Journal/Newspaper Labrador Sea north atlantic current North Atlantic Université Grenoble Alpes: HAL |
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Open Polar |
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Université Grenoble Alpes: HAL |
op_collection_id |
ftunigrenoble |
language |
English |
topic |
[SDU.STU.OC]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Oceanography |
spellingShingle |
[SDU.STU.OC]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Oceanography Penduff, Thierry Colin de Verdiere, Alain Barnier, Bernard General circulation and intergyre dynamics in the eastern North Atlantic from a regional primitive equation model |
topic_facet |
[SDU.STU.OC]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Oceanography |
description |
International audience The mean circulation of the eastern North Atlantic is investigated using a regional 0.8°xcos(latitude)-resolution configuration of the SPEM primitive equation sigma coordinate model, forced by seasonal and monthly surface fluxes. The computational domain is surrounded by three self-adapting open boundaries which evacuate the outgoing perturbations and laterally control the baroclinic modes in inflow regions, but let the model adjust the barotropic mode to a large extent. The final solution is stable and reproduces most features of the basin's mean circulation well: a realistic Azores Current, the observed paths and transports of subpolar currents, of the branches of the North Atlantic Current, of the intergyre zone modal and intermediate water masses down to about 2000m. A few unrealistic features, attributed to the modest resolution and to certain limitations of the sigma coordinates, are found below 2000m. The buoyancy and vorticity balances are investigated in the intergyre zone. The Subpolar Mode Water (SPMW), subducted at a realistic rate, continues its southward journey toward the ocean's interior in accordance with the ventilated thermocline theory, with eddy diapycnal fluxes exerting a moderating effect. The poleward motion of the Mediterranean Water (MW) is reproduced well north of 45°N and governed by similar dynamics, but is absent south of 45°N. The southward motion of Labrador Sea Water (LSW) is mainly driven by diapycnal fluxes induced by vertical diffusion, which exert vertical stretching. This explanation contrasts with a recent study where salt fingering was shown to drive a similar LSW circulation. |
author2 |
Laboratoire des Écoulements Géophysiques et Industriels Grenoble (LEGI) Université Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1 (UJF)-Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble INP )-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) Laboratoire de physique des océans (LPO) Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut Français de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer (IFREMER)-Université de Brest (UBO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Penduff, Thierry Colin de Verdiere, Alain Barnier, Bernard |
author_facet |
Penduff, Thierry Colin de Verdiere, Alain Barnier, Bernard |
author_sort |
Penduff, Thierry |
title |
General circulation and intergyre dynamics in the eastern North Atlantic from a regional primitive equation model |
title_short |
General circulation and intergyre dynamics in the eastern North Atlantic from a regional primitive equation model |
title_full |
General circulation and intergyre dynamics in the eastern North Atlantic from a regional primitive equation model |
title_fullStr |
General circulation and intergyre dynamics in the eastern North Atlantic from a regional primitive equation model |
title_full_unstemmed |
General circulation and intergyre dynamics in the eastern North Atlantic from a regional primitive equation model |
title_sort |
general circulation and intergyre dynamics in the eastern north atlantic from a regional primitive equation model |
publisher |
HAL CCSD |
publishDate |
2001 |
url |
https://hal.science/hal-00645401 https://hal.science/hal-00645401/document https://hal.science/hal-00645401/file/Penduff_JGR2001.pdf |
genre |
Labrador Sea north atlantic current North Atlantic |
genre_facet |
Labrador Sea north atlantic current North Atlantic |
op_source |
ISSN: 0148-0227 EISSN: 2156-2202 Journal of Geophysical Research https://hal.science/hal-00645401 Journal of Geophysical Research, 2001, 106, pp.22313-22329 |
op_relation |
hal-00645401 https://hal.science/hal-00645401 https://hal.science/hal-00645401/document https://hal.science/hal-00645401/file/Penduff_JGR2001.pdf |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/OpenAccess |
_version_ |
1798849142315810816 |