A direct estimate of poleward volume, heat, and freshwater fluxes at 59.5°N between Greenland and Scotland
The meridional overturning circulation (MOC) in the North Atlantic plays a major role in the transport of heat from low to high latitudes. In this study, we combine recent measurements of currents from the surface to >700 m from a shipboard acoustic Doppler current profiler with Argo profiles (to...
Published in: | Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans |
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Online Access: | https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/gsofacpubs/2241 https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JC012835 |
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ftunivrhodeislan:oai:digitalcommons.uri.edu:gsofacpubs-3210 2024-02-11T10:04:15+01:00 A direct estimate of poleward volume, heat, and freshwater fluxes at 59.5°N between Greenland and Scotland Rossby, T. Reverdin, Gilles Chafik, Leon Søiland, Henrik 2017-07-01T07:00:00Z https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/gsofacpubs/2241 https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JC012835 unknown DigitalCommons@URI https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/gsofacpubs/2241 doi:10.1002/2017JC012835 https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JC012835 Graduate School of Oceanography Faculty Publications currents freshwater flux heat flux MOC text 2017 ftunivrhodeislan https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JC012835 2024-01-15T19:10:03Z The meridional overturning circulation (MOC) in the North Atlantic plays a major role in the transport of heat from low to high latitudes. In this study, we combine recent measurements of currents from the surface to >700 m from a shipboard acoustic Doppler current profiler with Argo profiles (to 2000 m) to estimate poleward volume, heat, and freshwater flux at 59.5°N between Greenland and Scotland. This is made possible thanks to the vessel Nuka Arctica that operates on a 3 week schedule between Greenland and Denmark. For the period late 2012 to early 2016, the deseasoned mean meridional overturning circulation reaches a 18.4 ± 3.4 Sv maximum at the σθ = 27.55 kg m−3 isopycnal, which varies in depth from near the surface in the western Irminger Sea to 1000 m in Rockall Trough. The total heat and freshwater fluxes across 59.5°N = 399 ± 74 TW and −0.20 ± 0.04 Sv, where the uncertainties are principally due to that of the MOC. Analysis of altimetric sea surface height variations along exactly the same route reveals a somewhat stronger geostrophic flow north during this period compared to the 23 year mean suggesting that for a long-term mean the above flux estimates should be reduced slightly to 17.4 Sv, 377 TW, and −0.19 Sv, respectively, with the same estimate uncertainties. The ADCP program is ongoing. Text Greenland North Atlantic University of Rhode Island: DigitalCommons@URI Greenland Irminger Sea ENVELOPE(-34.041,-34.041,63.054,63.054) Rockall Trough ENVELOPE(-15.036,-15.036,53.825,53.825) Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans 122 7 5870 5887 |
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Open Polar |
collection |
University of Rhode Island: DigitalCommons@URI |
op_collection_id |
ftunivrhodeislan |
language |
unknown |
topic |
currents freshwater flux heat flux MOC |
spellingShingle |
currents freshwater flux heat flux MOC Rossby, T. Reverdin, Gilles Chafik, Leon Søiland, Henrik A direct estimate of poleward volume, heat, and freshwater fluxes at 59.5°N between Greenland and Scotland |
topic_facet |
currents freshwater flux heat flux MOC |
description |
The meridional overturning circulation (MOC) in the North Atlantic plays a major role in the transport of heat from low to high latitudes. In this study, we combine recent measurements of currents from the surface to >700 m from a shipboard acoustic Doppler current profiler with Argo profiles (to 2000 m) to estimate poleward volume, heat, and freshwater flux at 59.5°N between Greenland and Scotland. This is made possible thanks to the vessel Nuka Arctica that operates on a 3 week schedule between Greenland and Denmark. For the period late 2012 to early 2016, the deseasoned mean meridional overturning circulation reaches a 18.4 ± 3.4 Sv maximum at the σθ = 27.55 kg m−3 isopycnal, which varies in depth from near the surface in the western Irminger Sea to 1000 m in Rockall Trough. The total heat and freshwater fluxes across 59.5°N = 399 ± 74 TW and −0.20 ± 0.04 Sv, where the uncertainties are principally due to that of the MOC. Analysis of altimetric sea surface height variations along exactly the same route reveals a somewhat stronger geostrophic flow north during this period compared to the 23 year mean suggesting that for a long-term mean the above flux estimates should be reduced slightly to 17.4 Sv, 377 TW, and −0.19 Sv, respectively, with the same estimate uncertainties. The ADCP program is ongoing. |
format |
Text |
author |
Rossby, T. Reverdin, Gilles Chafik, Leon Søiland, Henrik |
author_facet |
Rossby, T. Reverdin, Gilles Chafik, Leon Søiland, Henrik |
author_sort |
Rossby, T. |
title |
A direct estimate of poleward volume, heat, and freshwater fluxes at 59.5°N between Greenland and Scotland |
title_short |
A direct estimate of poleward volume, heat, and freshwater fluxes at 59.5°N between Greenland and Scotland |
title_full |
A direct estimate of poleward volume, heat, and freshwater fluxes at 59.5°N between Greenland and Scotland |
title_fullStr |
A direct estimate of poleward volume, heat, and freshwater fluxes at 59.5°N between Greenland and Scotland |
title_full_unstemmed |
A direct estimate of poleward volume, heat, and freshwater fluxes at 59.5°N between Greenland and Scotland |
title_sort |
direct estimate of poleward volume, heat, and freshwater fluxes at 59.5°n between greenland and scotland |
publisher |
DigitalCommons@URI |
publishDate |
2017 |
url |
https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/gsofacpubs/2241 https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JC012835 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-34.041,-34.041,63.054,63.054) ENVELOPE(-15.036,-15.036,53.825,53.825) |
geographic |
Greenland Irminger Sea Rockall Trough |
geographic_facet |
Greenland Irminger Sea Rockall Trough |
genre |
Greenland North Atlantic |
genre_facet |
Greenland North Atlantic |
op_source |
Graduate School of Oceanography Faculty Publications |
op_relation |
https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/gsofacpubs/2241 doi:10.1002/2017JC012835 https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JC012835 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JC012835 |
container_title |
Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans |
container_volume |
122 |
container_issue |
7 |
container_start_page |
5870 |
op_container_end_page |
5887 |
_version_ |
1790600817259053056 |