A study of the sensitivity of ocean overturning circulation and climate to freshwater input in different regions of the North Atlantic
The Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) is an important component of the climate system. Models indicate that the AMOC can be perturbed by freshwater forcing in the North Atlantic. Using an ocean-atmosphere general circulation model, we investigate the dependence of such a perturbatio...
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American Geophysical Union
2009
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ftunivreading:oai:centaur.reading.ac.uk:1769 2024-06-23T07:53:16+00:00 A study of the sensitivity of ocean overturning circulation and climate to freshwater input in different regions of the North Atlantic Smith, Robin Stuart Gregory, Jonathan Michael 2009-08-01 https://centaur.reading.ac.uk/1769/ https://doi.org/10.1029/2009GL038607 unknown American Geophysical Union Smith, R. S. <https://centaur.reading.ac.uk/view/creators/90000556.html> orcid:0000-0001-7479-7778 and Gregory, J. M. <https://centaur.reading.ac.uk/view/creators/90000874.html> orcid:0000-0003-1296-8644 (2009) A study of the sensitivity of ocean overturning circulation and climate to freshwater input in different regions of the North Atlantic. Geophysical Research Letters, 36. L15701. ISSN 0094-8276 doi: https://doi.org/10.1029/2009GL038607 <https://doi.org/10.1029/2009GL038607> 551 Geology hydrology meteorology Article PeerReviewed 2009 ftunivreading https://doi.org/10.1029/2009GL038607 2024-06-11T14:41:45Z The Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) is an important component of the climate system. Models indicate that the AMOC can be perturbed by freshwater forcing in the North Atlantic. Using an ocean-atmosphere general circulation model, we investigate the dependence of such a perturbation of the AMOC, and the consequent climate change, on the region of freshwater forcing. A wide range of changes in AMOC strength is found after 100 years of freshwater forcing. The largest changes in AMOC strength occur when the regions of deepwater formation in the model are forced directly, although reductions in deepwater formation in one area may be compensated by enhanced formation elsewhere. North Atlantic average surface air temperatures correlate linearly with the AMOC decline, but warming may occur in localised regions, notably over Greenland and where deepwater formation is enhanced. This brings into question the representativeness of temperature changes inferred from Greenland ice-core records. Article in Journal/Newspaper Greenland Greenland ice core ice core North Atlantic CentAUR: Central Archive at the University of Reading Greenland Geophysical Research Letters 36 15 n/a n/a |
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CentAUR: Central Archive at the University of Reading |
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551 Geology hydrology meteorology |
spellingShingle |
551 Geology hydrology meteorology Smith, Robin Stuart Gregory, Jonathan Michael A study of the sensitivity of ocean overturning circulation and climate to freshwater input in different regions of the North Atlantic |
topic_facet |
551 Geology hydrology meteorology |
description |
The Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) is an important component of the climate system. Models indicate that the AMOC can be perturbed by freshwater forcing in the North Atlantic. Using an ocean-atmosphere general circulation model, we investigate the dependence of such a perturbation of the AMOC, and the consequent climate change, on the region of freshwater forcing. A wide range of changes in AMOC strength is found after 100 years of freshwater forcing. The largest changes in AMOC strength occur when the regions of deepwater formation in the model are forced directly, although reductions in deepwater formation in one area may be compensated by enhanced formation elsewhere. North Atlantic average surface air temperatures correlate linearly with the AMOC decline, but warming may occur in localised regions, notably over Greenland and where deepwater formation is enhanced. This brings into question the representativeness of temperature changes inferred from Greenland ice-core records. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Smith, Robin Stuart Gregory, Jonathan Michael |
author_facet |
Smith, Robin Stuart Gregory, Jonathan Michael |
author_sort |
Smith, Robin Stuart |
title |
A study of the sensitivity of ocean overturning circulation and climate to freshwater input in different regions of the North Atlantic |
title_short |
A study of the sensitivity of ocean overturning circulation and climate to freshwater input in different regions of the North Atlantic |
title_full |
A study of the sensitivity of ocean overturning circulation and climate to freshwater input in different regions of the North Atlantic |
title_fullStr |
A study of the sensitivity of ocean overturning circulation and climate to freshwater input in different regions of the North Atlantic |
title_full_unstemmed |
A study of the sensitivity of ocean overturning circulation and climate to freshwater input in different regions of the North Atlantic |
title_sort |
study of the sensitivity of ocean overturning circulation and climate to freshwater input in different regions of the north atlantic |
publisher |
American Geophysical Union |
publishDate |
2009 |
url |
https://centaur.reading.ac.uk/1769/ https://doi.org/10.1029/2009GL038607 |
geographic |
Greenland |
geographic_facet |
Greenland |
genre |
Greenland Greenland ice core ice core North Atlantic |
genre_facet |
Greenland Greenland ice core ice core North Atlantic |
op_relation |
Smith, R. S. <https://centaur.reading.ac.uk/view/creators/90000556.html> orcid:0000-0001-7479-7778 and Gregory, J. M. <https://centaur.reading.ac.uk/view/creators/90000874.html> orcid:0000-0003-1296-8644 (2009) A study of the sensitivity of ocean overturning circulation and climate to freshwater input in different regions of the North Atlantic. Geophysical Research Letters, 36. L15701. ISSN 0094-8276 doi: https://doi.org/10.1029/2009GL038607 <https://doi.org/10.1029/2009GL038607> |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1029/2009GL038607 |
container_title |
Geophysical Research Letters |
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36 |
container_issue |
15 |
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n/a |
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_version_ |
1802644838173114368 |