Sustaining observations of the unsteady ocean circulation.

PubMed

Frajka-Williams, E

2014-09-28

Sustained observations of ocean properties reveal a global warming trend and rising sea levels. These changes have been documented by traditional ship-based measurements of ocean properties, whereas more recent Argo profiling floats and satellite records permit estimates of ocean changes on a near real-time basis. Through these and newer methods of observing the oceans, scientists are moving from quantifying the 'state of the ocean' to monitoring its variability, and distinguishing the physical processes bringing signals of change. In this paper, I give a brief overview of the UK contributions to the physical oceanographic observations, and the role they have played in the wider global observing systems. While temperature and salinity are the primary measurements of physical oceanography, new transbasin mooring arrays also resolve changes in ocean circulation on daily timescales. Emerging technologies permit routine observations at higher-than-ever spatial resolutions. Following this, I then give a personal perspective on the future of sustained observations. New measurement techniques promise exciting discoveries concerning the role of smaller scales and boundary processes in setting the large-scale ocean circulation and the ocean's role in climate. The challenges now facing the scientific community include sustaining critical observations in the case of funding system changes or shifts in government priorities. These long records will enable a determination of the role and response of the ocean to climate change. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Global Observations and Understanding of the General Circulation of the Oceans

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1984-01-01

The workshop was organized to: (1) assess the ability to obtain ocean data on a global scale that could profoundly change our understanding of the circulation; (2) identify the primary and secondary elements needed to conduct a World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE); (3) if the ability is achievable, to determine what the U.S. role in such an experiment should be; and (4) outline the steps necessary to assure that an appropriate program is conducted. The consensus of the workshop was that a World Ocean Circulation Experiment appears feasible, worthwhile, and timely. Participants did agree that such a program should have the overall goal of understanding the general circulation of the global ocean well enough to be able to predict ocean response and feedback to long-term changes in the atmosphere. The overall goal, specific objectives, and recommendations for next steps in planning such an experiment are included.

Numerical Modeling of Ocean Circulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, Robert N.

2007-01-01

The modelling of ocean circulation is important not only for its own sake, but also in terms of the prediction of weather patterns and the effects of climate change. This book introduces the basic computational techniques necessary for all models of the ocean and atmosphere, and the conditions they must satisfy. It describes the workings of ocean models, the problems that must be solved in their construction, and how to evaluate computational results. Major emphasis is placed on examining ocean models critically, and determining what they do well and what they do poorly. Numerical analysis is introduced as needed, and exercises are included to illustrate major points. Developed from notes for a course taught in physical oceanography at the College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences at Oregon State University, this book is ideal for graduate students of oceanography, geophysics, climatology and atmospheric science, and researchers in oceanography and atmospheric science. Features examples and critical examination of ocean modelling and results Demonstrates the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches Includes exercises to illustrate major points and supplement mathematical and physical details

Objective estimates of mantle 3He in the ocean and implications for constraining the deep ocean circulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holzer, Mark; DeVries, Timothy; Bianchi, Daniele; Newton, Robert; Schlosser, Peter; Winckler, Gisela

2017-01-01

Hydrothermal vents along the ocean's tectonic ridge systems inject superheated water and large amounts of dissolved metals that impact the deep ocean circulation and the oceanic cycling of trace metals. The hydrothermal fluid contains dissolved mantle helium that is enriched in 3He relative to the atmosphere, providing an isotopic tracer of the ocean's deep circulation and a marker of hydrothermal sources. This work investigates the potential for the 3He/4He isotope ratio to constrain the ocean's mantle 3He source and to provide constraints on the ocean's deep circulation. We use an ensemble of 11 data-assimilated steady-state ocean circulation models and a mantle helium source based on geographically varying sea-floor spreading rates. The global source distribution is partitioned into 6 regions, and the vertical profile and source amplitude of each region are varied independently to determine the optimal 3He source distribution that minimizes the mismatch between modeled and observed δ3He. In this way, we are able to fit the observed δ3He distribution to within a relative error of ∼15%, with a global 3He source that ranges from 640 to 850 mol yr-1, depending on circulation. The fit captures the vertical and interbasin gradients of the δ3He distribution very well and reproduces its jet-sheared saddle point in the deep equatorial Pacific. This demonstrates that the data-assimilated models have much greater fidelity to the deep ocean circulation than other coarse-resolution ocean models. Nonetheless, the modelled δ3He distributions still display some systematic biases, especially in the deep North Pacific where δ3He is overpredicted by our models, and in the southeastern tropical Pacific, where observed westward-spreading δ3He plumes are not well captured. Sources inferred by the data-assimilated transport with and without isopycnally aligned eddy diffusivity differ widely in the Southern Ocean, in spite of the ability to match the observed distributions of

Depth of origin of ocean-circulation-induced magnetic signals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Irrgang, Christopher; Saynisch-Wagner, Jan; Thomas, Maik

2018-01-01

As the world ocean moves through the ambient geomagnetic core field, electric currents are generated in the entire ocean basin. These oceanic electric currents induce weak magnetic signals that are principally observable outside of the ocean and allow inferences about large-scale oceanic transports of water, heat, and salinity. The ocean-induced magnetic field is an integral quantity and, to first order, it is proportional to depth-integrated and conductivity-weighted ocean currents. However, the specific contribution of oceanic transports at different depths to the motional induction process remains unclear and is examined in this study. We show that large-scale motional induction due to the general ocean circulation is dominantly generated by ocean currents in the upper 2000 m of the ocean basin. In particular, our findings allow relating regional patterns of the oceanic magnetic field to corresponding oceanic transports at different depths. Ocean currents below 3000 m, in contrast, only contribute a small fraction to the ocean-induced magnetic signal strength with values up to 0.2 nT at sea surface and less than 0.1 nT at the Swarm satellite altitude. Thereby, potential satellite observations of ocean-circulation-induced magnetic signals are found to be likely insensitive to deep ocean currents. Furthermore, it is shown that annual temporal variations of the ocean-induced magnetic field in the region of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current contain information about sub-surface ocean currents below 1000 m with intra-annual periods. Specifically, ocean currents with sub-monthly periods dominate the annual temporal variability of the ocean-induced magnetic field.

Does coupled ocean enhance ozone-hole-induced Southern Hemisphere circulation changes?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Son, S. W.; Han, B. R.; Kim, S. Y.; Park, R.

2017-12-01

The ozone-hole-induced Southern Hemisphere (SH) circulation changes, such as poleward shift of westerly jet and Hadley cell widening, have been typically explored with either coupled general circulation models (CGCMs) prescribing stratospheric ozone or chemistry-climate models (CCMs) prescribing surface boundary conditions. Only few studies have utilized ocean-coupled CCMs with a relatively coarse resolution. To better quantify the role of interactive chemistry and coupled ocean in the ozone-hole-induced SH circulation changes, the present study examines a set of CGCM and CCM simulations archived for the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 5 (CMIP5) and CCM initiative (CCMI). Although inter-model spread of Antarctic ozone depletion is substantially large especially in the austral spring, both CGCMs with relatively simple ozone chemistry and CCMs with fully interactive comprehensive chemistry reasonably well reproduce long-term trends of Antarctic ozone and the associated polar-stratospheric temperature changes. Most models reproduce a poleward shift of SH jet and Hadley-cell widening in the austral summer in the late 20th century as identified in reanalysis datasets. These changes are quasi-linearly related with Antarctic ozone changes, confirming the critical role of Antarctic ozone depletion in the austral-summer zonal-mean circulation changes. The CGCMs with simple but still interactive ozone show slightly stronger circulation changes than those with prescribed ozone. However, the long-term circulation changes in CCMs are largely insensitive to the coupled ocean. While a few models show the enhanced circulation changes when ocean is coupled, others show essentially no changes or even weakened circulation changes. This result suggests that the ozone-hole-related stratosphere-troposphere coupling in the late 20th century may be only weakly sensitive to the coupled ocean.

Early concepts and charts of ocean circulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peterson, R. G.; Stramma, L.; Kortum, G.

Charts of ocean currents from the late nineteenth century show that already by then the patterns of surface circulation in regions away from polar latitudes were well understood. This fundamental knowledge accumulated gradually through centuries of sea travel and had reached a state of near correctness by the time dedicated research cruises, full-depth measurements and the practical application of the dynamical method were being instituted. Perhaps because of the foregoing, many of the pioneering works, critical to establishing what the upper-level circulation is like, the majority of the charts accompanying them, and several of the groundbreaking theoretical treatments on the physics of currents, are only poorly known to present-day oceanographers. In this paper we trace Western developments in knowledge and understanding of ocean circulation from the earliest times to the late-1800s transition into the modern era. We also discuss certain peripheral advances that proved critical to the subject. The earliest known ideas, dating from the Bronze Age and described by Homer, necessarily reflect severe limitations to geographical knowledge, as well as basic human predilections toward conjecture and exaggeration in the face of inadequate information. People considered the earth to be flat and circular, with the ocean flowing like a river around it. They also believed in horrific whirlpools, a concept that persisted into the Renaissance and which would later provide subject material for modern literature. From the Greek Classical Age, we find hydrologic theories of Earth's interior being laced with subterranean channels (Socrates) and all motion deriving from a divine force forever propelling the heavens toward the west, the primum mobile (Aristotle). These ideas, particularly the latter, dominated opinions about ocean circulation into the late Renaissance. By late Antiquity mariners had very likely acquired intimate knowledge of coastal currents in the Mediterranean, but

Towards the impact of eddies on the response of the global ocean circulation to Southern Ocean gateway opening

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viebahn, Jan; von der Heydt, Anna S.; Dijkstra, Henk A.

2014-05-01

During the past 65 Million (Ma) years, Earth's climate has undergone a major change from warm 'greenhouse' to colder 'icehouse' conditions with extensive ice sheets in the polar regions of both hemispheres. The Eocene-Oligocene (~34 Ma) and Oligocene-Miocene (~23 Ma) boundaries reflect major transitions in Cenozoic global climate change. Proposed mechanisms of these transitions include reorganization of ocean circulation due to critical gateway opening/deepening, changes in atmospheric CO2-concentration, and feedback mechanisms related to land-ice formation. A long-standing hypothesis is that the formation of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current due to opening/deepening of Southern Ocean gateways led to glaciation of the Antarctic continent. However, while this hypothesis remains controversial, its assessment via coupled climate model simulations depends crucially on the spatial resolution in the ocean component. More precisely, only high-resolution modeling of the turbulent ocean circulation is capable of adequately describing reorganizations in the ocean flow field and related changes in turbulent heat transport. In this study, for the first time results of a high-resolution (0.1° horizontally) realistic global ocean model simulation with a closed Drake Passage are presented. Changes in global ocean temperatures, heat transport, and ocean circulation (e.g., Meridional Overturning Circulation and Antarctic Coastal Current) are established by comparison with an open Drake Passage high-resolution reference simulation. Finally, corresponding low-resolution simulations are also analyzed. The results highlight the essential impact of the ocean eddy field in palaeoclimatic change.

Understanding variability of the Southern Ocean overturning circulation in CORE-II models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Downes, S. M.; Spence, P.; Hogg, A. M.

2018-03-01

The current generation of climate models exhibit a large spread in the steady-state and projected Southern Ocean upper and lower overturning circulation, with mechanisms for deep ocean variability remaining less well understood. Here, common Southern Ocean metrics in twelve models from the Coordinated Ocean-ice Reference Experiment Phase II (CORE-II) are assessed over a 60 year period. Specifically, stratification, surface buoyancy fluxes, and eddies are linked to the magnitude of the strengthening trend in the upper overturning circulation, and a decreasing trend in the lower overturning circulation across the CORE-II models. The models evolve similarly in the upper 1 km and the deep ocean, with an almost equivalent poleward intensification trend in the Southern Hemisphere westerly winds. However, the models differ substantially in their eddy parameterisation and surface buoyancy fluxes. In general, models with a larger heat-driven water mass transformation where deep waters upwell at the surface ( ∼ 55°S) transport warmer waters into intermediate depths, thus weakening the stratification in the upper 2 km. Models with a weak eddy induced overturning and a warm bias in the intermediate waters are more likely to exhibit larger increases in the upper overturning circulation, and more significant weakening of the lower overturning circulation. We find the opposite holds for a cool model bias in intermediate depths, combined with a more complex 3D eddy parameterisation that acts to reduce isopycnal slope. In summary, the Southern Ocean overturning circulation decadal trends in the coarse resolution CORE-II models are governed by biases in surface buoyancy fluxes and the ocean density field, and the configuration of the eddy parameterisation.

The Pattern and Dynamics of the Meridional Overturning Circulation in the Upper Ocean

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-09-01

Atlantic . Figure 4a shows that the center of meridional overturning circulation occurs at a level of about one kilometer. Circulation is weak at...maintenance of the meridional overturning circulation in the Atlantic Ocean. 5. Global Simulation The most exciting experiment would be to fully model the...mechanisms responsible for the strength and maintenance of the meridional overturning circulation in the Atlantic Ocean are not

The impact of oceanic heat transport on the atmospheric circulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lucarini, Valerio; Lunkeit, Frank

2017-04-01

A general circulation model of intermediate complexity with an idealized Earth-like aquaplanet setup is used to study the impact of changes in the oceanic heat transport on the global atmospheric circulation. Focus is on the atmospheric mean meridional circulation and global thermodynamic properties. The atmosphere counterbalances to a large extent the imposed changes in the oceanic heat transport, but, nonetheless, significant modifications to the atmospheric general circulation are found. Increasing the strength of the oceanic heat transport up to 2.5 PW leads to an increase in the global mean near-surface temperature and to a decrease in its equator-to-pole gradient. For stronger transports, the gradient is reduced further, but the global mean remains approximately constant. This is linked to a cooling and a reversal of the temperature gradient in the tropics. Additionally, a stronger oceanic heat transport leads to a decline in the intensity and a poleward shift of the maxima of both the Hadley and Ferrel cells. Changes in zonal mean diabatic heating and friction impact the properties of the Hadley cell, while the behavior of the Ferrel cell is mostly controlled by friction. The efficiency of the climate machine, the intensity of the Lorenz energy cycle and the material entropy production of the system decline with increased oceanic heat transport. This suggests that the climate system becomes less efficient and turns into a state of reduced entropy production as the enhanced oceanic transport performs a stronger large-scale mixing between geophysical fluids with different temperatures, thus reducing the available energy in the climate system and bringing it closer to a state of thermal equilibrium.

On the Use of Satellite Altimetry to Detect Ocean Circulation's Magnetic Signals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saynisch, J.; Irrgang, C.; Thomas, M.

2018-03-01

Oceanic magnetic signals are sensitive to ocean velocity, salinity, and heat content. The detection of respective signals with global satellite magnetometers would pose a very valuable source of information. While tidal magnetic fields are already detected, electromagnetic signals of the ocean circulation still remain unobserved from space. We propose to use satellite altimetry to construct proxy magnetic signals of the ocean circulation. These proxy time series could subsequently be fitted to satellite magnetometer data. The fitted data could be removed from the observations or the fitting constants could be analyzed for physical properties of the ocean, e.g., the heat budget. To test and evaluate this approach, synthetic true and proxy magnetic signals are derived from a global circulation model of the ocean. Both data sets are compared in dependence of location and time scale. We study and report when and where the proxy data describe the true signal sufficiently well. Correlations above 0.6 and explained variances of above 80% can be reported for large parts of the Antarctic ocean, thus explaining the major part of the global, subseasonal magnetic signal.

Biogeochemical Proxies in Scleractinian Corals used to Reconstruct Ocean Circulation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Guilderson, T P; Kashgarian, M; Schrag, D P

2001-02-23

We utilize monthly {sup 14}C data derived from coral archives in conjunction with ocean circulation models to address two questions: (1) how does the shallow circulation of the tropical Pacific vary on seasonal to decadal time scales and (2) which dynamic processes determine the mean vertical structure of the equatorial Pacific thermocline. Our results directly impact the understanding of global climate events such as the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). To study changes in ocean circulation and water mass distribution involved in the genesis and evolution of ENSO and decadal climate variability, it is necessary to have records of climate variablesmore » several decades in length. Continuous instrumental records are limited because technology for continuous monitoring of ocean currents has only recently been available, and ships of opportunity archives such as COADS contain large spatial and temporal biases. In addition, temperature and salinity in surface waters are not conservative and thus can not be independently relied upon to trace water masses, reducing the utility of historical observations. Radiocarbon ({sup 14}C) in sea water is a quasi-conservative water mass tracer and is incorporated into coral skeletal material, thus coral {sup 14}C records can be used to reconstruct changes in shallow circulation that would be difficult to characterize using instrumental data. High resolution {Delta}{sup 14}C timeseries such as these, provide a powerful constraint on the rate of surface ocean mixing and hold great promise to augment onetime surveys such as GEOSECS and WOCE. These data not only provide fundamental information about the shallow circulation of the Pacific, but can be used as a benchmark for the next generation of high resolution ocean models used in prognosticating climate change.« less

Biogeochemical Proxies in Scleractinian Corals used to Reconstruct Ocean Circulation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Guilderson, T.P.; Kashgarian, M.; Schrag, D.P.

We utilize monthly {sup 14}C data derived from coral archives in conjunction with ocean circulation models to address two questions: (1) how does the shallow circulation of the tropical Pacific vary on seasonal to decadal time scales and (2) which dynamic processes determine the mean vertical structure of the equatorial Pacific thermocline. Our results directly impact the understanding of global climate events such as the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). To study changes in ocean circulation and water mass distribution involved in the genesis and evolution of ENSO and decadal climate variability, it is necessary to have records of climate variablesmore » several decades in length. Continuous instrumental records are limited because technology for continuous monitoring of ocean currents has only recently been available, and ships of opportunity archives such as COADS contain large spatial and temporal biases. In addition, temperature and salinity in surface waters are not conservative and thus can not be independently relied upon to trace water masses, reducing the utility of historical observations. Radiocarbon ({sup 14}C) in sea water is a quasi-conservative water mass tracer and is incorporated into coral skeletal material, thus coral {sup 14}C records can be used to reconstruct changes in shallow circulation that would be difficult to characterize using instrumental data. High resolution {Delta}{sup 14}C timeseries such as these, provide a powerful constraint on the rate of surface ocean mixing and hold great promise to augment onetime surveys such as GEOSECS and WOCE. These data not only provide fundamental information about the shallow circulation of the Pacific, but can be used as a benchmark for the next generation of high resolution ocean models used in prognosticating climate change.« less

Numerical simulation and prediction of coastal ocean circulation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, P.

1992-01-01

Numerical simulation and prediction of coastal ocean circulation have been conducted in three cases. 1. A process-oriented modeling study is conducted to study the interaction of a western boundary current (WBC) with coastal water, and its responses to upstream topographic irregularities. It is hypothesized that the interaction of propagating WBC frontal waves and topographic Rossby waves are responsible for upstream variability. 2. A simulation of meanders and eddies in the Norwegian Coastal Current (NCC) for February and March of 1988 is conducted with a newly developed nested dynamic interactive model. The model employs a coarse-grid, large domain to account formore » non-local forcing and a fine-grid nested domain to resolve meanders and eddies. The model is forced by wind stresses, heat fluxes and atmospheric pressure corresponding Feb/March of 1988, and accounts for river/fjord discharges, open ocean inflow and outflow, and M[sub 2] tides. The simulation reproduced fairly well the observed circulation, tides, and salinity features in the North Sea, Norwegian Trench and NCC region in the large domain and fairly realistic meanders and eddies in the NCC in the nested region. 3. A methodology for practical coastal ocean hindcast/forecast is developed, taking advantage of the disparate time scales of various forcing and considering wind to be the dominant factor in affecting density fluctuation in the time scale of 1 to 10 days. The density field obtained from a prognostic simulation is analyzed by the empirical orthogonal function method (EOF), and correlated with the wind; these information are then used to drive a circulation model which excludes the density calculation. The method is applied to hindcast the circulation in the New York Bight for spring and summer season of 1988. The hindcast fields compare favorably with the results obtained from the prognostic circulation model.« less

South Atlantic circulation in a world ocean model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

England, Matthew H.; Garçon, Véronique C.

1994-09-01

The circulation in the South Atlantic Ocean has been simulated within a global ocean general circulation model. Preliminary analysis of the modelled ocean circulation in the region indicates a rather close agreement of the simulated upper ocean flows with conventional notions of the large-scale geostrophic currents in the region. The modelled South Atlantic Ocean witnesses the return flow and export of North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) at its northern boundary, the inflow of a rather barotropic Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) through the Drake Passage, and the inflow of warm saline Agulhas water around the Cape of Good Hope. The Agulhas leakage amounts to 8.7 Sv, within recent estimates of the mass transport shed westward at the Agulhas retroflection. Topographic steering of the ACC dominates the structure of flow in the circumpolar ocean. The Benguela Current is seen to be fed by a mixture of saline Indian Ocean water (originating from the Agulhas Current) and fresher Subantarctic surface water (originating in the ACC). The Benguela Current is seen to modify its flow and fate with depth; near the surface it flows north-westwards bifurcating most of its transport northward into the North Atlantic Ocean (for ultimate replacement of North Atlantic surface waters lost to the NADW conveyor). Deeper in the water column, more of the Benguela Current is destined to return with the Brazil Current, though northward flows are still generated where the Benguela Current extension encounters the coast of South America. At intermediate levels, these northward currents trace the flow of Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW) equatorward, though even more AAIW is seen to recirculate poleward in the subtropical gyre. In spite of the model's rather coarse resolution, some subtle features of the Brazil-Malvinas Confluence are simulated rather well, including the latitude at which the two currents meet. Conceptual diagrams of the recirculation and interocean exchange of thermocline

OCEAN CIRCULATION. Observing the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation yields a decade of inevitable surprises.

PubMed

Srokosz, M A; Bryden, H L

2015-06-19

The importance of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) heat transport for climate is well acknowledged. Climate models predict that the AMOC will slow down under global warming, with substantial impacts, but measurements of ocean circulation have been inadequate to evaluate these predictions. Observations over the past decade have changed that situation, providing a detailed picture of variations in the AMOC. These observations reveal a surprising degree of AMOC variability in terms of the intraannual range, the amplitude and phase of the seasonal cycle, the interannual changes in strength affecting the ocean heat content, and the decline of the AMOC over the decade, both of the latter two exceeding the variations seen in climate models. Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Simulation of seasonal anomalies of atmospheric circulation using coupled atmosphere-ocean model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tolstykh, M. A.; Diansky, N. A.; Gusev, A. V.; Kiktev, D. B.

2014-03-01

A coupled atmosphere-ocean model intended for the simulation of coupled circulation at time scales up to a season is developed. The semi-Lagrangian atmospheric general circulation model of the Hydrometeorological Centre of Russia, SLAV, is coupled with the sigma model of ocean general circulation developed at the Institute of Numerical Mathematics, Russian Academy of Sciences (INM RAS), INMOM. Using this coupled model, numerical experiments on ensemble modeling of the atmosphere and ocean circulation for up to 4 months are carried out using real initial data for all seasons of an annual cycle in 1989-2010. Results of these experiments are compared to the results of the SLAV model with the simple evolution of the sea surface temperature. A comparative analysis of seasonally averaged anomalies of atmospheric circulation shows prospects in applying the coupled model for forecasts. It is shown with the example of the El Niño phenomenon of 1997-1998 that the coupled model forecasts the seasonally averaged anomalies for the period of the nonstationary El Niño phase significantly better.

Idealised modelling of ocean circulation driven by conductive and hydrothermal fluxes at the seabed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barnes, Jowan M.; Morales Maqueda, Miguel A.; Polton, Jeff A.; Megann, Alex P.

2018-02-01

Geothermal heating is increasingly recognised as an important factor affecting ocean circulation, with modelling studies suggesting that this heat source could lead to first-order changes in the formation rate of Antarctic Bottom Water, as well as a significant warming effect in the abyssal ocean. Where it has been represented in numerical models, however, the geothermal heat flux into the ocean is generally treated as an entirely conductive flux, despite an estimated one third of the global geothermal flux being introduced to the ocean via hydrothermal sources. A modelling study is presented which investigates the sensitivity of the geothermally forced circulation to the way heat is supplied to the abyssal ocean. An analytical two-dimensional model of the circulation is described, which demonstrates the effects of a volume flux through the ocean bed. A simulation using the NEMO numerical general circulation model in an idealised domain is then used to partition a heat flux between conductive and hydrothermal sources and explicitly test the sensitivity of the circulation to the formulation of the abyssal heat flux. Our simulations suggest that representing the hydrothermal flux as a mass exchange indeed changes the heat distribution in the abyssal ocean, increasing the advective heat transport from the abyss by up to 35% compared to conductive heat sources. Consequently, we suggest that the inclusion of hydrothermal fluxes can be an important addition to course-resolution ocean models.

Global Ocean Circulation During Cretaceous Time

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haupt, B. J.; Seidov, D.

2001-12-01

Present--day global thermohaline ocean circulation (TOC) is usually associated with high--latitude deep-water formation due to surface cooling. In this understanding of the TOC driven by the deep--water production, the warm deep ocean during Mesozoic--Cenozoic time is a challenge. It may be questioned whether warm deep--ocean water, which is direct geologic evidence, does reflect warm polar surface--ocean regions. For the warm Cretaceous, it is difficult to maintain strong poleward heat transport in the case of reduced oceanic thermal contrasts. Usually, atmospheric feedbacks, in conjunction with the increase of atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases, are employed in order to explain the warm equable Cretaceous--Eocene climate. However, there is no feasible physical mechanism that could maintain warm subpolar surface oceans in both hemispheres, an assumption often used in atmospheric modeling. Our numerical experiments indicate that having a relatively cool but saltier high--latitude sea surface in at least one hemisphere is sufficient for driving a strong meridional overturning. Thus freshwater impacts in the high latitudes may be responsible for a vigorous conveyor capable of maintaining sufficient poleward oceanic heat transport needed to keep the polar oceans ice--free. These results imply that evaporation-precipitation patterns during warm climates are especially important climatic factors that can redistribute freshwater to create hemispheric asymmetry of sea surface conditions capable of generating a sufficiently strong TOC, otherwise impossible in warm climates.

Going with the flow: the role of ocean circulation in global marine ecosystems under a changing climate.

PubMed

van Gennip, Simon J; Popova, Ekaterina E; Yool, Andrew; Pecl, Gretta T; Hobday, Alistair J; Sorte, Cascade J B

2017-07-01

Ocean warming, acidification, deoxygenation and reduced productivity are widely considered to be the major stressors to ocean ecosystems induced by emissions of CO 2 . However, an overlooked stressor is the change in ocean circulation in response to climate change. Strong changes in the intensity and position of the western boundary currents have already been observed, and the consequences of such changes for ecosystems are beginning to emerge. In this study, we address climatically induced changes in ocean circulation on a global scale but relevant to propagule dispersal for species inhabiting global shelf ecosystems, using a high-resolution global ocean model run under the IPCC RCP 8.5 scenario. The ¼ degree model resolution allows improved regional realism of the ocean circulation beyond that of available CMIP5-class models. We use a Lagrangian approach forced by modelled ocean circulation to simulate the circulation pathways that disperse planktonic life stages. Based on trajectory backtracking, we identify present-day coastal retention, dominant flow and dispersal range for coastal regions at the global scale. Projecting into the future, we identify areas of the strongest projected circulation change and present regional examples with the most significant modifications in their dominant pathways. Climatically induced changes in ocean circulation should be considered as an additional stressor of marine ecosystems in a similar way to ocean warming or acidification. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

3D Visualization of Global Ocean Circulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, V. G.; Sharma, R.; Zhang, E.; Schmittner, A.; Jenny, B.

2015-12-01

Advanced 3D visualization techniques are seldom used to explore the dynamic behavior of ocean circulation. Streamlines are an effective method for visualization of flow, and they can be designed to clearly show the dynamic behavior of a fluidic system. We employ vector field editing and extraction software to examine the topology of velocity vector fields generated by a 3D global circulation model coupled to a one-layer atmosphere model simulating preindustrial and last glacial maximum (LGM) conditions. This results in a streamline-based visualization along multiple density isosurfaces on which we visualize points of vertical exchange and the distribution of properties such as temperature and biogeochemical tracers. Previous work involving this model examined the change in the energetics driving overturning circulation and mixing between simulations of LGM and preindustrial conditions. This visualization elucidates the relationship between locations of vertical exchange and mixing, as well as demonstrates the effects of circulation and mixing on the distribution of tracers such as carbon isotopes.

Numerical simulation of the world ocean circulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Takano, K.; Mintz, Y.; Han, Y. J.

1973-01-01

A multi-level model, based on the primitive equations, is developed for simulating the temperature and velocity fields produced in the world ocean by differential heating and surface wind stress. The model ocean has constant depth, free slip at the lower boundary, and neglects momentum advection; so that there is no energy exchange between the barotropic and baroclinic components of the motion, although the former influences the latter through temperature advection. The ocean model was designed to be coupled to the UCLA atmospheric general circulation model, for the study of the dynamics of climate and climate changes. But here, the model is tested by prescribing the observed seasonally varying surface wind stress and the incident solar radiation, the surface air temperature and humidity, cloudiness and the surface wind speed, which, together with the predicted ocean surface temperature, determine the surface flux of radiant energy, sensible heat and latent heat.

Ocean Circulation-Cloud Interactions Reduce the Pace of Transient Climate Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trossman, D.; Palter, J. B.; Merlis, T. M.; Huang, Y.; Xia, Y.

2016-12-01

We argue that a substantial fraction of the uncertainty in the cloud radiative feedback during transient climate change may be due to uncertainty in the ocean circulation perturbation. A suite of climate model simulations in which the ocean circulation, the cloud radiative feedback, or a combination of both are held fixed while CO2 doubles, shows that changes in the ocean circulation reduce the amount of transient global warming caused by the radiative cloud feedback. Specifically, a slowdown in the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) helps to maintain low cloud cover in the Northern Hemisphere extratropics. We propose that the AMOC decline increases the meridional SST gradient, strengthening the storm track, its attendant clouds and the amount of shortwave radiation they reflect back to space. If the results of our model were to scale proportionately in the CMIP5 models, whose AMOC decline ranges from 15 to 60% under RCP8.5, then as much as 70% of the intermodel spread in the cloud radiative feedback and 35% of the spread in the transient climate response could possibly stem from the model representations of AMOC decline.

Application of Satellite Altimetry to Ocean Circulation Studies: 1987-1994

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fu, L. -L.; Cheney, R. E.

1994-01-01

Altimetric measurement of the height of the sea surface from space provides global observation of the world's oceans. The last eight years have witnessed a rapid growth in the use of altimetry data from the study of the ocean circulations, thanks to the multiyear data from the Geosat Mission.

Global Ocean Circulation in Thermohaline Coordinates and Small-scale and Mesoscale mixing: An Inverse Estimate.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Groeskamp, S.; Zika, J. D.; McDougall, T. J.; Sloyan, B.

2016-02-01

I will present results of a new inverse technique that infers small-scale turbulent diffusivities and mesoscale eddy diffusivities from an ocean climatology of Salinity (S) and Temperature (T) in combination with surface freshwater and heat fluxes.First, the ocean circulation is represented in (S,T) coordinates, by the diathermohaline streamfunction. Framing the ocean circulation in (S,T) coordinates, isolates the component of the circulation that is directly related to water-mass transformation.Because water-mass transformation is directly related to fluxes of salt and heat, this framework allows for the formulation of an inverse method in which the diathermohaline streamfunction is balanced with known air-sea forcing and unknown mixing. When applying this inverse method to observations, we obtain observationally based estimates for both the streamfunction and the mixing. The results reveal new information about the component of the global ocean circulation due to water-mass transformation and its relation to surface freshwater and heat fluxes and small-scale and mesoscale mixing. The results provide global constraints on spatially varying patterns of diffusivities, in order to obtain a realistic overturning circulation. We find that mesoscale isopycnal mixing is much smaller than expected. These results are important for our understanding of the relation between global ocean circulation and mixing and may lead to improved parameterisations in numerical ocean models.

Ocean circulation and properties in Petermann Fjord, Greenland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, H. L.; Münchow, A.; Falkner, K. K.; Melling, H.

2011-01-01

The floating ice shelf of Petermann glacier interacts directly with the ocean and is thought to lose at least 80% of its mass through basal melting. Based on three opportunistic ocean surveys in Petermann Fjord we describe the basic oceanography: the circulation at the fjord mouth, the hydrographic structure beneath the ice shelf, the oceanic heat delivered to the under-ice cavity, and the fate of the resulting melt water. The 1100 m deep fjord is separated from neighboring Hall Basin by a sill between 350 and 450 m deep. Fjord bottom waters are renewed by episodic spillover at the sill of Atlantic water from the Arctic. Glacial melt water appears on the northeast side of the fjord at depths between 200 m and that of the glacier's grounding line (about 500 m). The fjord circulation is fundamentally three-dimensional; satellite imagery and geostrophic calculations suggest a cyclonic gyre within the fjord mouth, with outflow on the northeast side. Tidal flows are similar in magnitude to the geostrophic flow. The oceanic heat flux into the fjord appears more than sufficient to account for the observed rate of basal melting. Cold, low-salinity water originating in the surface layer of Nares Strait in winter intrudes far under the ice. This may limit basal melting to the inland half of the shelf. The melt rate and long-term stability of Petermann ice shelf may depend on regional sea ice cover and fjord geometry, in addition to the supply of oceanic heat entering the fjord.

Oceanic Circulation. A Programmed Unit of Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marine Maritime Academy, Castine.

This booklet contains a programmed lesson on oceanic circulation. It is designed to allow students to progress through the subject at their own speed. Since it is written in linear format, it is suggested that students proceed through the program from "frame" to succeeding "frame." Instructions for students on how to use the booklet are included.…

Changes in ocean circulation and carbon storage are decoupled from air-sea CO2 fluxes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marinov, I.; Gnanadesikan, A.

2011-02-01

The spatial distribution of the air-sea flux of carbon dioxide is a poor indicator of the underlying ocean circulation and of ocean carbon storage. The weak dependence on circulation arises because mixing-driven changes in solubility-driven and biologically-driven air-sea fluxes largely cancel out. This cancellation occurs because mixing driven increases in the poleward residual mean circulation result in more transport of both remineralized nutrients and heat from low to high latitudes. By contrast, increasing vertical mixing decreases the storage associated with both the biological and solubility pumps, as it decreases remineralized carbon storage in the deep ocean and warms the ocean as a whole.

Changes in ocean circulation and carbon storage are decoupled from air-sea CO2 fluxes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marinov, I.; Gnanadesikan, A.

2010-11-01

The spatial distribution of the air-sea flux of carbon dioxide is a poor indicator of the underlying ocean circulation and of ocean carbon storage. The weak dependence on circulation arises because mixing-driven changes in solubility-driven and biologically-driven air-sea fluxes largely cancel out. This cancellation occurs because mixing driven increases in the poleward residual mean circulation results in more transport of both remineralized nutrients and heat from low to high latitudes. By contrast, increasing vertical mixing decreases the storage associated with both the biological and solubility pumps, as it decreases remineralized carbon storage in the deep ocean and warms the ocean as a whole.

Ocean Hydrodynamics Numerical Model in Curvilinear Coordinates for Simulating Circulation of the Global Ocean and its Separate Basins.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gusev, Anatoly; Diansky, Nikolay; Zalesny, Vladimir

2010-05-01

The original program complex is proposed for the ocean circulation sigma-model, developed in the Institute of Numerical Mathematics (INM), Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS). The complex can be used in various curvilinear orthogonal coordinate systems. In addition to ocean circulation model, the complex contains a sea ice dynamics and thermodynamics model, as well as the original system of the atmospheric forcing implementation on the basis of both prescribed meteodata and atmospheric model results. This complex can be used as the oceanic block of Earth climate model as well as for solving the scientific and practical problems concerning the World ocean and its separate oceans and seas. The developed program complex can be effectively used on parallel shared memory computational systems and on contemporary personal computers. On the base of the complex proposed the ocean general circulation model (OGCM) was developed. The model is realized in the curvilinear orthogonal coordinate system obtained by the conformal transformation of the standard geographical grid that allowed us to locate the system singularities outside the integration domain. The horizontal resolution of the OGCM is 1 degree on longitude, 0.5 degree on latitude, and it has 40 non-uniform sigma-levels in depth. The model was integrated for 100 years starting from the Levitus January climatology using the realistic atmospheric annual cycle calculated on the base of CORE datasets. The experimental results showed us that the model adequately reproduces the basic characteristics of large-scale World Ocean dynamics, that is in good agreement with both observational data and results of the best climatic OGCMs. This OGCM is used as the oceanic component of the new version of climatic system model (CSM) developed in INM RAS. The latter is now ready for carrying out the new numerical experiments on climate and its change modelling according to IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) scenarios in the

Iceberg discharges of the last glacial period driven by oceanic circulation changes

PubMed Central

Alvarez-Solas, Jorge; Robinson, Alexander; Montoya, Marisa; Ritz, Catherine

2013-01-01

Proxy data reveal the existence of episodes of increased deposition of ice-rafted detritus in the North Atlantic Ocean during the last glacial period interpreted as massive iceberg discharges from the Laurentide Ice Sheet. Although these have long been attributed to self-sustained ice sheet oscillations, growing evidence of the crucial role that the ocean plays both for past and future behavior of the cryosphere suggests a climatic control of these ice surges. Here, we present simulations of the last glacial period carried out with a hybrid ice sheet–ice shelf model forced by an oceanic warming index derived from proxy data that accounts for the impact of past ocean circulation changes on ocean temperatures. The model generates a time series of iceberg discharge that closely agrees with ice-rafted debris records over the past 80 ka, indicating that oceanic circulation variations were responsible for the enigmatic ice purges of the last ice age. PMID:24062437

Estimation and Validation of Oceanic Mass Circulation from the GRACE Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boy, J.-P.; Rowlands, D. D.; Sabaka, T. J.; Luthcke, S. B.; Lemoine, F. G.

2011-01-01

Since the launch of the Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment (GRACE) in March 2002, the Earth's surface mass variations have been monitored with unprecedented accuracy and resolution. Compared to the classical spherical harmonic solutions, global high-resolution mascon solutions allows the retrieval of mass variations with higher spatial and temporal sampling (2 degrees and 10 days). We present here the validation of the GRACE global mascon solutions by comparing mass estimates to a set of about 100 ocean bottom pressure (OSP) records, and show that the forward modelling of continental hydrology prior to the inversion of the K-band range rate data allows better estimates of ocean mass variations. We also validate our GRACE results to OSP variations modelled by different state-of-the-art ocean general circulation models, including ECCO (Estimating the Circulation and Climate of the Ocean) and operational and reanalysis from the MERCATOR project.

Atlantic Ocean Circulation and Climate: The Current View From the Geological Record

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Curry, W.

2006-12-01

Several recent advances in our understanding of past ocean circulation come from geological reconstructions using deep sea sediment proxies of water mass structure and flow. Put together, the observations suggest that the Atlantic Ocean during the last glacial period (21,000 years ago) was very different from today. Geochemical tracers document a shoaling of North Atlantic Deep Water and a much greater volume of deep waters with an Antarctic origin. Sedimentary pore water profiles have detected a reversal in the salinity gradient between northern and southern deep water sources. Uranium-series decay products in North Atlantic sediments indicate that the southward transport of North Atlantic Deep Water was as much as 30-40% reduced from today's transport. Ocean-margin density reconstructions are consistent with a one third reduction in transport through the Florida Straits. A reversed cross-basin density gradient in the South Atlantic calls for a different intermediate water circulation in the South Atlantic. The glacial Atlantic circulation appears to be best explained by a reduced influence of North Atlantic deep water sources and much greater influence of Antarctic deep water sources. More recent changes in Atlantic circulation have been much more modest. During the Little Ice Age (LIA - a much smaller cooling event about 200 to 600 years ago), transport of the Florida Current was reduced by about 10%, significant but a much smaller reduction than observed during the glacial period. There is little evidence for a change in the distribution or geochemistry of the water masses during the LIA. For both climate events (the glacial and the LIA) reduced Florida Current transport was accompanied by increased salinity of its surface waters, linking changes in ocean circulation to large scale changes in surface water hydrology. A feedback between the circulation of the Atlantic Ocean and the climate of the tropics has been proposed before and also seen in some coupled

Multidecadal Weakening of Indian Summer Monsoon Circulation Induces an Increasing Northern Indian Ocean Sea Level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swapna, P.; Jyoti, J.; Krishnan, R.; Sandeep, N.; Griffies, S. M.

2017-10-01

North Indian Ocean sea level has shown significant increase during last three to four decades. Analyses of long-term climate data sets and ocean model sensitivity experiments identify a mechanism for multidecadal sea level variability relative to global mean. Our results indicate that North Indian Ocean sea level rise is accompanied by a weakening summer monsoon circulation. Given that Indian Ocean meridional heat transport is primarily regulated by the annual cycle of monsoon winds, weakening of summer monsoon circulation has resulted in reduced upwelling off Arabia and Somalia and decreased southward heat transport, and corresponding increase of heat storage in the North Indian Ocean. These changes in turn lead to increased retention of heat and increased thermosteric sea level rise in the North Indian Ocean, especially in the Arabian Sea. These findings imply that rising North Indian Ocean sea level due to weakening of monsoon circulation demands adaptive strategies to enable a resilient South Asian population.

Southwest Pacific Ocean Circulation and Climate Experiment (SPICE) scientific advances and future west pacific coordination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ganachaud, A. S.; Sprintall, J.; Lin, X.; Ando, K.

2016-02-01

The Southwest Pacific Ocean Circulation and Climate Experiment (SPICE) is an international research program under the auspices of CLIVAR (Climate Variability and Predictability). The key objectives are to understand the Southwest Pacific Ocean circulation and Convergence Zone (SPCZ) dynamics, as well as their influence on regional and basin-scale climate patterns. It was designed to measure and monitor the ocean circulation, and to validate and improve numerical models. South Pacific oceanic waters are carried from the subtropical gyre centre in the westward flowing South Equatorial Current (SEC), towards the southwest Pacific-a major circulation pathway that redistributes water from the subtropics to the equator and Southern Ocean. Water transit through the Coral and Solomon Seas is potentially of great importance to tropical climate prediction because changes in either the temperature or the amount of water arriving at the equator have the capability to modulate ENSO and produce basin-scale climate feedbacks. On average, the oceanic circulation is driven by the Trade Winds, and subject to substantial variability, related with the SPCZ position and intensity. The circulation is complex, with the SEC splitting into zonal jets upon encountering island archipelagos, before joining either the East Australian Current or the New Guinea Costal UnderCurrent towards the equator. SPICE included large, coordinated in situ measurement programs and high resolution numerical simulations of the area. After 8 years of substantial in situ oceanic observational and modeling efforts, our understanding of the region has much improved. We have a refined description of the SPCZ behavior, boundary currents, pathways, and water mass transformation, including the previously undocumented Solomon Sea. The transports are large and vary substantially in a counter-intuitive way, with asymmetries and gating effects that depend on time scales. We will review the recent advancements and discuss

Reconstructing Deep Ocean Circulation in the North Atlantic from Bermuda Rise, and Beyond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McManus, J. F.

2016-12-01

The large-scale subsurface circulation of the ocean is an important component of the Earth's climate system, and contributes to the global and regional transport of heat and mass. Assessing how this system has changed in the past is thus a priority for understanding natural climate variability. A long-coring campaign on Bermuda Rise has provided additional abundant high-quality sediments from this site of rapid accumulation in the deep western basin, situated beneath the subtropical gyre of the North Atlantic Ocean. These sediments allow the high-resolution reconstruction of deepwater chemistry and export from this key location throughout the last 150,000 years, covering the entire last glacial cycle in a continuous section of 35 meters in core KNR191-CDH19. The suite of proxy indicators analyzed includes uranium-series disequilibria, neodymium isotopes, and benthic stable isotopes. Combined with multiple previous studies of nearby cores on Bermuda Rise, the published and new proxy data from CDH19 confirm the variability of the deep circulation in the Atlantic Ocean in association with past climate changes. The multiple indicators, along with complementary data from other locations, display coherent evidence for contrasts between deep circulation during glacial and interglacial intervals, with persistent strong, deep ventilation only within the peak interglacial of marine isotope stage 5e (MIS 5e) and the Holocene. In contrast, repeated, dramatic variability in deep ocean circulation accompanied the millennial climate changes of the last glaciation and deglaciation. The largest magnitude circulation shifts occurred at the transitions into stadials associated with the Hudson strait iceberg discharges and between them and the ensuing northern interstadial warmings, significantly exceeding that of the overall glacial-interglacial difference, highlighting the potential oceanographic and climatic importance of short-term perturbations to the deep ocean circulation.

Salinity Boundary Conditions and the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation in Depth and Quasi-Isopycnic Coordinate Global Ocean Models

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-06-30

Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation in Depth and Quasi-Isopycnic Coordinate Global Ocean...2009 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Salinity Boundary Conditions and the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation in Depth and Quasi-Isopycnic Coordinate... Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) in global simulations performed with the depth coordinate Parallel Ocean Program (POP) ocean

Constraints on ocean circulation at the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum from neodymium isotopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbott, April N.; Haley, Brian A.; Tripati, Aradhna K.; Frank, Martin

2016-04-01

Global warming during the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) ˜ 55 million years ago (Ma) coincided with a massive release of carbon to the ocean-atmosphere system, as indicated by carbon isotopic data. Previous studies have argued for a role of changing ocean circulation, possibly as a trigger or response to climatic changes. We use neodymium (Nd) isotopic data to reconstruct short high-resolution records of deep-water circulation across the PETM. These records are derived by reductively leaching sediments from seven globally distributed sites to reconstruct past deep-ocean circulation across the PETM. The Nd data for the leachates are interpreted to be consistent with previous studies that have used fish teeth Nd isotopes and benthic foraminiferal δ13C to constrain regions of convection. There is some evidence from combining Nd isotope and δ13C records that the three major ocean basins may not have had substantial exchanges of deep waters. If the isotopic data are interpreted within this framework, then the observed pattern may be explained if the strength of overturning in each basin varied distinctly over the PETM, resulting in differences in deep-water aging gradients between basins. Results are consistent with published interpretations from proxy data and model simulations that suggest modulation of overturning circulation had an important role for initiation and recovery of the ocean-atmosphere system associated with the PETM.

Interactions Between Ocean Circulation and Topography in Icy Worlds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goodman, J. C.

2018-05-01

To what extent does topography at the water-rock interface control the general circulation patterns of icy world oceans? And contrariwise, to what extent does liquid flow control the topography at the ice-water interface (or interfaces)?

A Pacific Ocean general circulation model for satellite data assimilation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chao, Y.; Halpern, D.; Mechoso, C. R.

1991-01-01

A tropical Pacific Ocean General Circulation Model (OGCM) to be used in satellite data assimilation studies is described. The transfer of the OGCM from a CYBER-205 at NOAA's Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory to a CRAY-2 at NASA's Ames Research Center is documented. Two 3-year model integrations from identical initial conditions but performed on those two computers are compared. The model simulations are very similar to each other, as expected, but the simulations performed with the higher-precision CRAY-2 is smoother than that with the lower-precision CYBER-205. The CYBER-205 and CRAY-2 use 32 and 64-bit mantissa arithmetic, respectively. The major features of the oceanic circulation in the tropical Pacific, namely the North Equatorial Current, the North Equatorial Countercurrent, the South Equatorial Current, and the Equatorial Undercurrent, are realistically produced and their seasonal cycles are described. The OGCM provides a powerful tool for study of tropical oceans and for the assimilation of satellite altimetry data.

A window on the deep ocean: The special value of ocean bottom pressure for monitoring the large-scale, deep-ocean circulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hughes, Chris W.; Williams, Joanne; Blaker, Adam; Coward, Andrew; Stepanov, Vladimir

2018-02-01

We show how, by focusing on bottom pressure measurements particularly on the global continental slope, it is possible to avoid the "fog" of mesoscale variability which dominates most observables in the deep ocean. This makes it possible to monitor those aspects of the ocean circulation which are most important for global scale ocean variability and climate. We therefore argue that such measurements should be considered an important future component of the Global Ocean Observing System, to complement the present open-ocean and coastal elements. Our conclusions are founded on both theoretical arguments, and diagnostics from a fine-resolution ocean model that has realistic amplitudes and spectra of mesoscale variability. These show that boundary pressure variations are coherent over along-slope distances of tens of thousands of kilometres, for several vertical modes. We illustrate the value of this in the model Atlantic, by determining the time for boundary and equatorial waves to complete a circuit of the northern basin (115 and 205 days for the first and second vertical modes), showing how the boundary features compare with basin-scale theoretical models, and demonstrating the ability to monitor the meridional overturning circulation using these boundary measurements. Finally, we discuss applicability to the real ocean and make recommendations on how to make such measurements without contamination from instrumental drift.

An Oceanic General Circulation Model (OGCM) investigation of the Red Sea circulation, 1. Exchange between the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sofianos, Sarantis S.; Johns, William E.

2002-11-01

The mechanisms involved in the seasonal exchange between the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean are studied using an Oceanic General Circulation Model (OGCM), namely the Miami Isopycnic Coordinate Ocean Model (MICOM). The model reproduces the basic characteristics of the seasonal circulation observed in the area of the strait of Bab el Mandeb. There is good agreement between model results and available observations on the strength of the exchange and the characteristics of the water masses involved, as well as the seasonal flow pattern. During winter, this flow consists of a typical inverse estuarine circulation, while during summer, the surface flow reverses, there is an intermediate inflow of relatively cold and fresh water, and the hypersaline outflow at the bottom of the strait is significantly reduced. Additional experiments with different atmospheric forcing (seasonal winds, seasonal thermohaline air-sea fluxes, or combinations) were performed in order to assess the role of the atmospheric forcing fields in the exchange flow at Bab el Mandeb. The results of both the wind- and thermohaline-driven experiments exhibit a strong seasonality at the area of the strait, which is in phase with the observations. However, it is the combination of both the seasonal pattern of the wind stress and the seasonal thermohaline forcing that can reproduce the observed seasonal variability at the strait. The importance of the seasonal cycle of the thermohaline forcing on the exchange flow pattern is also emphasized by these results. In the experiment where the thermohaline forcing is represented by its annual mean, the strength of the exchange is reduced almost by half.

Sensitivity of the ocean overturning circulation to wind and mixing: theoretical scalings and global ocean models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nikurashin, Maxim; Gunn, Andrew

2017-04-01

The meridional overturning circulation (MOC) is a planetary-scale oceanic flow which is of direct importance to the climate system: it transports heat meridionally and regulates the exchange of CO2 with the atmosphere. The MOC is forced by wind and heat and freshwater fluxes at the surface and turbulent mixing in the ocean interior. A number of conceptual theories for the sensitivity of the MOC to changes in forcing have recently been developed and tested with idealized numerical models. However, the skill of the simple conceptual theories to describe the MOC simulated with higher complexity global models remains largely unknown. In this study, we present a systematic comparison of theoretical and modelled sensitivity of the MOC and associated deep ocean stratification to vertical mixing and southern hemisphere westerlies. The results show that theories that simplify the ocean into a single-basin, zonally-symmetric box are generally in a good agreement with a realistic, global ocean circulation model. Some disagreement occurs in the abyssal ocean, where complex bottom topography is not taken into account by simple theories. Distinct regimes, where the MOC has a different sensitivity to wind or mixing, as predicted by simple theories, are also clearly shown by the global ocean model. The sensitivity of the Indo-Pacific, Atlantic, and global basins is analysed separately to validate the conceptual understanding of the upper and lower overturning cells in the theory.

Adaptation of a general circulation model to ocean dynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Turner, R. E.; Rees, T. H.; Woodbury, G. E.

1976-01-01

A primitive-variable general circulation model of the ocean was formulated in which fast external gravity waves are suppressed with rigid-lid surface constraint pressires which also provide a means for simulating the effects of large-scale free-surface topography. The surface pressure method is simpler to apply than the conventional stream function models, and the resulting model can be applied to both global ocean and limited region situations. Strengths and weaknesses of the model are also presented.

Nd isotopic structure of the Pacific Ocean 70-30 Ma and numerical evidence for vigorous ocean circulation and ocean heat transport in a greenhouse world

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, Deborah J.; Korty, Robert; Huber, Matthew; Schubert, Jessica A.; Haines, Brian

2014-05-01

The oceanic meridional overturning circulation (MOC) is a crucial component of the climate system, impacting heat and nutrient transport, and global carbon cycling. Past greenhouse climate intervals present a paradox because their weak equator-to-pole temperature gradients imply a weaker MOC, yet increased poleward oceanic heat transport appears to be required to maintain these weak gradients. To investigate the mode of MOC that operated during the early Cenozoic, we compare new Nd isotope data with Nd tracer-enabled numerical ocean circulation and coupled climate model simulations. Assimilation of new Nd isotope data from South Pacific Deep Sea Drilling Project and Ocean Drilling Program Sites 323, 463, 596, 865, and 869 with previously published data confirm the hypothesized MOC characterized by vigorous sinking in the South and North Pacific 70 to 30 Ma. Compilation of all Pacific Nd isotope data indicates vigorous, distinct, and separate overturning circulations in each basin until 40 Ma. Simulations consistently reproduce South Pacific and North Pacific deep convection over a broad range of conditions, but cases using strong deep ocean vertical mixing produced the best data-model match. Strong mixing, potentially resulting from enhanced abyssal tidal dissipation, greater interaction of wind-driven internal wave activity with submarine plateaus, or higher than modern values of the geothermal heat flux enable models to achieve enhanced MOC circulation rates with resulting Nd isotope distributions consistent with the proxy data. The consequent poleward heat transport may resolve the paradox of warmer worlds with reduced temperature gradients.

Equatorial Indian Ocean subsurface current variability in an Ocean General Circulation Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gnanaseelan, C.; Deshpande, Aditi

2018-03-01

The variability of subsurface currents in the equatorial Indian Ocean is studied using high resolution Ocean General Circulation Model (OGCM) simulations during 1958-2009. February-March eastward equatorial subsurface current (ESC) shows weak variability whereas strong variability is observed in northern summer and fall ESC. An eastward subsurface current with maximum amplitude in the pycnocline is prominent right from summer to winter during strong Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) years when air-sea coupling is significant. On the other hand during weak IOD years, both the air-sea coupling and the ESC are weak. This strongly suggests the role of ESC on the strength of IOD. The extension of the ESC to the summer months during the strong IOD years strengthens the oceanic response and supports intensification and maintenance of IODs through modulation of air sea coupling. Although the ESC is triggered by equatorial winds, the coupled air-sea interaction associated with IODs strengthens the ESC to persist for several seasons thereby establishing a positive feedback cycle with the surface. This suggests that the ESC plays a significant role in the coupled processes associated with the evolution and intensification of IOD events by cooling the eastern basin and strengthening thermocline-SST (sea surface temperature) interaction. As the impact of IOD events on Indian summer monsoon is significant only during strong IOD years, understanding and monitoring the evolution of ESC during these years is important for summer monsoon forecasting purposes. There is a westward phase propagation of anomalous subsurface currents which persists for a year during strong IOD years, whereas such persistence or phase propagation is not seen during weak IOD years, supporting the close association between ESC and strength of air sea coupling during strong IOD years. In this study we report the processes which strengthen the IOD events and the air sea coupling associated with IOD. It also unravels

An Oceanic General Circulation Model (OGCM) investigation of the Red Sea circulation: 2. Three-dimensional circulation in the Red Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sofianos, Sarantis S.; Johns, William E.

2003-03-01

The three-dimensional circulation of the Red Sea is studied using a set of Miami Isopycnic Coordinate Ocean Model (MICOM) simulations. The model performance is tested against the few available observations in the basin and shows generally good agreement with the main observed features of the circulation. The main findings of this analysis include an intensification of the along-axis flow toward the coasts, with a transition from western intensified boundary flow in the south to eastern intensified flow in the north, and a series of strong seasonal or permanent eddy-like features. Model experiments conducted with different forcing fields (wind-stress forcing only, surface buoyancy forcing only, or both forcings combined) showed that the circulation produced by the buoyancy forcing is stronger overall and dominates the wind-driven part of the circulation. The main circulation pattern is related to the seasonal buoyancy flux (mostly due to the evaporation), which causes the density to increase northward in the basin and produces a northward surface pressure gradient associated with the downward sloping of the sea surface. The response of the eastern boundary to the associated mean cross-basin geostrophic current depends on the stratification and β-effect. In the northern part of the basin this results in an eastward intensification of the northward surface flow associated with the presence of Kelvin waves while in the south the traditional westward intensification due to Rossby waves takes place. The most prominent gyre circulation pattern occurs in the north where a permanent cyclonic gyre is present that is involved in the formation of Red Sea Outflow Water (RSOW). Beneath the surface boundary currents are similarly intensified southward undercurrents that carry the RSOW to the sill to flow out of the basin into the Indian Ocean.

Impacts of Interannual Ocean Circulation Variability on Japanese Eel Larval Migration in the Western North Pacific Ocean.

PubMed

Chang, Yu-Lin; Sheng, Jinyu; Ohashi, Kyoko; Béguer-Pon, Mélanie; Miyazawa, Yasumasa

2015-01-01

The Japanese eel larvae hatch near the West Mariana Ridge seamount chain and travel through the North Equatorial Current (NEC), the Kuroshio, and the Subtropical Countercurrent (STCC) region during their shoreward migration toward East Asia. The interannual variability of circulation over the subtropical and tropical regions of the western North Pacific Ocean is affected by the Philippines-Taiwan Oscillation (PTO). This study examines the effect of the PTO on the Japanese eel larval migration routes using a three-dimensional (3D) particle tracking method, including vertical and horizontal swimming behavior. The 3D circulation and hydrography used for particle tracking are from the ocean circulation reanalysis produced by the Japan Coastal Ocean Predictability Experiment 2 (JCOPE2). Our results demonstrate that bifurcation of the NEC and the strength and spatial variation of the Kuroshio affect the distribution and migration of eel larvae. During the positive phase of PTO, more virtual eels ("v-eels") can enter the Kuroshio to reach the south coast of Japan and more v-eels reach the South China Sea through the Luzon Strait; the stronger and more offshore swing of the Kuroshio in the East China Sea leads to fewer eels entering the East China Sea and the onshore movement of the Kuroshio to the south of Japan brings the eels closer to the Japanese coast. Significant differences in eel migration routes and distributions regulated by ocean circulation in different PTO phases can also affect the otolith increment. The estimated otolith increment suggests that eel age tends to be underestimated after six months of simulation due to the cooler lower layer temperature. Underestimation is more significant in the positive PTO years due to the wide distribution in higher latitudes than in the negative PTO years.

The influence of the ocean circulation state on ocean carbon storage and CO2 drawdown potential in an Earth system model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ödalen, Malin; Nycander, Jonas; Oliver, Kevin I. C.; Brodeau, Laurent; Ridgwell, Andy

2018-03-01

During the four most recent glacial cycles, atmospheric CO2 during glacial maxima has been lowered by about 90-100 ppm with respect to interglacials. There is widespread consensus that most of this carbon was partitioned in the ocean. It is, however, still debated which processes were dominant in achieving this increased carbon storage. In this paper, we use an Earth system model of intermediate complexity to explore the sensitivity of ocean carbon storage to ocean circulation state. We carry out a set of simulations in which we run the model to pre-industrial equilibrium, but in which we achieve different states of ocean circulation by changing forcing parameters such as wind stress, ocean diffusivity and atmospheric heat diffusivity. As a consequence, the ensemble members also have different ocean carbon reservoirs, global ocean average temperatures, biological pump efficiencies and conditions for air-sea CO2 disequilibrium. We analyse changes in total ocean carbon storage and separate it into contributions by the solubility pump, the biological pump and the CO2 disequilibrium component. We also relate these contributions to differences in the strength of the ocean overturning circulation. Depending on which ocean forcing parameter is tuned, the origin of the change in carbon storage is different. When wind stress or ocean diapycnal diffusivity is changed, the response of the biological pump gives the most important effect on ocean carbon storage, whereas when atmospheric heat diffusivity or ocean isopycnal diffusivity is changed, the solubility pump and the disequilibrium component are also important and sometimes dominant. Despite this complexity, we obtain a negative linear relationship between total ocean carbon and the combined strength of the northern and southern overturning cells. This relationship is robust to different reservoirs dominating the response to different forcing mechanisms. Finally, we conduct a drawdown experiment in which we investigate

Sensitivity of the Southern Ocean overturning circulation to surface buoyancy forcing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morrison, A.; Hogg, A.; Ward, M.

2011-12-01

The southern limb of the ocean's meridional overturning circulation plays a key role in the Earth's response to climate change. The rise in atmospheric CO2 during glacial-interglacial transitions has been attributed to outgassing of enhanced upwelling water masses in the Southern Ocean. However a dynamical understanding of the physical mechanisms driving the change in overturning is lacking. Previous modelling studies of the Southern Ocean have focused on the effect of wind stress forcing on the overturning, while largely neglecting the response of the upper overturning cell to changes in surface buoyancy forcing. Using a series of eddy-permitting, idealised simulations of the Southern Ocean, we show that surface buoyancy forcing in the mid-latitudes is likely to play a significant role in setting the strength of the overturning circulation. Air-sea fluxes of heat and precipitation over the Antarctic Circumpolar Current region act to convert dense upwelled water masses into lighter waters at the surface. Additional fluxes of heat or freshwater thereby facilitate the meridional overturning up to a theoretical limit derived from Ekman transport. The sensitivity of the overturning to surface buoyancy forcing is strongly dependent on the relative locations of the wind stress profile, buoyancy forcing and upwelling region. The idealised model results provide support for the hypothesis that changes in upwelling during deglaciations may have been driven by changes in heat and freshwater fluxes, instead of, or in addition to, changes in wind stress. Morrison, A. K., A. M. Hogg, and M. L. Ward (2011), Sensitivity of the Southern Ocean overturning circulation to surface buoyancy forcing, Geophys. Res. Lett., 38, L14602, doi:10.1029/2011GL048031.

Optimisation of a parallel ocean general circulation model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beare, M. I.; Stevens, D. P.

1997-10-01

This paper presents the development of a general-purpose parallel ocean circulation model, for use on a wide range of computer platforms, from traditional scalar machines to workstation clusters and massively parallel processors. Parallelism is provided, as a modular option, via high-level message-passing routines, thus hiding the technical intricacies from the user. An initial implementation highlights that the parallel efficiency of the model is adversely affected by a number of factors, for which optimisations are discussed and implemented. The resulting ocean code is portable and, in particular, allows science to be achieved on local workstations that could otherwise only be undertaken on state-of-the-art supercomputers.

Can the Ocean's Heat Engine Control Horizontal Circulation? Insights From the Caspian Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bruneau, Nicolas; Zika, Jan; Toumi, Ralf

2017-10-01

We investigate the role of the ocean's heat engine in setting horizontal circulation using a numerical model of the Caspian Sea. The Caspian Sea can be seen as a virtual laboratory—a compromise between realistic global models that are hampered by long equilibration times and idealized basin geometry models, which are not constrained by observations. We find that increases in vertical mixing drive stronger thermally direct overturning and consequent conversion of available potential to kinetic energy. Numerical solutions with water mass structures closest to observations overturn 0.02-0.04 × 106 m3/s (sverdrup) representing the first estimate of Caspian Sea overturning. Our results also suggest that the overturning is thermally forced increasing in intensity with increasing vertical diffusivity. Finally, stronger thermally direct overturning is associated with a stronger horizontal circulation in the Caspian Sea. This suggests that the ocean's heat engine can strongly impact broader horizontal circulations in the ocean.

Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation slowdown cooled the subtropical ocean

PubMed Central

Cunningham, Stuart A; Roberts, Christopher D; Frajka-Williams, Eleanor; Johns, William E; Hobbs, Will; Palmer, Matthew D; Rayner, Darren; Smeed, David A; McCarthy, Gerard

2013-01-01

[1] Observations show that the upper 2 km of the subtropical North Atlantic Ocean cooled throughout 2010 and remained cold until at least December 2011. We show that these cold anomalies are partly driven by anomalous air-sea exchange during the cold winters of 2009/2010 and 2010/2011 and, more surprisingly, by extreme interannual variability in the ocean's northward heat transport at 26.5°N. This cooling driven by the ocean's meridional heat transport affects deeper layers isolated from the atmosphere on annual timescales and water that is entrained into the winter mixed layer thus lowering winter sea surface temperatures. Here we connect, for the first time, variability in the northward heat transport carried by the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation to widespread sustained cooling of the subtropical North Atlantic, challenging the prevailing view that the ocean plays a passive role in the coupled ocean-atmosphere system on monthly-to-seasonal timescales. PMID:26074634

Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation slowdown cooled the subtropical ocean.

PubMed

Cunningham, Stuart A; Roberts, Christopher D; Frajka-Williams, Eleanor; Johns, William E; Hobbs, Will; Palmer, Matthew D; Rayner, Darren; Smeed, David A; McCarthy, Gerard

2013-12-16

[1] Observations show that the upper 2 km of the subtropical North Atlantic Ocean cooled throughout 2010 and remained cold until at least December 2011. We show that these cold anomalies are partly driven by anomalous air-sea exchange during the cold winters of 2009/2010 and 2010/2011 and, more surprisingly, by extreme interannual variability in the ocean's northward heat transport at 26.5°N. This cooling driven by the ocean's meridional heat transport affects deeper layers isolated from the atmosphere on annual timescales and water that is entrained into the winter mixed layer thus lowering winter sea surface temperatures. Here we connect, for the first time, variability in the northward heat transport carried by the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation to widespread sustained cooling of the subtropical North Atlantic, challenging the prevailing view that the ocean plays a passive role in the coupled ocean-atmosphere system on monthly-to-seasonal timescales.

Exploring the sensitivity of global ocean circulation to future ice loss from Antarctica

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Condron, Alan

The sensitivity of the global ocean circulation and climate to large increases in iceberg calving and meltwater discharges from the Antarctic Ice Sheet (AIS) are rarely studied and poorly understood. The requirement to investigate this topic is heightened by growing evidence that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) is vulnerable to rapid retreat and collapse on multidecadal-to-centennial timescales. Observations collected over the last 30 years indicate that the WAIS is now losing mass at an accelerated and that a collapse may have already begun in the Amundsen Sea sector. In addition, some recent future model simulations of the AIS showmore » the potential for rapid ice sheet retreat in the next 50 – 300 years. Such a collapse would be associated with the discharge of enormous volumes of ice and meltwater to the Southern Ocean. This project funds PI Condron to begin assessing the sensitivity of the global ocean circulation to projected increases in meltwater discharge and iceberg calving from the AIS for the next 50 – 100 years. A series of climate model simulations will determine changes in ocean circulation and temperature at the ice sheet grounding line, the role of mesoscale ocean eddies in mixing and transporting freshwater away from the continent to deep water formation regions, and the likely impact on the northward transport of heat to Europe and North America.« less

North Atlantic ocean circulation and abrupt climate change during the last glaciation.

PubMed

Henry, L G; McManus, J F; Curry, W B; Roberts, N L; Piotrowski, A M; Keigwin, L D

2016-07-29

The most recent ice age was characterized by rapid and hemispherically asynchronous climate oscillations, whose origin remains unresolved. Variations in oceanic meridional heat transport may contribute to these repeated climate changes, which were most pronounced during marine isotope stage 3, the glacial interval 25 thousand to 60 thousand years ago. We examined climate and ocean circulation proxies throughout this interval at high resolution in a deep North Atlantic sediment core, combining the kinematic tracer protactinium/thorium (Pa/Th) with the deep water-mass tracer, epibenthic δ(13)C. These indicators suggest reduced Atlantic overturning circulation during every cool northern stadial, with the greatest reductions during episodic Hudson Strait iceberg discharges, while sharp northern warming followed reinvigorated overturning. These results provide direct evidence for the ocean's persistent, central role in abrupt glacial climate change. Copyright © 2016, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

On the sensitivity of the global ocean circulation to reconstructions of paleo-bathymetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weber, Tobias; Thomas, Maik

2013-04-01

The ability to model the long-term evolution of the climate does considerably depend on the accuracy of ocean models and their interaction with the atmosphere. Thereby, the ocean model's behavior with respect to uncertain and changing boundary conditions is of crucial importance. One of the remaining questions is, how different reconstructions of the ocean floor influence the model. Although of general interest, this effect has mostly been neglected, so far. We modeled Pliocene and pre-industrial ocean currents with the Max-Planck-Institute Ocean Model (MPIOM), forced by climatologies derived from an atmospheric and vegetational Global Circulation Model (GCM). We equipped it with different reconstructions of the bathymetry, what allowed us to study the model's sensitivity regarding changes in bathymetry. On the one hand we examined the influence of reconstructions with different locations of major ridges, but the same treatment of the shelf. On the other hand, reconstruction techniques that treated the shelf areas differently were taken into consideration. This leads to different oceanic circulation realizations, which induce changes in deep ocean temperature and salinity. Some of the simulations result in unrealistic behavior, such as an increase in surface temperature by several degrees. Most important, small bathymetric changes in the areas of deep water formation near Greenland and the Antarctic alter the thermohaline circulation strongly. This leads to its complete cessation in some of the simulations and therefore to stationary deep laying ocean masses. This shows that not all bathymetric reconstruction sequences are applicable for the generation of boundary conditions for GCMs. In order to obtain reliable and physically realistic data from the models, the reconstruction method to be used for the paleo-bathymetry also needs to be applied to the present day bathymetry. This reconstruction can then be used in a control simulation which can be validated against

Tests of Parameterized Langmuir Circulation Mixing in the Oceans Surface Mixed Layer II

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-08-11

inertial oscillations in the ocean are governed by three-dimensional processes that are not accounted for in a one-dimensional simulation , and it was...Unlimited 52 Paul Martin (228) 688-5447 Recent large-eddy simulations (LES) of Langmuir circulation (LC) within the surface mixed layer (SML) of...used in the Navy Coastal Ocean Model (NCOM) and tested for (a) a simple wind-mixing case, (b) simulations of the upper ocean thermal structure at Ocean

A Preliminary Study on the Circulation of an ocean covering a Synchronously Rotating Planet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matsuo, H.; Ishiwatari, M.; Takehiro, S.; Hayashi, Y.; Nakajima, K.

2012-12-01

Recently, nearly 800 extrasolar planets have been detected. It seems that some of them present into habitable zone, in which planets can have ocean, and such planets rotate synchronously with their central stars. Ocean is necessary for life, and the circulation makes climate mild by heat transport on the earth. The earth is the only planet that has ocean in the solar system so that it has not been understood what oceanic circulation is like in another planets. The purpose of this study is prediction of oceanic circulation on extrasolar planets by using numerical simulation. As a first step, elementary consideration is made. The planet is almost entirely covered with ocean and whose rotation period corresponds with its orbital period. On synchronously rotating planets, the thermal contrast between day-hemisphere and night-hemisphere would be extreme. However, it may be lessend if there is significant zonal heat transport. The circulation in such conditions has not been known well. We performed a numerical experiment based on the linear shallow water equation, assuming that both the evaporation and the precipitation occur only on day-hemisphere (Noda et al., 2011). With these distributions of the evaporation and the precipitation, one may anticipate the circulation occurs in only day-hemisphere. However, the resulting calculation is characterized with zonally uniform zonal flow, which also covers night hemisphere. In addition, the intensity of the flow increases with time. That behavior can be understood by constructing asymptotic solution which is first degree in time. The importance of Coriolis force, which bends meridional flow to zonal flow, is identified. It is implied that, even when only day-hemisphere has the evaporation and precipitation, there may be significant amount of heat can be transported from the day-hemisphere to the night-hemisphere by the strong zonal flow. The growth of zonal flow would be stopped when the evaporation and the precipitation are

Meridional overturning and large-scale circulation of the Indian Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ganachaud, Alexandre; Wunsch, Carl; Marotzke, Jochem; Toole, John

2000-11-01

The large scale Indian Ocean circulation is estimated from a global hydrographic inverse geostrophic box model with a focus on the meridional overturning circulation (MOC). The global model is based on selected recent World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE) sections which in the Indian Basin consist of zonal sections at 32°S, 20°S and 8°S, and a section between Bali and Australia from the Java-Australia Dynamic Experiment (JADE). The circulation is required to conserve mass, salinity, heat, silica and "PO" (170PO4+O2). Near-conservation is imposed within layers bounded by neutral surfaces, while permitting advective and diffusive exchanges between the layers. Conceptually, the derived circulation is an estimate of the average circulation for the period 1987-1995. A deep inflow into the Indian Basin of 11±4 Sv is found, which is in the lower range of previous estimates, but consistent with conservation requirements and the global data set. The Indonesian Throughflow (ITF) is estimated at 15±5 Sv. The flow in the Mozambique Channel is of the same magnitude, implying a weak net flow between Madagascar and Australia. A net evaporation of -0.6±0.4 Sv is found between 32°S and 8°S, consistent with independent estimates. No net heat gain is found over the Indian Basin (0.1 ± 0.2PW north of 32°S) as a consequence of the large warm water influx from the ITF. Through the use of anomaly equations, the average dianeutral upwelling and diffusion between the sections are required and resolved, with values in the range 1-3×10-5 cm s-1 for the upwelling and 2-10 cm2 s-1 for the diffusivity.

The influence of orography on modern ocean circulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maffre, Pierre; Ladant, Jean-Baptiste; Donnadieu, Yannick; Sepulchre, Pierre; Goddéris, Yves

2018-02-01

The effects of orography on climate are investigated with a coupled ocean-atmosphere general circulation model (IPSL-CM5). Results are compared with previous investigations in order to dig out robust consequences of the lack of orography on the global scale. Emphasis is made on the thermohaline circulation whose sensitivity to orography has only been subject to a very limited number of studies using coupled models. The removal of the entire orography switches the Meridional Overturning Circulation from the Atlantic to the Pacific, following freshwater transfers from the latter to the former that reverse the salinity gradient between these oceans. This is in part due to the increased freshwater export from the Pacific to the Atlantic through North America in the absence of the Rocky Mountains and the consecutive decreased evaporation in the North Atlantic once the Atlantic MOC weakens, which cools the northern high-latitudes. In addition and unlike previous model studies, we find that tropical freshwater transfers are a major driver of this switch. More precisely, the collapse of the Asian summer monsoon, associated with westward freshwater transfer across Africa, is critical to the freshening of the Atlantic and the increased salt content in the Pacific. Specifically, precipitations are increasing over the Congo catchment area and induce a strong increase in runoff discharging into the tropical Atlantic. In addition, the removal of the Andes shifts the area of strong precipitation toward the Amazonian catchment area and results in a larger runoff discharging into the Tropical Atlantic.

Laboratory Simulation of the Geothermal Heating Effects on Ocean Overturning Circulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xia, K. Q.; Wang, F.; Huang, S. D.; Zhou, S. Q.

2016-12-01

A large-scale circulation subject to an additional heat flux from the bottom is investigated laboratorially, motivated by understanding the geothermal heating effects on ocean circulation. Despite its idealization, our experiment suggests that the leading order effect of geothermal heating is to significantly enhance the abyssal overturning, which is in agreement with the findings in ocean circulation models. Our results also suggest that geothermal heating could not influence the poleward heat transport due to the strong stratification in the thermocline. It is revealed that the ratio of geothermal-flux-induced turbulent dissipation to the dissipation due to other energies is the key determining the dynamical importance of geothermal heating. This quantity explains why the impact of geothermal heating is sensitive to the deep stratification and the diapycnal mixing, in addition to the amount of geothermal flux. Moreover, this dissipation ratio may be used to understand results from different studies in a consistent way. This work is supported by the Hong Kong Research Grants Council under Grant No. CUHK1430115 and by the CUHK Research Committee through a Direct Grant (Project No. 3132740).

Mooring Measurements of the Abyssal Circulations in the Western Pacific Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, J.; Wang, F.

2016-12-01

A scientific observing network in the western tropical Pacific has initially been established by the Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IOCAS). Using fifteen moorings that gives unprecedented measurements in the intermediate and abyssal layers, we present multi-timescale variations of the deep ocean circulations prior to and during 2015 El Niño event. The deep ocean velocities increase equatorward with high standard deviation and nearly zero mean. The deep ocean currents mainly flow in meridional direction in the central Philippine Basin, and are dominated by a series of alternating westward and eastward zonal jets in the Caroline Basin. The currents in the deep channel connecting the East and West Mariana Basins mainly flow southeastward. Seasonal variation is only present in the deep jets in the Caroline Basin, associating with vertical propagating annual Rossby wave. The high-frequency flow bands are dominated by diurnal, and semi-diurnal tidal currents, and near-inertial currents. The rough topography has a strong influence on the abyssal circulations, including the intensifications in velocity and internal tidal energy, and the formation of upwelling flow.

Buffered versus non-buffered ocean carbon reservoir variations: Application to the sensitivity of atmospheric pCO2 to ocean circulation changes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

d'Orgeville, M.; England, M. H.; Sijp, W. P.

2011-12-01

Changes in the ocean circulation on millenial timescales can impact the atmospheric CO2 concentration by two distinct mechanisms: either by modifying the non-buffered ocean carbon storage (through changes in the physical and biological oceanic pumps) or by directly varying the surface mean oceanic partial pressure of pCO2 (through changes in mean surface alkalinity, temperature or salinity). The equal importance of the two mechanisms is illustrated here by introducing a diagnostic buffered carbon budget on the results of simulations performed with an Earth System Climate Model. For all the circulation changes considered in this study (due to a freshening of the North Atlantic, or a change in the Southern Hemisphere Westerly winds), the sign of the atmospheric CO2 response is opposite to the sign of the non-buffered ocean carbon storage change, indicating a transfer of carbon between ocean and atmosphere reservoirs. However the concomitant changes in the buffered ocean carbon reservoir can either greatly enhance or almost inhibit the atmospheric response depending on its sign. This study also demonstrates the utility of the buffered carbon budget approach in diagnosing the transient response of the global carbon cycle to climatic variations.

Efficient removal of recalcitrant deep-ocean dissolved organic matter during hydrothermal circulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hawkes, Jeffrey A.; Rossel, Pamela E.; Stubbins, Aron; Butterfield, David; Connelly, Douglas P.; Achterberg, Eric P.; Koschinsky, Andrea; Chavagnac, Valérie; Hansen, Christian T.; Bach, Wolfgang; Dittmar, Thorsten

2015-11-01

Oceanic dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is an important carbon pool, similar in magnitude to atmospheric CO2, but the fate of its oldest forms is not well understood. Hot hydrothermal circulation may facilitate the degradation of otherwise un-reactive dissolved organic matter, playing an important role in the long-term global carbon cycle. The oldest, most recalcitrant forms of DOC, which make up most of oceanic DOC, can be recovered by solid-phase extraction. Here we present measurements of solid-phase extractable DOC from samples collected between 2009 and 2013 at seven vent sites in the Atlantic, Pacific and Southern oceans, along with magnesium concentrations, a conservative tracer of water circulation through hydrothermal systems. We find that magnesium and solid-phase extractable DOC concentrations are correlated, suggesting that solid-phase extractable DOC is almost entirely lost from solution through mineralization or deposition during circulation through hydrothermal vents with fluid temperatures of 212-401 °C. In laboratory experiments, where we heated samples to 380 °C for four days, we found a similar removal efficiency. We conclude that thermal degradation alone can account for the loss of solid-phase extractable DOC in natural hydrothermal systems, and that its maximum lifetime is constrained by the timescale of hydrothermal cycling, at about 40 million years.

A new multi-proxy reconstruction of Atlantic deep ocean circulation during the warm mid-Pliocene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riesselman, C. R.; Dowsett, H. J.; Scher, H. D.; Robinson, M. M.

2011-12-01

The mid-Pliocene (3.264 - 3.025 Ma) is the most recent interval in Earth's history with sustained global temperatures in the range of warming predicted for the 21st century, providing an appealing analog with which to examine the Earth system changes we might encounter in the coming century. Ongoing sea surface and deep ocean temperature reconstructions and coupled ocean-atmosphere general circulation model simulations by the USGS PRISM (Pliocene Research Interpretation and Synoptic Mapping) Group identify a dramatic North Atlantic warm anomaly coupled with increased evaporation in the mid-Pliocene, possibly driving enhanced meridional overturning circulation and North Atlantic Deep Water production. However deep ocean temperature is not a conclusive proxy for water mass, and most coupled model simulations predict transient decreases in North Atlantic Deep Water production in 21st century, presenting a contrasting picture of future warmer worlds. Here, we present early results from a new multi-proxy reconstruction of Atlantic deep ocean circulation during the warm mid-Pliocene, using δ13C of benthic foraminifera as a proxy for water mass age and the neodymium isotopic imprint on fossil fish teeth as a proxy for water mass source region along a three-site depth transect from the Walvis Ridge (subtropical South Atlantic). The deep ocean circulation reconstructions resulting from this project will add a new dimension to the PRISM effort and will be useful for both initialization and evaluation of future model simulations.

Cloud-radiative effects on implied oceanic energy transport as simulated by atmospheric general circulation models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gleckler, P. J.; Randall, D. A.; Boer, G.; Colman, R.; Dix, M.; Galin, V.; Helfand, M.; Kiehl, J.; Kitoh, A.; Lau, W.

1995-01-01

This paper summarizes the ocean surface net energy flux simulated by fifteen atmospheric general circulation models constrained by realistically-varying sea surface temperatures and sea ice as part of the Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project. In general, the simulated energy fluxes are within the very large observational uncertainties. However, the annual mean oceanic meridional heat transport that would be required to balance the simulated surface fluxes is shown to be critically sensitive to the radiative effects of clouds, to the extent that even the sign of the Southern Hemisphere ocean heat transport can be affected by the errors in simulated cloud-radiation interactions. It is suggested that improved treatment of cloud radiative effects should help in the development of coupled atmosphere-ocean general circulation models.

Extinction of a fast-growing oyster and changing ocean circulation in Pliocene tropical America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kirby, Michael X.; Jackson, Jeremy B. C.

2004-12-01

Ocean circulation changed profoundly in the late Cenozoic around tropical America as a result of constriction and final closure of the Central American seaway. In response, regional planktonic productivity is thought to have decreased in the Caribbean Sea. Previous studies have shown that shallow-marine communities reflect these changes by reorganizing from a suspension-feeder dominated community to a more carbonate-rich, phototrophic-based community. Although changes in diversity, abundance, and body size of various shallow-marine invertebrates have previously been examined, no study has specifically used growth rate in suspension feeders to examine the effect that changes in ocean circulation may have had on shallow-marine communities. Here we show that a fast-growing oyster went extinct concurrently with changes in ocean circulation and planktonic productivity in the Pliocene. Faster-growing Crassostrea cahobasensis went extinct, whereas slower-growing Crassostrea virginica and columbiensis survived to the Holocene. Miocene Pliocene C. cahobasensis grew 522% faster in shell carbonate and 251% faster in biomass relative to Quaternary C. virginica and C. columbiensis. Although differences in growth are due to proximate differences in environment, the disappearance of faster-growing C. cahobasensis from shallow-marine environments and the continued survival of slower-growing C. virginica and C. columbiensis in marginal-marine environments (e.g., estuaries, lagoons) is consistent with the view that concurrent changes in ocean circulation and declining primary production resulted in the restriction of Crassostrea to marginal-marine environments.

Anisotropic Mesoscale Eddy Transport in Ocean General Circulation Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reckinger, S. J.; Fox-Kemper, B.; Bachman, S.; Bryan, F.; Dennis, J.; Danabasoglu, G.

2014-12-01

Modern climate models are limited to coarse-resolution representations of large-scale ocean circulation that rely on parameterizations for mesoscale eddies. The effects of eddies are typically introduced by relating subgrid eddy fluxes to the resolved gradients of buoyancy or other tracers, where the proportionality is, in general, governed by an eddy transport tensor. The symmetric part of the tensor, which represents the diffusive effects of mesoscale eddies, is universally treated isotropically in general circulation models. Thus, only a single parameter, namely the eddy diffusivity, is used at each spatial and temporal location to impart the influence of mesoscale eddies on the resolved flow. However, the diffusive processes that the parameterization approximates, such as shear dispersion, potential vorticity barriers, oceanic turbulence, and instabilities, typically have strongly anisotropic characteristics. Generalizing the eddy diffusivity tensor for anisotropy extends the number of parameters to three: a major diffusivity, a minor diffusivity, and the principal axis of alignment. The Community Earth System Model (CESM) with the anisotropic eddy parameterization is used to test various choices for the newly introduced parameters, which are motivated by observations and the eddy transport tensor diagnosed from high resolution simulations. Simply setting the ratio of major to minor diffusivities to a value of five globally, while aligning the major axis along the flow direction, improves biogeochemical tracer ventilation and reduces global temperature and salinity biases. These effects can be improved even further by parameterizing the anisotropic transport mechanisms in the ocean.

The Southwest Pacific Ocean circulation and climate experiment (SPICE)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ganachaud, A.; Cravatte, S.; Melet, A.; Schiller, A.; Holbrook, N. J.; Sloyan, B. M.; Widlansky, M. J.; Bowen, M.; Verron, J.; Wiles, P.; Ridgway, K.; Sutton, P.; Sprintall, J.; Steinberg, C.; Brassington, G.; Cai, W.; Davis, R.; Gasparin, F.; Gourdeau, L.; Hasegawa, T.; Kessler, W.; Maes, C.; Takahashi, K.; Richards, K. J.; Send, U.

2014-11-01

The Southwest Pacific Ocean Circulation and Climate Experiment (SPICE) is an international research program under the auspices of CLIVAR. The key objectives are to understand the Southwest Pacific Ocean circulation and the South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ) dynamics, as well as their influence on regional and basin-scale climate patterns. South Pacific thermocline waters are transported in the westward flowing South Equatorial Current (SEC) toward Australia and Papua-New Guinea. On its way, the SEC encounters the numerous islands and straits of the Southwest Pacific and forms boundary currents and jets that eventually redistribute water to the equator and high latitudes. The transit in the Coral, Solomon, and Tasman Seas is of great importance to the climate system because changes in either the temperature or the amount of water arriving at the equator have the capability to modulate the El Niño-Southern Oscillation, while the southward transports influence the climate and biodiversity in the Tasman Sea. After 7 years of substantial in situ oceanic observational and modeling efforts, our understanding of the region has much improved. We have a refined description of the SPCZ behavior, boundary currents, pathways, and water mass transformation, including the previously undocumented Solomon Sea. The transports are large and vary substantially in a counter-intuitive way, with asymmetries and gating effects that depend on time scales. This paper provides a review of recent advancements and discusses our current knowledge gaps and important emerging research directions.

Linkages between ocean circulation, heat uptake and transient warming: a sensitivity study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pfister, Patrik; Stocker, Thomas

2016-04-01

Transient global warming due to greenhouse gas radiative forcing is substantially reduced by ocean heat uptake (OHU). However, the fraction of equilibrium warming that is realized in transient climate model simulations differs strongly between models (Frölicher and Paynter 2015). It has been shown that this difference is not only related to the magnitude of OHU, but also to the radiative response the OHU causes, measured by the OHU efficacy (Winton et al., 2010). This efficacy is strongly influenced by the spatial pattern of the OHU and its changes (Rose et al. 2014, Winton et al. 2013), predominantly caused by changes in the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC). Even in absence of external greenhouse gas forcing, an AMOC weakening causes a radiative imbalance at the top of the atmosphere (Peltier and Vettoretti, 2014), inducing in a net warming of the Earth System. We investigate linkages between those findings by performing both freshwater and greenhouse gas experiments in an Earth System Model of Intermediate Complexity. To assess the sensitivity of the results to ocean and atmospheric transport as well as climate sensitivity, we use an ensemble of model versions, systematically varying key parameters. We analyze circulation changes and radiative adjustments in conjunction with traditional warming metrics such as the transient climate response and the equilibrium climate sensitivity. This aims to improve the understanding of the influence of ocean circulation and OHU on transient climate change, and of the relevance of different metrics for describing this influence. References: Frölicher, T. L. and D.J. Paynter (2015), Extending the relationship between global warming and cumulative carbon emissions to multi-millennial timescales, Environ. Res. Lett., 10, 075022 Peltier, W. R., and G. Vettoretti (2014), Dansgaard-Oeschger oscillations predicted in a comprehensive model of glacial climate: A "kicked" salt oscillator in the Atlantic, Geophys. Res

The new version of the Institute of Numerical Mathematics Sigma Ocean Model (INMSOM) for simulation of Global Ocean circulation and its variability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gusev, Anatoly; Fomin, Vladimir; Diansky, Nikolay; Korshenko, Evgeniya

2017-04-01

In this paper, we present the improved version of the ocean general circulation sigma-model developed in the Institute of Numerical Mathematics of the Russian Academy of Sciences (INM RAS). The previous version referred to as INMOM (Institute of Numerical Mathematics Ocean Model) is used as the oceanic component of the IPCC climate system model INMCM (Institute of Numerical Mathematics Climate Model (Volodin et al 2010,2013). Besides, INMOM as the only sigma-model was used for simulations according to CORE-II scenario (Danabasoglu et al. 2014,2016; Downes et al. 2015; Farneti et al. 2015). In general, INMOM results are comparable to ones of other OGCMs and were used for investigation of climatic variations in the North Atlantic (Gusev and Diansky 2014). However, detailed analysis of some CORE-II INMOM results revealed some disadvantages of the INMOM leading to considerable errors in reproducing some ocean characteristics. So, the mass transport in the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) was overestimated. As well, there were noticeable errors in reproducing thermohaline structure of the ocean. After analysing the previous results, the new version of the OGCM was developed. It was decided to entitle is INMSOM (Institute of Numerical Mathematics Sigma Ocean Model). The new title allows one to distingwish the new model, first, from its older version, and second, from another z-model developed in the INM RAS and referred to as INMIO (Institute of Numerical Mathematics and Institute of Oceanology ocean model) (Ushakov et al. 2016). There were numerous modifications in the model, some of them are as follows. 1) Formulation of the ocean circulation problem in terms of full free surface with taking into account water amount variation. 2) Using tensor form of lateral viscosity operator invariant to rotation. 3) Using isopycnal diffusion including Gent-McWilliams mixing. 4) Using atmospheric forcing computation according to NCAR methodology (Large and Yeager 2009). 5

Radiocarbon constraints on the glacial ocean circulation and its impact on atmospheric CO2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skinner, L. C.; Primeau, F.; Freeman, E.; de La Fuente, M.; Goodwin, P. A.; Gottschalk, J.; Huang, E.; McCave, I. N.; Noble, T. L.; Scrivner, A. E.

2017-07-01

While the ocean's large-scale overturning circulation is thought to have been significantly different under the climatic conditions of the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), the exact nature of the glacial circulation and its implications for global carbon cycling continue to be debated. Here we use a global array of ocean-atmosphere radiocarbon disequilibrium estimates to demonstrate a ~689+/-53 14C-yr increase in the average residence time of carbon in the deep ocean at the LGM. A predominantly southern-sourced abyssal overturning limb that was more isolated from its shallower northern counterparts is interpreted to have extended from the Southern Ocean, producing a widespread radiocarbon age maximum at mid-depths and depriving the deep ocean of a fast escape route for accumulating respired carbon. While the exact magnitude of the resulting carbon cycle impacts remains to be confirmed, the radiocarbon data suggest an increase in the efficiency of the biological carbon pump that could have accounted for as much as half of the glacial-interglacial CO2 change.

A Coupled Ocean General Circulation, Biogeochemical, and Radiative Model of the Global Oceans: Seasonal Distributions of Ocean Chlorophyll and Nutrients

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gregg, Watson W.; Busalacchi, Antonio (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

A coupled ocean general circulation, biogeochemical, and radiative model was constructed to evaluate and understand the nature of seasonal variability of chlorophyll and nutrients in the global oceans. Biogeochemical processes in the model are determined from the influences of circulation and turbulence dynamics, irradiance availability. and the interactions among three functional phytoplankton groups (diatoms. chlorophytes, and picoplankton) and three nutrients (nitrate, ammonium, and silicate). Basin scale (greater than 1000 km) model chlorophyll results are in overall agreement with CZCS pigments in many global regions. Seasonal variability observed in the CZCS is also represented in the model. Synoptic scale (100-1000 km) comparisons of imagery are generally in conformance although occasional departures are apparent. Model nitrate distributions agree with in situ data, including seasonal dynamics, except for the equatorial Atlantic. The overall agreement of the model with satellite and in situ data sources indicates that the model dynamics offer a reasonably realistic simulation of phytoplankton and nutrient dynamics on synoptic scales. This is especially true given that initial conditions are homogenous chlorophyll fields. The success of the model in producing a reasonable representation of chlorophyll and nutrient distributions and seasonal variability in the global oceans is attributed to the application of a generalized, processes-driven approach as opposed to regional parameterization and the existence of multiple phytoplankton groups with different physiological and physical properties. These factors enable the model to simultaneously represent many aspects of the great diversity of physical, biological, chemical, and radiative environments encountered in the global oceans.

Weak overturning circulation and increased iron fertilization maximized carbon storage in the glacial ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muglia, J.; Skinner, L.; Schmittner, A.

2017-12-01

Circulation changes have been suggested to play an important role in the sequestration of atmospheric CO2 in the glacial ocean. However, previous studies have resulted in contradictory results regarding the strength of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) and three-dimensional, quantitative reconstructions of the glacial ocean constrained by multiple proxies remain lacking. Here we simulate the modern and glacial ocean using a coupled, global, three-dimensional, physical-biogeochemical model constrained simultaneously by d13C, radiocarbon, and d15N to explore the effects of AMOC differences and Southern Ocean iron fertilization on the distributions of these isotopes and ocean carbon storage. We show that d13C and radiocarbon data sparsely sampled at the locations of existing glacial sediment cores can be used to reconstruct the modern AMOC accurately. Applying this method to the glacial ocean we find that a surprisingly weak (6-9 Sv or about half of today's) and shallow AMOC maximizes carbon storage and best reproduces the sediment data. Increasing the atmospheric soluble iron flux in the model's Southern Ocean intensifies export production, carbon storage, and improves agreement with d13C and d15N reconstructions. Our best fitting model is a significant improvement compared with previous studies. It suggests that a weak and shallow AMOC and enhanced iron fertilization conspired to maximize carbon storage in the glacial ocean.

Investigation of Deep Ocean Circulation and Mixing Using Ar-39 (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smethie, W. M.; Schlosser, P.

2013-12-01

Ar-39 is a radioactive noble gas that forms in the atmosphere by cosmic ray interaction with Ar-40. It has a half-life of 269 years and its production rate in the atmosphere has varied no more than 7% during the past 1000 years. It enters the surface ocean with an average equilibration time of about one month and thus the entire surface ocean, except for ice covered regions at high latitudes, is in quasi-equilibrium with the atmospheric Ar-39:Ar ratio. The well known input to the ocean, radioactive decay constant and chemical inertness make Ar-39 an ideal tracer of circulation and mixing in the deep ocean, where anthropogenic transient tracers such as CFCs and tritium have not yet penetrated. However, due to the difficult measurement, only about 125 oceanic Ar-39 samples have been measured to date. This was done by counting the decays of Ar-39 atoms and required a half liter of argon gas per sample, extracted from about 1500 liters of water. The 125 samples that have been measured provide a glimpse of the information that can be gained from Ar-39 observations. In the Pacific Ocean three vertical profiles show a decrease in Ar-39 from the surface mixed layer through the thermocline to a minimum at intermediate depths and an increase from there to the bottom. This reflects formation of bottom water around the Antarctic continent, spreading of this water northward and upwelling and mixing into intermediate depths. The lowest concentration was 6×4% modern which is equivalent to a 900-1600 year isolation time from the surface. In the Atlantic Ocean newly formed North Atlantic Deep Water has an Ar-39 concentration of about 85% modern compared to 55% modern for newly formed Antarctic Bottom Water and reach values as low as about 40% modern in the interior reflecting the more rapid ventilation of the deep Atlantic Ocean relative to the deep Pacific Ocean. In the Arctic Ocean the mean residence time of deep water in the Nansen, Amundsen and Makarov Basins based on Ar-39

Glacial greenhouse-gas fluctuations controlled by ocean circulation changes.

PubMed

Schmittner, Andreas; Galbraith, Eric D

2008-11-20

Earth's climate and the concentrations of the atmospheric greenhouse gases carbon dioxide (CO(2)) and nitrous oxide (N(2)O) varied strongly on millennial timescales during past glacial periods. Large and rapid warming events in Greenland and the North Atlantic were followed by more gradual cooling, and are highly correlated with fluctuations of N(2)O as recorded in ice cores. Antarctic temperature variations, on the other hand, were smaller and more gradual, showed warming during the Greenland cold phase and cooling while the North Atlantic was warm, and were highly correlated with fluctuations in CO(2). Abrupt changes in the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) have often been invoked to explain the physical characteristics of these Dansgaard-Oeschger climate oscillations, but the mechanisms for the greenhouse-gas variations and their linkage to the AMOC have remained unclear. Here we present simulations with a coupled model of glacial climate and biogeochemical cycles, forced only with changes in the AMOC. The model simultaneously reproduces characteristic features of the Dansgaard-Oeschger temperature, as well as CO(2) and N(2)O fluctuations. Despite significant changes in the land carbon inventory, CO(2) variations on millennial timescales are dominated by slow changes in the deep ocean inventory of biologically sequestered carbon and are correlated with Antarctic temperature and Southern Ocean stratification. In contrast, N(2)O co-varies more rapidly with Greenland temperatures owing to fast adjustments of the thermocline oxygen budget. These results suggest that ocean circulation changes were the primary mechanism that drove glacial CO(2) and N(2)O fluctuations on millennial timescales.

The impact of the ocean observing system on estimates of the California current circulation spanning three decades

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moore, Andrew M.; Jacox, Michael G.; Crawford, William J.; Laughlin, Bruce; Edwards, Christopher A.; Fiechter, Jérôme

2017-08-01

Data assimilation is now used routinely in oceanography on both regional and global scales for computing ocean circulation estimates and for making ocean forecasts. Regional ocean observing systems are also expanding rapidly, and observations from a wide array of different platforms and sensor types are now available. Evaluation of the impact of the observing system on ocean circulation estimates (and forecasts) is therefore of considerable interest to the oceanographic community. In this paper, we quantify the impact of different observing platforms on estimates of the California Current System (CCS) spanning a three decade period (1980-2010). Specifically, we focus attention on several dynamically related aspects of the circulation (coastal upwelling, the transport of the California Current and the California Undercurrent, thermocline depth and eddy kinetic energy) which in many ways describe defining characteristics of the CCS. The circulation estimates were computed using a 4-dimensional variational (4D-Var) data assimilation system, and our analyses also focus on the impact of the different elements of the control vector (i.e. the initial conditions, surface forcing, and open boundary conditions) on the circulation. While the influence of each component of the control vector varies between different metrics of the circulation, the impact of each observing system across metrics is very robust. In addition, the mean amplitude of the circulation increments (i.e. the difference between the analysis and background) remains relatively stable throughout the three decade period despite the addition of new observing platforms whose impact is redistributed according to the relative uncertainty of observations from each platform. We also consider the impact of each observing platform on CCS circulation variability associated with low-frequency climate variability. The low-frequency nature of the dominant climate modes in this region allows us to track through time the

Validation of the BASALT model for simulating off-axis hydrothermal circulation in oceanic crust

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farahat, Navah X.; Archer, David; Abbot, Dorian S.

2017-08-01

Fluid recharge and discharge between the deep ocean and the porous upper layer of off-axis oceanic crust tends to concentrate in small volumes of rock, such as seamounts and fractures, that are unimpeded by low-permeability sediments. Basement structure, sediment burial, heat flow, and other regional characteristics of off-axis hydrothermal systems appear to produce considerable diversity of circulation behaviors. Circulation of seawater and seawater-derived fluids controls the extent of fluid-rock interaction, resulting in significant geochemical impacts. However, the primary regional characteristics that control how seawater is distributed within upper oceanic crust are still poorly understood. In this paper we present the details of the two-dimensional (2-D) BASALT (Basement Activity Simulated At Low Temperatures) numerical model of heat and fluid transport in an off-axis hydrothermal system. This model is designed to simulate a wide range of conditions in order to explore the dominant controls on circulation. We validate the BASALT model's ability to reproduce observations by configuring it to represent a thoroughly studied transect of the Juan de Fuca Ridge eastern flank. The results demonstrate that including series of narrow, ridge-parallel fractures as subgrid features produces a realistic circulation scenario at the validation site. In future projects, a full reactive transport version of the validated BASALT model will be used to explore geochemical fluxes in a variety of off-axis hydrothermal environments.

500 kyr of Indian Ocean Walker Circulation Variability Using Foraminiferal Mg/Ca and Stable Isotopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Groeneveld, J.; Mohtadi, M.; Lückge, A.; Pätzold, J.

2017-12-01

The tropical Indian Ocean is a key location for paleoclimate research affected by different oceanographic and atmospheric processes. Annual climate variations are strongly controlled by the Indian and Asian Monsoon characterized by bi-annually reversing trade winds. Inter-annual climate variations in the Walker circulation are caused by the Indian Ocean Dipole and El Niño-Southern Oscillation resulting in either heavy flooding or severe droughts like for example the famine of 2011 in eastern Africa. Oceanographically the tropical western Indian Ocean receives water masses from the Indonesian Gateway area, sub-Antarctic waters that upwell south of the equator, and the outflow waters from the highly saline Red Sea. On the other hand, the tropical western Indian Ocean is a major source for providing water masses to the Agulhas Current system. Although the eastern Indian Ocean has been studied extensively, the tropical western Indian Ocean is still lacking in high quality climate-archives that have the potential to provide important information to understand how the ocean and atmospheric zonal circulation have changed in the past, and possibly will change in the future. Until now there were no long sediment cores available covering several glacial-interglacial cycles in the tropical western Indian Ocean. Core GeoB 12613-1, recovered during RV Meteor Cruise M75/2 east of the island of Pemba off Tanzania, provides an open-ocean core with well-preserved sediments covering the last five glacial-interglacial cycles ( 500 kyr). Mg/Ca and stable isotopes on both surface- and thermocline dwelling foraminifera have been performed to test how changes in sea water temperatures and relative sea water salinity were coupled on orbital time scales. The results are compared with similar records generated for the tropical eastern Indian Ocean in core SO139-74KL off Sumatra. Water column stratification on both sides of the Indian Ocean and the cross-basin gradients in sea water

The effects of ocean circulation on ocean-ice interaction and potential feedbacks in an idealized shelf cavity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bishop, S. P.; Thompson, A. F.; Schodlok, M.

2016-02-01

The West Antarctic ice sheet is melting at unprecedented rates, which will impact global sea level rise. The ocean may be playing the dominant role in this ice melt through the upwelling of warm and salty Circumpolar Deep Water (CDW) in regions such as Pine Island Glacier (PIG). There is evidence that the Antarctic Slope Front at the continental shelf constrains shoreward transport of CDW by mesoscale eddies. However, little is known about the ocean-ice interaction and potential feedbacks that take place once this water is advected into ice shelf cavities. In this talk we use MITgcm to simulate an idealized setup of the PIG ice shelf cavity, similar to the setup in De Rydt et al. 2014, to understand the effects of ocean circulation and potential feedbacks of ice-shelf melt on the ocean circulation. To do this we run the model in two different configurations with and without a wind-driven current at the northern edge of the ice shelf and annually updating the geometry of the ice shelf based on the parameterized ice-shelf melt. Eddy heat and potential vorticity fluxes are diagnosed and presented for each of the simulations and compared with control simulations where the ice-shelf cavity is not modified. Results show high ice shelf melt during the first year with maximum values in excess of 60 meters near the grounding line, but settle to tens of meters during the following years.

Heat-flow and hydrothermal circulation at the ocean-continent transition of the eastern gulf of Aden

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lucazeau, Francis; Leroy, Sylvie; Rolandone, Frédérique; d'Acremont, Elia; Watremez, Louise; Bonneville, Alain; Goutorbe, Bruno; Düsünur, Doga

2010-07-01

In order to investigate the importance of fluid circulation associated with the formation of ocean-continent transitions (OCT), we examine 162 new heat-flow (HF) measurements in the eastern Gulf of Aden, obtained at close locations along eight seismic profiles and with multi-beam bathymetry. The average HF values in the OCT and in the oceanic domain (~ 18 m.y.) are very close to the predictions of cooling models, showing that the overall importance of fluids remains small at the present time compared to oceanic ridge flanks of the same age. However, local HF anomalies are observed, although not systematically, in the vicinity of the unsedimented basement and are interpreted by the thermal effect of meteoric fluids flowing laterally. We propose a possible interpretation of hydrothermal paths based on the shape of HF anomalies and on the surface morphology: fluids can circulate either along-dip or along-strike, but are apparently focussed in narrow "pipes". In several locations in the OCT, there is no detectable HF anomaly while the seismic velocity structure suggests serpentinization and therefore past circulation. We relate the existence of the present day fluid circulation in the eastern Gulf of Aden to the presence of unsedimented basement and to the local extensional stress in the vicinity of the Socotra-Hadbeen fault zone. At the scale of rifted-margins, fluid circulation is probably not as important as in the oceanic domain because it can be inhibited rapidly with high sedimentation rates, serpentinization and stress release after the break-up.

Sensitivity of the Carolina Coastal Ocean Circulation to Open Boundary and Atmospheric Forcing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, X.; Xie, L.; Pietrafesa, L.

2003-12-01

The ocean circulation on the continental shelf off the Carolina coast is characterized by a complex flow regime and temporal variability, which is influenced by atmospheric forcing, the Gulf Stream system, complex coastline and bathymetry, river discharge and tidal forcing. In this study, a triple-nested, HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM) is used to simulate the coastal ocean circulation on the continental shelf off the Carolina coast and its interactions with the offshore large-scale ocean circulation system. The horizontal mesh size in the innermost domain was set to 1 km, whereas the outermost domain coincides with the near real-time 1/12­’ Atlantic HYCOM Nowcast/Forecast System operated at the Naval Research Laboratory. The intermediate domain uses a mesh size of 3 km. Atmospheric forcing fields for the Carolina coastal region are derived from the NOAA operational ETA model, the ECMWF reanalysis fields and NCEP/NCAR reanalysis fields. These forcing fields are derived at 0.8›¦, 1.125›¦ and 1.875›¦ resolutions, and at intervals of 6 hour, daily and monthly. The sensitivity of the model results to the spatial and temporal resolution of the atmospheric forcing fields is analyzed. To study the dependence of the model sensitivity on the model grid size, single-window simulations at resolutions of 1km, 3km and 9km are carried out using the same forcing fields that were applied to the nested system. Comparisons between the nested and the single domain simulation results will be presented.

Using a global ocean circulation model to conduct a preliminary risk assessment of oil spills in the Atlantic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacobs, Zoe; Popova, Katya; Hirschi, Joel; Coward, Andrew; Yool, Andrew; van Gennip, Simon; Anifowose, Babtunde; Harrington-Missin, Liam

2017-04-01

Although oil blowouts from deep-water drilling happen very rarely, they can cause catastrophic damage to the environment. Despite such potentially high impacts, relatively little research effort has gone into understanding subsurface oil plumes in the deep ocean. In this study, we demonstrate the significance of this problem and offer potential solutions using a novel approach based on a leading-edge, high-resolution global ocean circulation model. We present examples demonstrating: (a) the importance of ocean circulation in the propagation of oil spills; and (b) likely circulation footprints for oil spills at four key locations in the Atlantic Ocean that exist in different circulation regimes - the shelves of Brazil, the Gulf of Guinea, the Gulf of Mexico and the Faroe-Shetland Channel. In order to quantify the variability at each site on seasonal timescales, interannual timescales and at different depths, we utilize the Modified Hausdorff Distance (MHD), which is a shape-distance metric that measures the similarity between two shapes. The scale of the footprints across the four focus locations varies considerably and is determined by the main circulation features in their vicinity. For example, the hypothetical oil plume can be affected by variations in the speed and location of a particular current (e.g. Brazil Current at the Brazilian shelf site) or be influenced by different currents entirely depending on the release depth, month and year (e.g. Angola Current or Southern Equatorial Current at the Gulf of Guinea site). Overall, our results demonstrate the need to use state of the art global, or basin-scale, ocean circulation models when assessing the environmental impacts of proposed oil drilling activities.

A simulation of the global ocean circulation with resolved eddies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Semtner, Albert J.; Chervin, Robert M.

1988-12-01

A multilevel primitive-equation model has been constructed for the purpose of simulating ocean circulation on modern supercomputing architectures. The model is designed to take advantage of faster clock speeds, increased numbers of processors, and enlarged memories of machines expected to be available over the next decade. The model allows global eddy-resolving simulations to be conducted in support of the World Ocean Circulation Experiment. Furthermore, global ocean modeling is essential for proper representation of the full range of oceanic and climatic phenomena. The first such global eddy-resolving ocean calculation is reported here. A 20-year integration of a global ocean model with ½° grid spacing and 20 vertical levels has been carried out with realistic geometry and annual mean wind forcing. The temperature and salinity are constrained to Levitus gridded data above 25-m depth and below 710-m depth (on time scales of 1 month and 3 years, respectively), but the values in the main thermocline are unconstrained for the last decade of the calculation. The final years of the simulation allow the spontaneous formation of waves and eddies through the use of scale-selective viscosity and diffusion. A quasi-equilibrium state shows many realistic features of ocean circulation, including unstable separating western boundary currents, the known anomalous northward heat transport in the South Atlantic, and a global compensation for the abyssal spread of North Atlantic Deep Water via a long chain of thermocline mass transport from the tropical Pacific, through the Indonesian archipelago, across the Indian Ocean, and around the southern tip of Africa. This chain of thermocline transport is perhaps the most striking result from the model, and eddies and waves are evident along the entire 20,000-km path of the flow. The modeled Gulf Stream separates somewhat north of Cape Hatteras, produces warm- and cold-core rings, and maintains its integrity as a meadering thermal front

Effects of Southern Hemisphere Wind Changes on the Meridional Overturning Circulation in Ocean Models.

PubMed

Gent, Peter R

2016-01-01

Observations show that the Southern Hemisphere zonal wind stress maximum has increased significantly over the past 30 years. Eddy-resolving ocean models show that the resulting increase in the Southern Ocean mean flow meridional overturning circulation (MOC) is partially compensated by an increase in the eddy MOC. This effect can be reproduced in the non-eddy-resolving ocean component of a climate model, providing the eddy parameterization coefficient is variable and not a constant. If the coefficient is a constant, then the Southern Ocean mean MOC change is balanced by an unrealistically large change in the Atlantic Ocean MOC. Southern Ocean eddy compensation means that Southern Hemisphere winds cannot be the dominant mechanism driving midlatitude North Atlantic MOC variability.

Ocean circulation and biogeochemistry moderate interannual and decadal surface water pH changes in the Sargasso Sea

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nathalie F. Goodkin,; Bo-Shian Wang,; Chen-Feng You,; Konrad Hughen,; Prouty, Nancy G.; Bates, Nicholas; Scott Doney,

2015-01-01

The oceans absorb anthropogenic CO2 from the atmosphere, lowering surface ocean pH, a concern for calcifying marine organisms. The impact of ocean acidification is challenging to predict as each species appears to respond differently and because our knowledge of natural changes to ocean pH is limited in both time and space. Here we reconstruct 222 years of biennial seawater pH variability in the Sargasso Sea from a brain coral, Diploria labyrinthiformis. Using hydrographic data from the Bermuda Atlantic Time-series Study and the coral-derived pH record, we are able to differentiate pH changes due to surface temperature versus those from ocean circulation and biogeochemical changes. We find that ocean pH does not simply reflect atmospheric CO2 trends but rather that circulation/biogeochemical changes account for >90% of pH variability in the Sargasso Sea and more variability in the last century than would be predicted from anthropogenic uptake of CO2 alone.

Antarctic climate, Southern Ocean circulation patterns, and deep water formation during the Eocene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huck, Claire E.; van de Flierdt, Tina; Bohaty, Steven M.; Hammond, Samantha J.

2017-07-01

We assess early-to-middle Eocene seawater neodymium (Nd) isotope records from seven Southern Ocean deep-sea drill sites to evaluate the role of Southern Ocean circulation in long-term Cenozoic climate change. Our study sites are strategically located on either side of the Tasman Gateway and are positioned at a range of shallow (<500 m) to intermediate/deep ( 1000-2500 m) paleowater depths. Unradiogenic seawater Nd isotopic compositions, reconstructed from fish teeth at intermediate/deep Indian Ocean pelagic sites (Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Sites 738 and 757 and Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) Site 264), indicate a dominant Southern Ocean-sourced contribution to regional deep waters (ɛNd(t) = -9.3 ± 1.5). IODP Site U1356 off the coast of Adélie Land, a locus of modern-day Antarctic Bottom Water production, is identified as a site of persistent deep water formation from the early Eocene to the Oligocene. East of the Tasman Gateway an additional local source of intermediate/deep water formation is inferred at ODP Site 277 in the SW Pacific Ocean (ɛNd(t) = -8.7 ± 1.5). Antarctic-proximal shelf sites (ODP Site 1171 and Site U1356) reveal a pronounced erosional event between 49 and 48 Ma, manifested by 2 ɛNd unit negative excursions in seawater chemistry toward the composition of bulk sediments at these sites. This erosional event coincides with the termination of peak global warmth following the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum and is associated with documented cooling across the study region and increased export of Antarctic deep waters, highlighting the complexity and importance of Southern Ocean circulation in the greenhouse climate of the Eocene.

Atlantic Ocean Circulation at the Last Glacial Maximum: Inferences from Data and Models

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-01

available. Uncertainties in proxies themselves, and in the dating of the proxy records, are generally lower for the LGM than for periods further back...proven useful in understanding new aspects of the modern ocean circulation. Due to the poor dating resolution of sediment cores from the LGM period, and...Environmental Processes of the Ice Age: Land, Oceans, Glaciers (EPI- LOG) project was an effort to reconstruct the state of the Earth in glacial states; a

Response of Ocean Circulation to Different Wind Forcing in Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Solano, Miguel; Garcia, Edgardo; Leonardi, Stafano; Canals, Miguel; Capella, Jorge

2013-11-01

The response of the ocean circulation to various wind forcing products has been studied using the Regional Ocean Modeling System. The computational domain includes the main islands of Puerto Rico, Saint John and Saint Thomas, located on the continental shelf dividing the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Data for wind forcing is provided by an anemometer located in a moored buoy, the Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere Mesoscale Prediction System (COAMPS) model and the National Digital Forecast Database (NDFD). Hindcast simulations have been validated using hydrographic data at different locations in the area of study. Three cases are compared to quantify the impact of high resolution wind forcing on the ocean circulation and the vertical structure of salinity, temperature and velocity. In the first case a constant wind velocity field is used to force the model as measured by an anemometer on top of a buoy. In the second case, a forcing field provided by the Navy's COAMPS model is used and in the third case, winds are taken from NDFD in collaboration with the National Centers for Environmental Prediction. Validated results of ocean currents against data from Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers at different locations show better agreement using high resolution wind data as expected. Thanks to CariCOOS and NOAA.

Application of classical thermodynamic principles to the study of oceanic overturning circulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gade, Herman G.; Gustafsson, Karin E.

2004-08-01

Stationary deep-reaching overturning circulation in the ocean is studied by means of classical thermodynamic methods employing closed cycles in pV-space (p, pressure; V, volume). From observed (or computed) density fields, the pV-method may be used to infer the power required for driving a circulation with a given mass flux, or, if the available power is known, the resulting mass flux of the circulation may be assessed. Here, the circulation is assumed to be driven by diapycnal mixing caused by internal disturbances of meteorological and tidal origin and from transfer of geothermal heat through the ocean bottom. The analysis is developed on the basis that potential energy produced by any of these mechanisms is available for driving a circulation of the water masses above its level of generation. The method also takes into account secondary generated potential energy resulting from turbulence developed by the ensuing circulation.Models for different types of circulation are developed and applied to four types of hemispheric circulation with deep-water formation, convection and sinking in an idealized North Atlantic. Our calculations show that the energy input must exceed 15 J kg1 for a cycle to the bottom to exist. An energy supply of 2 TW would in that case support a constant vertical mass flux of 3.2 G kg s1 (3.1 Sv). Computed mass fluxes reaching the surface in the subtropics, corresponding to the same energy input, range between 2.3 5.2 G kg s1, depending on the type of convection/sinking involved. Much higher flux values ensue with ascending water masses reaching the surface at higher geographical latitudes.The study reveals also that compressibility of sea water does not enhance the

Assimilation of TOPEX/POSEIDON Altimeter Data into a Global Ocean Circulation Model: Are the Results Any Good?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fukumori, I.; Fu, L. L.; Chao, Y.

1998-01-01

The feasibility of assimilating satellite altimetry data into a global ocean general ocean general circulation model is studied. Three years of TOPEX/POSEIDON data is analyzed using a global, three-dimensional, nonlinear primitive equation model.

The circulation of a baroclinic ocean around planetary scale islands with topography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pedlosky, J.

2010-12-01

The circulation around planetary-scale islands is considered for an island with a topographic skirt for a stratified ocean. The simplest model of the ocean is a two layer ocean in a circular domain with the island in the center. When the girdling topography is steep, closed geostrophic contours guide the flow in each of the two layers although that guiding occurs at different horizontal locations in each layer. For flows with weak dissipation, modeled as bottom and interfacial friction, explicit formulae are given for the dependence of the streamfunction in each layer on the ambient potential vorticity, f/(layer depth). Numerical model calculations will be presented to supplement the analytical results.

Oceanic dispersion of Fukushima-derived Cs-137 in the coastal, offshore, and open oceans simulated by multiple oceanic general circulation models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawamura, H.; Furuno, A.; Kobayashi, T.; In, T.; Nakayama, T.; Ishikawa, Y.; Miyazawa, Y.; Usui, N.

2017-12-01

To understand the concentration and amount of Fukushima-derived Cs-137 in the ocean, this study simulates the oceanic dispersion of Cs-137 by an oceanic dispersion model SEA-GEARN-FDM developed at Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) and multiple oceanic general circulation models. The Cs-137 deposition amounts at the sea surface were used as the source term in oceanic dispersion simulations, which were estimated by atmospheric dispersion simulations with a Worldwide version of System for Prediction of Environmental Emergency Dose Information version II (WSPEEDI-II) developed at JAEA. The direct release from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the ocean based on in situ Cs-137 measurements was used as the other source term in oceanic dispersion simulations. The simulated air Cs-137 concentrations qualitatively replicated those measured around the North Pacific. The accumulated Cs-137 ground deposition amount in the eastern Japanese Islands was consistent with that estimated by aircraft measurements. The oceanic dispersion simulations relatively well reproduced the measured Cs-137 concentrations in the coastal and offshore oceans during the first few months after the Fukushima disaster, and in the open ocean during the first year post-disaster. It was suggested that Cs-137 dispersed along the coast in the north-south direction during the first few months post-disaster, and were subsequently dispersed offshore by the Kuroshio Current and Kuroshio Extension. Mesoscale eddies accompanied by the Kuroshio Current and Kuroshio Extension played an important role in dilution of Cs-137. The Cs-137 amounts were quantified in the coastal, offshore, and open oceans during the first year post-disaster. It was demonstrated that Cs-137 actively dispersed from the coastal and offshore oceans to the open ocean, and from the surface layer to the deeper layer in the North Pacific.

Energetics of a Global Ocean Circulation Model Compared to Observations

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-08-09

rings of the boundary currents [ Stammer , 1997; Ferrari and Wunsch, 2009, 2010], is generated by instabilities of the mean flow and direct wind forcing...of the abyssal ocean circulation in the OGCMs? [4] Resolution studies [Bryan et al., 2007 ; Smith et al., 2000; Hogan and Hurlburt, 2000; Oschlies...surface drifter observations [Lumpkin and Pazos, 2007 ], satellite altimetry (150 m) [Ducet et al., 2000], ARGO floats at 1000 m [Lebedev et al., 2007 ], and

The deep meridional overturning circulation in the Indian Ocean inferred from the GECCO synthesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Weiqiang; Köhl, Armin; Stammer, Detlef

2012-11-01

The deep time-varying meridional overturning circulation (MOC) in the Indian Ocean in the German “Estimating the Circulation and Climate of the Ocean” consortium efforts (GECCO) ocean synthesis is being investigated. An analysis of the integrated circulation suggests that, on time average, 2.1 Sv enter the Indian Ocean in the bottom layer (>3200 m) from the south and that 12.3 Sv leave the Indian Ocean in the upper and intermediate layers (<1500 m), composed of the up-welled bottom layer inflow water, augmented by 9.6 Sv Indonesian Throughflow (ITF) water. The GECCO time-mean results differ substantially from those obtained by inverse box models, which being based on individual hydrographic sections and due to the strong seasonal cycle are susceptible to aliasing. The GECCO solution shows a large seasonal variation in its deep MOC caused by the seasonal reversal of monsoon-related wind stress forcing. The associated seasonal variations of the deep MOC range from -7 Sv in boreal winter to 3 Sv in summer. In addition, the upper and bottom transports across the 34°S section show pronounced interannual variability with roughly biennial variations superimposed by strong anomalies during each La Niña phase as well as the ITF, which mainly affect the upper layer transports. On decadal and longer timescale, the meridional overturning variability as well as long-term trends differs before and after 1980. GECCO shows a stable trend for the period 1960-1979 and substantial changes in the upper and bottom layer for the period 1980-2001. By means of an extended EOF analysis, the importance of Ekman dynamics as driving forces of the deep MOC of the Indian Ocean on the interannual timescale is highlighted. The leading modes of the zonal and meridional wind stress favour a basin-wide meridional overturning mode via Ekman upwelling or downwelling mostly in the central and eastern Indian Ocean. Moreover, tropical zonal wind stress along the equator and alongshore wind stress

Abrupt pre-Bølling-Allerød warming and circulation changes in the deep ocean.

PubMed

Thiagarajan, Nivedita; Subhas, Adam V; Southon, John R; Eiler, John M; Adkins, Jess F

2014-07-03

Several large and rapid changes in atmospheric temperature and the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere--probably linked to changes in deep ocean circulation--occurred during the last deglaciation. The abrupt temperature rise in the Northern Hemisphere and the restart of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation at the start of the Bølling-Allerød interstadial, 14,700 years ago, are among the most dramatic deglacial events, but their underlying physical causes are not known. Here we show that the release of heat from warm waters in the deep North Atlantic Ocean probably triggered the Bølling-Allerød warming and reinvigoration of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation. Our results are based on coupled radiocarbon and uranium-series dates, along with clumped isotope temperature estimates, from water column profiles of fossil deep-sea corals in a limited area of the western North Atlantic. We find that during Heinrich stadial 1 (the cool period immediately before the Bølling-Allerød interstadial), the deep ocean was about three degrees Celsius warmer than shallower waters above. This reversal of the ocean's usual thermal stratification pre-dates the Bølling-Allerød warming and must have been associated with increased salinity at depth to preserve the static stability of the water column. The depleted radiocarbon content of the warm and salty water mass implies a long-term disconnect from rapid surface exchanges, and, although uncertainties remain, is most consistent with a Southern Ocean source. The Heinrich stadial 1 ocean profile is distinct from the modern water column, that for the Last Glacial Maximum and that for the Younger Dryas, suggesting that the patterns we observe are a unique feature of the deglacial climate system. Our observations indicate that the deep ocean influenced dramatic Northern Hemisphere warming by storing heat at depth that preconditioned the system for a subsequent abrupt overturning event during the

The Sensitivity of Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation to Dynamical Framework in an Ocean General Circulation Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, X.; Yu, Y.

2016-12-01

The horizontal coordinate systems commonly used in most global ocean models are the sphere latitude-longitude grid and displaced poles such as tripolar grid. The effect of the horizontal coordinate system on Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is evaluated using an oceanic general circulation model (OGCM). Two experiments are conducted with the model using latitude-longitude grid (Lat_1) and tripolar grid (Tri). Results show that Tri simulates a stronger NADW than Lat_1, as more saline water masses enter into the GIN Seas in Tri. Two reasons can be attributed to the stronger NADW. One is the removal of zonal filter in Tri, which leads to an increasing of zonal gradient of temperature and salinity, thus strengthens the north geostrophic flow. In turn, it decreases the positive subsurface temperature and salinity biases in the subtropical regions. The other may be associated with topography at the North Pole, because the realistic topography is applied in tripolar grid and the longitude-latitude grid employs an artificial island around the North Pole. In order to evaluate the effect of filter on AMOC, three enhanced filter experiments are carried out. Compared to Lat_1, enhanced filter can also increase the NADW, for more saline water is suppressed to go north and accumulated in the Labrador Sea, especially in the experiment with enhanced filter on salinity (Lat_2_S).

World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE) Young Investigator Workshops

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Austin, Meg

2004-01-01

The World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE) Young Investigator Workshops goals and objectives are: a) to familiarize Young Investigators with WOCE models, datasets and estimation procedures; b) to offer intensive hands-on exposure to these models ard methods; c) to build collaborations among junior scientists and more senior WOCE investigators; and finally, d) to generate ideas and projects leading to fundable WOCE synthesis projects. To achieve these goals and objectives, the Workshop will offer a mixture of tutorial lectures on numerical models and estimation procedures, advanced seminars on current WOCE synthesis activities and related projects, and the opportunity to conduct small projects which put into practice the techniques advanced in the lectures.

Schwarz-Christoffel Conformal Mapping based Grid Generation for Global Oceanic Circulation Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Shiming

2015-04-01

We propose new grid generation algorithms for global ocean general circulation models (OGCMs). Contrary to conventional, analytical forms based dipolar or tripolar grids, the new algorithm are based on Schwarz-Christoffel (SC) conformal mapping with prescribed boundary information. While dealing with the conventional grid design problem of pole relocation, it also addresses more advanced issues of computational efficiency and the new requirements on OGCM grids arisen from the recent trend of high-resolution and multi-scale modeling. The proposed grid generation algorithm could potentially achieve the alignment of grid lines to coastlines, enhanced spatial resolution in coastal regions, and easier computational load balance. Since the generated grids are still orthogonal curvilinear, they can be readily 10 utilized in existing Bryan-Cox-Semtner type ocean models. The proposed methodology can also be applied to the grid generation task for regional ocean modeling when complex land-ocean distribution is present.

Radiocarbon constraints on the glacial ocean circulation and its impact on atmospheric CO2

PubMed Central

Skinner, L. C.; Primeau, F.; Freeman, E.; de la Fuente, M.; Goodwin, P. A.; Gottschalk, J.; Huang, E.; McCave, I. N.; Noble, T. L.; Scrivner, A. E.

2017-01-01

While the ocean’s large-scale overturning circulation is thought to have been significantly different under the climatic conditions of the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), the exact nature of the glacial circulation and its implications for global carbon cycling continue to be debated. Here we use a global array of ocean–atmosphere radiocarbon disequilibrium estimates to demonstrate a ∼689±53 14C-yr increase in the average residence time of carbon in the deep ocean at the LGM. A predominantly southern-sourced abyssal overturning limb that was more isolated from its shallower northern counterparts is interpreted to have extended from the Southern Ocean, producing a widespread radiocarbon age maximum at mid-depths and depriving the deep ocean of a fast escape route for accumulating respired carbon. While the exact magnitude of the resulting carbon cycle impacts remains to be confirmed, the radiocarbon data suggest an increase in the efficiency of the biological carbon pump that could have accounted for as much as half of the glacial–interglacial CO2 change. PMID:28703126

Deglacial Tropical Atlantic subsurface warming links ocean circulation variability to the West African Monsoon.

PubMed

Schmidt, Matthew W; Chang, Ping; Parker, Andrew O; Ji, Link; He, Feng

2017-11-13

Multiple lines of evidence show that cold stadials in the North Atlantic were accompanied by both reductions in Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) and collapses of the West African Monsoon (WAM). Although records of terrestrial change identify abrupt WAM variability across the deglaciation, few studies show how ocean temperatures evolved across the deglaciation. To identify the mechanism linking AMOC to the WAM, we generated a new record of subsurface temperature variability over the last 21 kyr based on Mg/Ca ratios in a sub-thermocline dwelling planktonic foraminifera in an Eastern Equatorial Atlantic (EEA) sediment core from the Niger Delta. Our subsurface temperature record shows abrupt subsurface warming during both the Younger Dryas (YD) and Heinrich Event 1. We also conducted a new transient coupled ocean-atmosphere model simulation across the YD that better resolves the western boundary current dynamics and find a strong negative correlation between AMOC strength and EEA subsurface temperatures caused by changes in ocean circulation and rainfall responses that are consistent with the observed WAM change. Our combined proxy and modeling results provide the first evidence that an oceanic teleconnection between AMOC strength and subsurface temperature in the EEA impacted the intensity of the WAM on millennial time scales.

Stochastic Ocean Eddy Perturbations in a Coupled General Circulation Model.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howe, N.; Williams, P. D.; Gregory, J. M.; Smith, R. S.

2014-12-01

High-resolution ocean models, which are eddy permitting and resolving, require large computing resources to produce centuries worth of data. Also, some previous studies have suggested that increasing resolution does not necessarily solve the problem of unresolved scales, because it simply introduces a new set of unresolved scales. Applying stochastic parameterisations to ocean models is one solution that is expected to improve the representation of small-scale (eddy) effects without increasing run-time. Stochastic parameterisation has been shown to have an impact in atmosphere-only models and idealised ocean models, but has not previously been studied in ocean general circulation models. Here we apply simple stochastic perturbations to the ocean temperature and salinity tendencies in the low-resolution coupled climate model, FAMOUS. The stochastic perturbations are implemented according to T(t) = T(t-1) + (ΔT(t) + ξ(t)), where T is temperature or salinity, ΔT is the corresponding deterministic increment in one time step, and ξ(t) is Gaussian noise. We use high-resolution HiGEM data coarse-grained to the FAMOUS grid to provide information about the magnitude and spatio-temporal correlation structure of the noise to be added to the lower resolution model. Here we present results of adding white and red noise, showing the impacts of an additive stochastic perturbation on mean climate state and variability in an AOGCM.

Studies of Current Circulation at Ocean Waste Disposal Sites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klemas, V. (Principal Investigator); Davis, G.; Henry, R.

1976-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. Acid waste plume was observed in LANDSAT imagery fourteen times ranging from during dump up to 54 hours after dump. Circulation processes at the waste disposal site are highly storm-dominated, with the majority of the water transport occurring during strong northeasterlies. There is a mean flow to the south along shore. This appears to be due to the fact that northeasterly winds produce stronger currents than those driven by southeasterly winds and by the thermohaline circulation. During the warm months (May through October), the ocean at the dump site stratifies with a distinct thermocline observed during all summer cruising at depths ranging from 10 to 21 m. During stratified conditions, the near-bottom currents were small. Surface currents responded to wind conditions resulting in rapid movement of surface drogues on windy days. Mid-depth drogues showed an intermediate behavior, moving more rapidly as wind velocities increased.

Meridional overturning circulation conveys fast acidification to the deep Atlantic Ocean.

PubMed

Perez, Fiz F; Fontela, Marcos; García-Ibáñez, Maribel I; Mercier, Herlé; Velo, Anton; Lherminier, Pascale; Zunino, Patricia; de la Paz, Mercedes; Alonso-Pérez, Fernando; Guallart, Elisa F; Padin, Xose A

2018-02-22

Since the Industrial Revolution, the North Atlantic Ocean has been accumulating anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and experiencing ocean acidification, that is, an increase in the concentration of hydrogen ions (a reduction in pH) and a reduction in the concentration of carbonate ions. The latter causes the 'aragonite saturation horizon'-below which waters are undersaturated with respect to a particular calcium carbonate, aragonite-to move to shallower depths (to shoal), exposing corals to corrosive waters. Here we use a database analysis to show that the present rate of supply of acidified waters to the deep Atlantic could cause the aragonite saturation horizon to shoal by 1,000-1,700 metres in the subpolar North Atlantic within the next three decades. We find that, during 1991-2016, a decrease in the concentration of carbonate ions in the Irminger Sea caused the aragonite saturation horizon to shoal by about 10-15 metres per year, and the volume of aragonite-saturated waters to reduce concomitantly. Our determination of the transport of the excess of carbonate over aragonite saturation ( xc [CO 3 2- ])-an indicator of the availability of aragonite to organisms-by the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation shows that the present-day transport of carbonate ions towards the deep ocean is about 44 per cent lower than it was in preindustrial times. We infer that a doubling of atmospheric anthropogenic CO 2 levels-which could occur within three decades according to a 'business-as-usual scenario' for climate change-could reduce the transport of xc [CO 3 2- ] by 64-79 per cent of that in preindustrial times, which could severely endanger cold-water coral habitats. The Atlantic meridional overturning circulation would also export this acidified deep water southwards, spreading corrosive waters to the world ocean.

Meridional overturning circulation conveys fast acidification to the deep Atlantic Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perez, Fiz F.; Fontela, Marcos; García-Ibáñez, Maribel I.; Mercier, Herlé; Velo, Anton; Lherminier, Pascale; Zunino, Patricia; de La Paz, Mercedes; Alonso-Pérez, Fernando; Guallart, Elisa F.; Padin, Xose A.

2018-02-01

Since the Industrial Revolution, the North Atlantic Ocean has been accumulating anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) and experiencing ocean acidification, that is, an increase in the concentration of hydrogen ions (a reduction in pH) and a reduction in the concentration of carbonate ions. The latter causes the ‘aragonite saturation horizon’—below which waters are undersaturated with respect to a particular calcium carbonate, aragonite—to move to shallower depths (to shoal), exposing corals to corrosive waters. Here we use a database analysis to show that the present rate of supply of acidified waters to the deep Atlantic could cause the aragonite saturation horizon to shoal by 1,000-1,700 metres in the subpolar North Atlantic within the next three decades. We find that, during 1991-2016, a decrease in the concentration of carbonate ions in the Irminger Sea caused the aragonite saturation horizon to shoal by about 10-15 metres per year, and the volume of aragonite-saturated waters to reduce concomitantly. Our determination of the transport of the excess of carbonate over aragonite saturation (xc[CO32-])—an indicator of the availability of aragonite to organisms—by the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation shows that the present-day transport of carbonate ions towards the deep ocean is about 44 per cent lower than it was in preindustrial times. We infer that a doubling of atmospheric anthropogenic CO2 levels—which could occur within three decades according to a ‘business-as-usual scenario’ for climate change—could reduce the transport of xc[CO32-] by 64-79 per cent of that in preindustrial times, which could severely endanger cold-water coral habitats. The Atlantic meridional overturning circulation would also export this acidified deep water southwards, spreading corrosive waters to the world ocean.

Arctic Ocean circulation during the anoxic Eocene Azolla event

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Speelman, Eveline; Sinninghe Damsté, Jaap; März, Christian; Brumsack, Hans; Reichart, Gert-Jan

2010-05-01

The Azolla interval, as encountered in Eocene sediments from the Arctic Ocean, is characterized by organic rich sediments ( 4wt% Corg). In general, high levels of organic matter may be caused by increased productivity, i.e. extensive growth of Azolla, and/or enhanced preservation of organic matter, or a combination of both. Anoxic (bottom) water conditions, expanded oxygen minimum zones, or increased sedimentation rates all potentially increase organic matter preservation. According to plate tectonic, bathymetric, and paleogeographic reconstructions, the Arctic Ocean was a virtually isolated shallow basin, with one possible deeper connection to the Nordic Seas represented by a still shallow Fram Strait (Jakobsson et al., 2007), hampering ventilation of the Arctic Basin. During the Azolla interval surface waters freshened, while at the same time bottom waters appear to have remained saline, indicating that the Arctic was highly stratified. The restricted ventilation and stratification in concert with ongoing export of organic matter most likely resulted in the development of anoxic conditions in the lower part of the water column. Whereas the excess precipitation over evaporation maintained the freshwater lid, sustained input of Nordic Sea water is needed to keep the deeper waters saline. To which degree the Arctic Ocean exchanged with the Nordic Seas is, however, still largely unknown. Here we present a high-resolution trace metal record (ICP-MS and ICP-OES) for the expanded Early/Middle Eocene section capturing the Azolla interval from Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) Expedition 302 (ACEX) drilled on the Lomonosov Ridge, central Arctic Ocean. Euxinic conditions throughout the interval resulted in the efficient removal of redox sensitive trace metals from the water column. Using the sedimentary trace metal record we also constrained circulation in the Arctic Ocean by assessing the relative importance of trace metal input sources (i.e. fluvial, eolian, and

Dynamics of Andaman Sea circulation and its role in connecting the equatorial Indian Ocean to the Bay of Bengal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chatterjee, Abhisek; Shankar, D.; McCreary, J. P.; Vinayachandran, P. N.; Mukherjee, A.

2017-04-01

Circulation in the Bay of Bengal (BoB) is driven not only by local winds, but are also strongly forced by the reflection of equatorial Kelvin waves (EKWs) from the eastern boundary of the Indian Ocean. The equatorial influence attains its peak during the monsoon-transition period when strong eastward currents force the strong EKWs along the equator. The Andaman Sea, lying between the Andaman and Nicobar island chains to its west and Indonesia, Thailand, and Myanmar to the south, east, and north, is connected to the equatorial ocean and the BoB by three primary passages, the southern (6°N), middle (10°N), and northern (15°N) channels. We use ocean circulation models, together with satellite altimeter data, to study the pathways by which equatorial signals pass through the Andaman Sea to the BoB and associated dynamical interactions in the process. The mean coastal circulation within the Andaman Sea and around the islands is primarily driven by equatorial forcing, with the local winds forcing a weak sea-level signal. On the other hand, the current forced by local winds is comparable to that forced remotely from the equator. Our results suggest that the Andaman and Nicobar Islands not only influence the circulation within the Andaman Sea, but also significantly alter the circulation in the interior bay and along the east coast of India, implying that they need to be represented accurately in numerical models of the Indian Ocean.

Changing currents: a strategy for understanding and predicting the changing ocean circulation.

PubMed

Bryden, Harry L; Robinson, Carol; Griffiths, Gwyn

2012-12-13

Within the context of UK marine science, we project a strategy for ocean circulation research over the next 20 years. We recommend a focus on three types of research: (i) sustained observations of the varying and evolving ocean circulation, (ii) careful analysis and interpretation of the observed climate changes for comparison with climate model projections, and (iii) the design and execution of focused field experiments to understand ocean processes that are not resolved in coupled climate models so as to be able to embed these processes realistically in the models. Within UK-sustained observations, we emphasize smart, cost-effective design of the observational network to extract maximum information from limited field resources. We encourage the incorporation of new sensors and new energy sources within the operational environment of UK-sustained observational programmes to bridge the gap that normally separates laboratory prototype from operational instrument. For interpreting the climate-change records obtained through a variety of national and international sustained observational programmes, creative and dedicated UK scientists should lead efforts to extract the meaningful signals and patterns of climate change and to interpret them so as to project future changes. For the process studies, individual scientists will need to work together in team environments to combine observational and process modelling results into effective improvements in the coupled climate models that will lead to more accurate climate predictions.

Ocean Bottom Pressure Seasonal Cycles and Decadal Trends from GRACE Release-05: Ocean Circulation Implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, G. C.; Chambers, D. P.

2013-12-01

Ocean mass variations are important for diagnosing sea level budgets, the hydrological cycle and global energy budget, as well as ocean circulation variability. Here seasonal cycles and decadal trends of ocean mass from January 2003 to December 2012, both global and regional, are analyzed using GRACE Release 05 data. The trend of global flux of mass into the ocean approaches 2 cm decade-1 in equivalent sea level rise. Regional trends are of similar magnitude, with the North Pacific, South Atlantic, and South Indian oceans generally gaining mass and other regions losing mass. These trends suggest a spin-down of the North Pacific western boundary current extension and the Antarctic Circumpolar Current in the South Atlantic and South Indian oceans. The global average seasonal cycle of ocean mass is about 1 cm in amplitude, with a maximum in early October and volume fluxes in and out of the ocean reaching 0.5 Sv (1 Sv = 1 × 106 m3 s-1) when integrated over the area analyzed here. Regional patterns of seasonal ocean mass change have typical amplitudes of 1-4 cm, and include maxima in the subtropics and minima in the subpolar regions in hemispheric winters. The subtropical mass gains and subpolar mass losses in the winter spin up both subtropical and subpolar gyres, hence the western boundary current extensions. Seasonal variations in these currents are order 10 Sv, but since the associated depth-averaged current variations are only order 0.1 cm s-1, they would be difficult to detect using in situ oceanographic instruments. a) Amplitude (colors, in cm) and b) phase (colors, in months of the year) of an annual harmonic fit to monthly GRACE Release 05 CSR 500 km smoothed maps (concurrently with a trend and the semiannual harmonic). The 97.5% confidence interval for difference from zero is also indicated (solid black line). Data within 300 km of coastlines are not considered.

Mechanisms of Interannual Variations of the Meridional Overturning Circulation of the North Atlantic Ocean

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cabanes, Cecile; Lee, Tong; Fu, Lee-Lueng

2008-01-01

The authors investigate the nature of the interannual variability of the meridional overturning circulation (MOC) of the North Atlantic Ocean using an Estimating the Circulation and Climate of the Ocean (ECCO) assimilation product for the period of 1993-2003. The time series of the first empirical orthogonal function of the MOC is found to be correlated with the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index, while the associated circulation anomalies correspond to cells extending over the full ocean depth. Model sensitivity experiments suggest that the wind is responsible for most of this interannual variability, at least south of 40(deg)N. A dynamical decomposition of the meridional streamfunction allows a further look into the mechanisms. In particular, the contributions associated with 1) the Ekman flow and its depth-independent compensation, 2) the vertical shear flow, and 3) the barotropic gyre flowing over zonally varying topography are examined. Ekman processes are found to dominate the shorter time scales (1.5-3 yr), while for longer time scales (3-10 yr) the MOC variations associated with vertical shear flow are of greater importance. The latter is primarily caused by heaving of the pycnocline in the western subtropics associated with the stronger wind forcing. Finally, how these changes in the MOC affect the meridional heat transport (MHT) is examined. It is found that overall, Ekman processes explain a larger part of interannual variability (3-10 yr) for MHT (57%) than for the MOC (33%).

Stronger Ocean Meridinal Heat Transport with a Weaker Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sevellec, F.; Fedorov, A. V.

2014-12-01

It is typically assumed that oceanic heat transport is well and positively correlated with the Atlantic Meridional Ocean Circulation (AMOC). In numerical "water-hosing" experiments, for example, imposing an anomalous freshwater flux in the northern hemisphere leads to a slow-down of the AMOC and a corresponding reduction of the northward heat transport. Here, we study the sensitivity of the heat transport to surface freshwater fluxes using a generalized stability analysis and find that, while the direct relationship between the AMOC and heat transport holds on shorter time scales, it completely reverses on timescales longer than ~500 yr. That is, a reduction in the AMOC volume transport can actually lead to a stronger heat transport on those long timescales, which results from the gradual increase in ocean thermal stratification. We discuss the implications of these results for the problem of steady state (statistically equilibrium) in ocean and climate GCM as well as various paleoclimate problems such as millennial climate variability and the maintenance of equable climate states.

Upper-Ocean Heat Balance Processes and the Walker Circulation in CMIP5 Model Projections

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robertson, F. R.; Roberts, J. B.; Funk, C.; Lyon, B.; Ricciardulli, L.

2012-01-01

Considerable uncertainty remains as to the importance of mechanisms governing decadal and longer variability of the Walker Circulation, its connection to the tropical climate system, and prospects for tropical climate change in the face of anthropogenic forcing. Most contemporary climate models suggest that in response to elevated CO2 and a warmer but more stratified atmosphere, the required upward mass flux in tropical convection will diminish along with the Walker component of the tropical mean circulation as well. Alternatively, there is also evidence to suggest that the shoaling and increased vertical stratification of the thermocline in the eastern Pacific will enable a muted SST increase there-- preserving or even enhancing some of the dynamical forcing for the Walker cell flow. Over the past decade there have been observational indications of an acceleration in near-surface easterlies, a strengthened Pacific zonal SST gradient, and globally-teleconnected dislocations in precipitation. But is this evidence in support of an ocean dynamical thermostat process posited to accompany anthropogenic forcing, or just residual decadal fluctuations associated with variations in warm and cold ENSO events and other stochastic forcing? From a modeling perspective we try to make headway on this question by examining zonal variations in surface energy fluxes and dynamics governing tropical upper ocean heat content evolution in the WCRP CMIP5 model projections. There is some diversity among model simulations; for example, the CCSM4 indicates net ocean warming over the IndoPacific region while the CSIRO model concentrates separate warming responses over the central Pacific and Indian Ocean regions. The models, as with observations, demonstrate strong local coupling between variations in column water vapor, downward surface longwave radiation and SST; but the spatial patterns of changes in the sign of this relationship differ among models and, for models as a whole, with

Ocean regional circulation model sensitizes to resolution of the lateral boundary conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pham, Van Sy; Hwang, Jin Hwan

2017-04-01

Dynamical downscaling with nested regional oceanographic models is an effective approach for forecasting operationally coastal weather and projecting long term climate on the ocean. Nesting procedures deliver the unwanted in dynamic downscaling due to the differences of numerical grid sizes and updating steps. Therefore, such unavoidable errors restrict the application of the Ocean Regional Circulation Model (ORCMs) in both short-term forecasts and long-term projections. The current work identifies the effects of errors induced by computational limitations during nesting procedures on the downscaled results of the ORCMs. The errors are quantitatively evaluated for each error source and its characteristics by the Big-Brother Experiments (BBE). The BBE separates identified errors from each other and quantitatively assess the amount of uncertainties employing the same model to simulate for both nesting and nested model. Here, we focus on discussing errors resulting from two main matters associated with nesting procedures. They should be the spatial grids' differences and the temporal updating steps. After the diverse cases from separately running of the BBE, a Taylor diagram was adopted to analyze the results and suggest an optimization intern of grid size and updating period and domain sizes. Key words: lateral boundary condition, error, ocean regional circulation model, Big-Brother Experiment. Acknowledgement: This research was supported by grants from the Korean Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries entitled "Development of integrated estuarine management system" and a National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) Grant (No. 2015R1A5A 7037372) funded by MSIP of Korea. The authors thank the Integrated Research Institute of Construction and Environmental Engineering of Seoul National University for administrative support.

Variation of Marine Geoid Due to Ocean Circulation and Sea Level Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chu, P. C.

2017-12-01

Sea level (S) change and ocean circulation largely affect the gravity field and in turns the marine geoid (N). Difference between the two, D = S - N, is the dynamic ocean topography (DOT), whose gradient represents the large-scale surface geostrophic circulations. Thus, temporal variability of marine geoid (δN) is caused by the sea level change (δS) and the DOT variation (δD), δN = δS - δD. Here, δS is identified from temporally varying satellite altimeter measures; δD is calculated from the change of DOT. For large-scale processes with conservation of potential vorticity, the geostrophic flows take minimum energy state. Based on that, a new elliptic equation is derived in this study to determine D. Here, H is the water depth; and (X, Y) are forcing functions calculated from the in-situ density. The well-posed elliptic equation is integrated numerically on 1o grids for the world oceans with the boundary values taken from the mean DOT (1993-2006) field at the NASA/JPL website: https://grace.jpl.nasa.gov/data/get-data/dynamic-ocean-typography/, the forcing function F calculated from the three-dimensional temperature and salinity of the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) World Ocean Atlas 2013 version 2, and sea-floor topography (H) from the NOAA ETOPO5. The numerical solution compares reasonably well (relative root mean square difference of 0.09) with the NASA/JPL satellite observation of the difference between the time-averaged sea surface height and the geoid. In-situ ocean measurements of temperature, salinity, and velocity have also rapidly advanced such that the global ocean is now continuously monitored by near 4,000 free-drifting profiling floats (called Argo) from the surface to 2000 m depth with all data being relayed and made publicly available within hours after collection (http://www.argo.ucsd.edu/). This provides a huge database of temperature and salinity and in turns the forcing function F for the governing elliptic

The response of an ocean general circulation model to surface wind stress produced by an atmospheric general circulation model

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huang, B.; Schneider, E.K.

1995-10-01

Two surface wind stress datasets for 1979-91, one based on observations and the other from an investigation of the COLA atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) with prescribed SST, are used to drive the GFDL ocean general circulation model. These two runs are referred to as the control and COLA experiments, respectively. Simulated SST and upper-ocean heat contents (HC) in the tropical Pacific Ocean are compared with observations and between experiments. Both simulation reproduced the observed mean SST and HC fields as well as their annual cycles realistically. Major errors common to both runs are colder than observed SST in themore » eastern equatorial ocean and HC in the western Pacific south of the equator, with errors generally larger in the COLA experiment. New errors arising from the AGCM wind forcing include higher SST near the South American coast throughout the year and weaker HC gradients along the equator in boreal spring. The former is associated with suppressed coastal upwelling by weak along shore AGCM winds, and the latter is caused by weaker equatorial easterlies in boreal spring. The low-frequency ENSO fluctuations are also realistic for both runs. Correlations between the observed and simulated SST anomalies from the COLA simulation are as high as those from the control run in the central equatorial Pacific. A major problem in the COLA simulation is the appearance of unrealistic tropical cold anomalies during the boreal spring of mature El Nino years. These anomalies propagate along the equator from the western Pacific to the eastern coast in about three months, and temporarily eliminate the warm SST and HC anomalies in the eastern Pacific. This erroneous oceanic response in the COLA simulation is caused by a reversal of the westerly wind anomalies on the equator, associated with an unrealistic southward shift of the ITCZ in boreal spring during El Nino events. 66 refs., 16 figs.« less

The Ocean`s Thermohaline Circulation in a Fish Tank

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lavender, K.; Joyce, P.; Graziano, L.; Harris, S.; Jaroslow, G.; Lea, C.; Schell, J.; Witting, J.

2005-12-01

This demonstration develops intuition about density stratification, a concept critical to understanding the ocean`s thermohaline circulation. In addition, students learn how temperature and salinity affect density, how these characteristics may be density-compensating, and students gain practice in graphing and interpreting vertical profiles and temperature-salinity (T-S) diagrams. The demonstration requires a rectangular fish tank (5-10 gallons) with a plexiglass partition, preparation of three colored ''water masses'' representing surface water (warm and fresh), ''mystery'' Mediterranean Water (warm and salty), and North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW; cold and salty), a kitchen sponge, and a temperature and salinity probe. Density may be computed using an Equation of State calculator (e.g. online version at http://fermi.jhuapl.edu/denscalc.html). The larger side of the fish tank is filled halfway with NADW, then surface water is layered on top by carefully pouring it on a floating sponge. A student volunteer measures the temperature and salinity of the two water masses, while another computes the densities. Students draw vertical profiles and T-S diagrams representing the temperature, salinity, and density of the water column. The properties of the ''mystery'' water are measured and students predict what will happen when the water is poured on the opposite side of the partition and is allowed to overflow into the layered water. If the density gradients are sufficiently large, a beautiful internal wave develops as the mystery water overflows the sill and becomes intermediate Mediterranean Water. If time permits, having a student blow on the surface illustrates the limited influence of ''wind'' with depth; an internal wave may by forced by depressing the thermocline with a large, flat spoon; and pouring extra NADW on the sponge floating at the surface may illustrate deep convection.

Lagrangian Modeling of Arctic Ocean Circulation Pathways: Impact of Advection on Spread of Pollutants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kelly, S.; Popova, E.; Aksenov, Y.; Marsh, R.; Yool, A.

2018-04-01

Sea-ice-free summers are projected to become a prominent feature of the Arctic environment in the coming decades. From a shipping perspective, this means larger areas of open water in the summer, thinner and less compact ice all year round, and longer operating seasons. Therefore, the possibility for easier navigation along trans-Arctic shipping routes arises. The Northern Sea Route (NSR) is one trans-Arctic route, and it offers a potential 10 day shortcut between Western Europe and the Far East. More ships transiting the NSR means an increased risk of an accident, and associated oil spill, occurring. Previous research suggests that current infrastructure is insufficient for increased shipping. Therefore, should an oil spill occur, the window for a successful clean-up will be short. In the event of a failed recovery, the long-term fate of the unrecovered pollutants must be considered, at least until the next melt season when it could become accessible again. Here we investigate the role of oceanic advection in determining the long-term fate of Arctic pollutants using a high-resolution ocean model along with Lagrangian particle-tracking to simulate the spread of pollutants. The resulting "advective footprints" of pollutants are proposed as an informative metric for analyzing such experiments. We characterize the circulation along different parts of the NSR, defining three main regions in the Eurasian Arctic, and relate the distinctive circulation pathways of each to the long-term fate of spilled oil. We conclude that a detailed understanding of ocean circulation is critical for determining the long-term fate of Arctic pollutants.

A numerical world ocean general circulation model Part I. Basic design and barotropic experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Young-June

1984-08-01

A new six-layer world ocean general circulation model based on the primitive system of equations is described in detail and its performance in the case of a homogeneous ocean is described. These test integrations show that the model is capable of reproducing the observed mean barotropic or vertically-integrated transport, as well as the seasonal variability of the major ocean gyres. The surface currents, however, are dominated by the Ekman transport, and such non-linear features as the western boundary currents and the equatorial countercurrents are poorly represented. The abyssal boundary countercurrents are also absent due to the lack of thermohaline forcing. The most conspicuous effect of the bottom topography on a homogeneous ocean is seen in the Southern ocean where the calculated Antarctic circumpolar transport through the Drake passage ( ≈ 10 Sv, with bathymetry included) greatly underestimates the observed transport (≈ 100 Sv).

Oceanic circulation models help to predict global biogeography of pelagic yellow-bellied sea snake

PubMed Central

Cotté, Cédric; Bailleul, Frédéric; Lalire, Maxime; Gaspar, Philippe

2016-01-01

It is well recognized that most marine vertebrates, and especially tetrapods, precisely orient and actively move in apparently homogeneous oceanic environments. Here, we investigate the presumptive role of oceanic currents in biogeographic patterns observed in a secondarily marine tetrapod, the yellow-bellied sea snake (Hydrophis [Pelamis] platurus). State-of-the-art world ocean circulation models show how H. platurus, the only pelagic species of sea snake, can potentially exploit oceanic currents to disperse and maintain population mixing between localities that spread over two-thirds of the Earth's circumference. The very close association of these snakes with surface currents seems to provide a highly efficient dispersal mechanism that allowed this species to range extensively and relatively quickly well beyond the central Indo-Pacific area, the centre of origin, abundance and diversity of sea snakes. Our results further suggest that the pan-oceanic population of this species must be extraordinarily large. PMID:27555651

Combination of TOPEX/POSEIDON Data with a Hydrographic Inversion for Determination of the Oceanic General Circulation and its Relation to Geoid Accuracy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ganachaud, Alexandre; Wunsch, Carl; Kim, Myung-Chan; Tapley, Byron

1997-01-01

A global estimate of the absolute oceanic general circulation from a geostrophic inversion of in situ hydrographic data is tested against and then combined with an estimate obtained from TOPEX/POSEIDON altimetric data and a geoid model computed using the JGM-3 gravity-field solution. Within the quantitative uncertainties of both the hydrographic inversion and the geoid estimate, the two estimates derived by very different methods are consistent. When the in situ inversion is combined with the altimetry/geoid scheme using a recursive inverse procedure, a new solution, fully consistent with both hydrography and altimetry, is found. There is, however, little reduction in the uncertainties of the calculated ocean circulation and its mass and heat fluxes because the best available geoid estimate remains noisy relative to the purely oceanographic inferences. The conclusion drawn from this is that the comparatively large errors present in the existing geoid models now limit the ability of satellite altimeter data to improve directly the general ocean circulation models derived from in situ measurements. Because improvements in the geoid could be realized through a dedicated spaceborne gravity recovery mission, the impact of hypothetical much better, future geoid estimates on the circulation uncertainty is also quantified, showing significant hypothetical reductions in the uncertainties of oceanic transport calculations. Full ocean general circulation models could better exploit both existing oceanographic data and future gravity-mission data, but their present use is severely limited by the inability to quantify their error budgets.

Insights From Magnesium Isotopic Compositions on the Oceanic Hydrothermal Circulation: Is Seamount Weathering the Solution?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galy, A.; Carder, E.; Elderfield, H.

2006-12-01

It has been long recognised that the input of Mg in the ocean by river is removed by precipitation of Mg-rich bearing phases, either directly from the ocean such as dolomite or through hydrothermal circulation in the oceanic crust. The sampling of hydrothermal fluids demonstrated the efficiency of Mg consumption by the alteration of the oceanic crust, even at temperatures as low as 15°. For high-temperature fluids vented through black or white smokers in the vicinity of the ridge, the Mg concentration is up to 50 time lower than in seawater, and the close relationship between chlorine and Mg led to the idea that seawater was feeding the hydrothermal system and that Mg is quantitatively removed from it during high-T° alteration, the so called zero Mg hypothesis. Despite some hint for a non zero Mg hydrothermal end-member for a handful sites, the low concentration of Mg in oceanic hydrothermal fluids (around 1 mmol/l) has been mainly attributed to contamination by seawater during the sampling. Here we present Mg isotopic composition of 14 seawater samples from the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans and the Mediterranean and Red Seas and covering a range of depth of almost 5km and 26 hydrothermal fluids from 7 sites in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans with temperature from 15° to 380°C. We find the magnesium isotope composition of seawater to be constant, with a δ^{26}Mg = -0.82±0.10 ‰ relative to the DSM3 standard. This value is consistent with a long residence time for Mg in seawater. In addition, out of the 26 hydrothermal fluids studied, more than 58% differ from seawater for their Mg isotopic composition by more than 2σ. This number rises up to 88% at 2σmean level and the shift is systematic with the fluids being either indistinguishable from seawater or enriched in light isotopes by up to 2.4‰ in δ^{26}Mg. This clearly demonstrates that fluids having low Mg concentrations are not solely bearing Mg added by contamination during sampling. The isotopic

Arctic circulation regimes

PubMed Central

Proshutinsky, Andrey; Dukhovskoy, Dmitry; Timmermans, Mary-Louise; Krishfield, Richard; Bamber, Jonathan L.

2015-01-01

Between 1948 and 1996, mean annual environmental parameters in the Arctic experienced a well-pronounced decadal variability with two basic circulation patterns: cyclonic and anticyclonic alternating at 5 to 7 year intervals. During cyclonic regimes, low sea-level atmospheric pressure (SLP) dominated over the Arctic Ocean driving sea ice and the upper ocean counterclockwise; the Arctic atmosphere was relatively warm and humid, and freshwater flux from the Arctic Ocean towards the subarctic seas was intensified. By contrast, during anticylonic circulation regimes, high SLP dominated driving sea ice and the upper ocean clockwise. Meanwhile, the atmosphere was cold and dry and the freshwater flux from the Arctic to the subarctic seas was reduced. Since 1997, however, the Arctic system has been under the influence of an anticyclonic circulation regime (17 years) with a set of environmental parameters that are atypical for this regime. We discuss a hypothesis explaining the causes and mechanisms regulating the intensity and duration of Arctic circulation regimes, and speculate how changes in freshwater fluxes from the Arctic Ocean and Greenland impact environmental conditions and interrupt their decadal variability. PMID:26347536

Use of variational methods in the determination of wind-driven ocean circulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gelos, R.; Laura, P. A. A.

1976-01-01

Simple polynomial approximations and a variational approach were used to predict wind-induced circulation in rectangular ocean basins. Stommel's and Munk's models were solved in a unified fashion by means of the proposed method. Very good agreement with exact solutions available in the literature was shown to exist. The method was then applied to more complex situations where an exact solution seems out of the question.

The effect of sudden ice sheet melt on ocean circulation and surface climate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivanovic, R. F.; Gregoire, L. J.; Wickert, A. D.; Valdes, P. J.; Burke, A.

2017-12-01

Collapse of ice sheets can cause significant sea-level rise and widespread climate change. Around 14.6 thousand years ago, global mean sea level rose by 15 m in less than 350 years during an event known as Meltwater Pulse 1a. Ice sheet modelling and sea-level fingerprinting has suggested that approximately half of this 50 mm yr-1 sea level rise may have come from a North American ice Saddle Collapse that drained into the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans. However, dating uncertainties make it difficult to determine the sequence of events and their drivers, leaving many fundamental questions. For example, was melting from the northern ice sheets responsible for the Older-Dryas or other global-scale cooling events, or did a contribution from Antarctica counteract the climatic effects? What was the role of the abrupt Bølling Warming? And how were all these signals linked to changes in Atlantic Ocean overturning circulation?To address these questions, we examined the effect of the North American ice Saddle Collapse using a high resolution network drainage model coupled to an atmosphere-ocean-vegetation General Circulation Model. Here, we present the quantitative routing estimates of the consequent meltwater discharge and its impact on climate. We also tested a suite of more idealised meltwater forcing scenarios to examine the global influence of Arctic versus Antarctic ice melt. The results show that 50% of the Saddle Collapse meltwater pulse was routed via the Mackenzie River into the Arctic Ocean, and 50% was discharged directly into the Atlantic/Gulf of Mexico. This meltwater flux, equivalent to a total of 7.3 m of sea-level rise, caused a strong (6 Sv) weakening of Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) and widespread Northern Hemisphere cooling of 1-5 °C. The greatest cooling is in the Arctic (5-10 °C in the winter), but there is also significant winter warming over eastern North America (1-3 °C). We propose that this robust submillennial mechanism was

Climate and Ocean Circulation During "The Boring Billion" Simulated by CCSM3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, P.; Hu, Y.; Liu, Y.

2017-12-01

The Boring Billion is referred to the era between approximately 1.8 and 0.8 billion years ago. Geological evidence suggests that no dramatic climate changes in the billions of years, at least in terms of permanent glaciation. The atmospheric oxygen maintained at a relatively low level without significant perturbations. Life had a certain degree of evolution with a quite gentle pace. Relative to the Great Oxidation Event occurred previously, and the Snowball Earth Event and Cambrian Explosion occurred afterwards, this billion years was calm in all aspects so it's often referred to as "the Boring Billion". Why were both the climate and oxygen concentration so stable, and how the anoxic condition in the deep ocean maintained are the questions that motivated our research. We use the Atmosphere Ocean General Circulation Model CCSM3 in this study. The climate of the Boring Billion is simulated for two distinct continental configurations reconstructed for 1540 Ma and 1420 Ma, with continental fragments concentrating towards the North Pole and equator, respectively. The solar constant is set to be 10% weaker than that of the present day. The results show that when the concentration of CO2 is 20 times the present atmospheric level (PAL), the global mean surface temperatures are 19 ° C and 20 ° C for the 1540 Ma and 1420 Ma continental configuration, respectively. Large scale permanent glaciers cannot develop in such a warm climate even for the continents at the polar region. The largest mixed-layer depth in the high-latitude ocean is approximately 1200 m and meridional overturning circulation can reach depth of 3000 m with strength of 40 Sv for both continental configuration. This implies that the material and energy exchange between shallow and deep ocean, as well as atmosphere and ocean, is efficient. When CO2 concentration is reduced to 10 PAL, 5 PAL or 2.5 PAL, global average temperature becomes 16 ° C, 13 ° C and 2 ° C respectively, and permanent glaciers start to

The Influence of Indian Ocean Atmospheric Circulation on Warm Pool Hydroclimate During the Holocene Epoch

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tierney, J.E.; Oppo, D. W.; LeGrande, A. N.; Huang, Y.; Rosenthal, Y.; Linsley, B. K.

2012-01-01

Existing paleoclimate data suggest a complex evolution of hydroclimate within the Indo-Pacific Warm Pool (IPWP) during the Holocene epoch. Here we introduce a new leaf wax isotope record from Sulawesi, Indonesia and compare proxy water isotope data with ocean-atmosphere general circulation model (OAGCM) simulations to identify mechanisms influencing Holocene IPWP hydroclimate. Modeling simulations suggest that orbital forcing causes heterogenous changes in precipitation across the IPWP on a seasonal basis that may account for the differences in time-evolution of the proxy data at respective sites. Both the proxies and simulations suggest that precipitation variability during the September-November (SON) season is important for hydroclimate in Borneo. The preeminence of the SON season suggests that a seasonally lagged relationship between the Indian monsoon and Indian Ocean Walker circulation influences IPWP hydroclimatic variability during the Holocene.

Sensitivity of Atlantic meridional overturning circulation to the dynamical framework in an ocean general circulation model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xiaolan; Yu, Yongqiang; Liu, Hailong; Lin, Pengfei

2017-06-01

The horizontal coordinate systems commonly used in most global ocean models are the spherical latitude-longitude grid and displaced poles, such as a tripolar grid. The effect of the horizontal coordinate system on Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) is evaluated by using an OGCM (ocean general circulation model). Two experiments are conducted with the model—one using a latitude-longitude grid (referred to as Lat_1) and the other using a tripolar grid (referred to as Tri). The results show that Tri simulates a stronger North Atlantic deep water (NADW) than Lat_1, as more saline water masses enter the Greenland-Iceland-Norwegian (GIN) seas in Tri. The stronger NADW can be attributed to two factors. One is the removal of the zonal filter in Tri, which leads to an increasing of the zonal gradient of temperature and salinity, thus strengthening the north geostrophic flow. In turn, it decreases the positive subsurface temperature and salinity biases in the subtropical regions. The other may be associated with topography at the North Pole, because realistic topography is applied in the tripolar grid while the latitude-longitude grid employs an artificial island around the North Pole. In order to evaluate the effect of the filter on AMOC, three enhanced filter experiments are carried out. Compared to Lat_1, an enhanced filter can also augment NADW formation, since more saline water is suppressed in the GIN seas, but accumulated in the Labrador Sea, especially in experiment Lat_2_S, which is the experiment with an enhanced filter on salinity.

Latitudinal and Longitudinal Basin-scale Surface Salinity Contrasts and Freshwater Transport by Ocean Thermohaline Circulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seidov, D.; Haupt, B. J.

2003-12-01

The role of sea surface salinity (SSS) contrasts in maintaining vigorous global ocean thermohaline circulation (THC) is revisited. Relative importance of different generalizations of sea surface conditions in climate studies is explored. In numerical experiments using an ocean general circulation model, we have aggregated the observed sea surface temperature (SST) and SSS in several different ways: we used observed unchanged SST with SSS taken as constant (34.25 psu) everywhere; SST unchanged, and SSS zonally averaged globally, i.e., in the whole World Ocean; SST averaged globally, and SSS unchanged; SST zonally averaged globally and SSS zonally averaged basin-wide in individual basins, i.e., in the Atlantic, Indian, Pacific, and Southern Oceans separately; and, finally, both SST and SSS zonally averaged in individual basins. Global zonal averaging removes all longitudinal differences in sea surface climatology among ocean basins. However, latitudinal profiles of zonally averaged parameters preserve the main character of large-scale equator-to-pole sea surface variability. Basin-wide zonal averaging does an even better job of preserving latitudinal distributions within each basin. The results of the experiments could hardly be anticipated a priory. Surprisingly, SST could be used as a 2-D field, or as a zonally-averaged field without much difference in the THC dynamics. Moreover, SST could be averaged either globally, or basin-wide, and it also did not change the overall character of THC. At the same time, THC responded vigorously to how the SSS has been changed. It appeared that the THC structure with the globally averaged SST and basin-wide averaged SSS was very close to the one obtained in the control run (control run operates with 2-D observed SST and SSS). Our main conclusion is that ocean-wide inter-basin sea surface salinity contrasts serve as the major controlling element in global thermohaline circulation. Thermal inter-basin contrasts, as well as

Oceanic circulation models help to predict global biogeography of pelagic yellow-bellied sea snake.

PubMed

Brischoux, François; Cotté, Cédric; Lillywhite, Harvey B; Bailleul, Frédéric; Lalire, Maxime; Gaspar, Philippe

2016-08-01

It is well recognized that most marine vertebrates, and especially tetrapods, precisely orient and actively move in apparently homogeneous oceanic environments. Here, we investigate the presumptive role of oceanic currents in biogeographic patterns observed in a secondarily marine tetrapod, the yellow-bellied sea snake (Hydrophis [Pelamis] platurus). State-of-the-art world ocean circulation models show how H. platurus, the only pelagic species of sea snake, can potentially exploit oceanic currents to disperse and maintain population mixing between localities that spread over two-thirds of the Earth's circumference. The very close association of these snakes with surface currents seems to provide a highly efficient dispersal mechanism that allowed this species to range extensively and relatively quickly well beyond the central Indo-Pacific area, the centre of origin, abundance and diversity of sea snakes. Our results further suggest that the pan-oceanic population of this species must be extraordinarily large. © 2016 The Author(s).

A zonally averaged, three-basin ocean circulation model for climate studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hovine, S.; Fichefet, T.

1994-09-01

A two-dimensional, three-basin ocean model suitable for long-term climate studies is developed. The model is based on the zonally averaged form of the primitive equations written in spherical coordinates. The east-west density difference which arises upon averaging the momentum equations is taken to be proportional to the meridional density gradient. Lateral exchanges of heat and salt between the basins are explicitly resolved. Moreover, the model includes bottom topography and has representations of the Arctic Ocean and of the Weddell and Ross seas. Under realistic restoring boundary conditions, the model reproduces the global conveyor belt: deep water is formed in the Atlantic between 60 and 70°N at a rate of about 17 Sv (1 Sv=106 m3 s-1) and in the vicinity of the Antarctic continent, while the Indian and Pacific basins show broad upwelling. Superimposed on this thermohaline circulation are vigorous wind-driven cells in the upper thermocline. The simulated temperature and salinity fields and the computed meridional heat transport compare reasonably well with the observational estimates. When mixed boundary conditions (i.e., a restoring condition on sea-surface temperature and flux condition on sea-surface salinity) are applied, the model exhibits an irregular behavior before reaching a steady state characterized by self-sustained oscillations of 8.5-y period. The conveyor-belt circulation always results at this stage. A series of perturbation experiments illustrates the ability of the model to reproduce different steady-state circulations under mixed boundary conditions. Finally, the model sensitivity to various factors is examined. This sensitivity study reveals that the bottom topography and the presence of a submarine meridional ridge in the zone of the Drake Passage play a crucial role in determining the properties of the model bottom-water masses. The importance of the seasonality of the surface forcing is also stressed.

Seasonal Distributions of Global Ocean Chlorophyll and Nutrients: Analysis with a Coupled Ocean General Circulation Biogeochemical, and Radiative Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gregg, Watson W.

1999-01-01

A coupled general ocean circulation, biogeochemical, and radiative model was constructed to evaluate and understand the nature of seasonal variability of chlorophyll and nutrients in the global oceans. The model is driven by climatological meteorological conditions, cloud cover, and sea surface temperature. Biogeochemical processes in the model are determined from the influences of circulation and turbulence dynamics, irradiance availability, and the interactions among three functional phytoplankton groups (diatoms, chorophytes, and picoplankton) and three nutrient groups (nitrate, ammonium, and silicate). Phytoplankton groups are initialized as homogeneous fields horizontally and vertically, and allowed to distribute themselves according to the prevailing conditions. Basin-scale model chlorophyll results are in very good agreement with CZCS pigments in virtually every global region. Seasonal variability observed in the CZCS is also well represented in the model. Synoptic scale (100-1000 km) comparisons of imagery are also in good conformance, although occasional departures are apparent. Agreement of nitrate distributions with in situ data is even better, including seasonal dynamics, except for the equatorial Atlantic. The good agreement of the model with satellite and in situ data sources indicates that the model dynamics realistically simulate phytoplankton and nutrient dynamics on synoptic scales. This is especially true given that initial conditions are homogenous chlorophyll fields. The success of the model in producing a reasonable representation of chlorophyll and nutrient distributions and seasonal variability in the global oceans is attributed to the application of a generalized, processes-driven approach as opposed to regional parameterization, and the existence of multiple phytoplankton groups with different physiological and physical properties. These factors enable the model to simultaneously represent the great diversity of physical, biological

Simulation of the global ocean thermohaline circulation with an eddy-resolving INMIO model configuration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ushakov, K. V.; Ibrayev, R. A.

2017-11-01

In this paper, the first results of a simulation of the mean World Ocean thermohaline characteristics obtained by the INMIO ocean general circulation model configured with 0.1 degree resolution in a 5-year long numerical experiment following the CORE-II protocol are presented. The horizontal and zonal mean distributions of the solution bias against the WOA09 data are analyzed. The seasonal cycle of heat content at a specified site of the North Atlantic is also discussed. The simulation results demonstrate a clear improvement in the quality of representation of the upper ocean compared to the results of experiments with 0.5 and 0.25 degree model configurations. Some remaining biases of the model solution and possible ways of their overcoming are highlighted.

"What Controls the Structure and Stability of the Ocean Meridional Overturning Circulation: Implications for Abrupt Climate Change?"

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fedorov, Alexey

2013-11-23

The central goal of this research project is to understand the properties of the ocean meridional overturning circulation (MOC) – a topic critical for understanding climate variability and stability on a variety of timescales (from decadal to centennial and longer). Specifically, we have explored various factors that control the MOC stability and decadal variability in the Atlantic and the ocean thermal structure in general, including the possibility abrupt climate change. We have also continued efforts on improving the performance of coupled ocean-atmosphere GCMs.

Anomalous circulation in the Pacific sector of the Arctic Ocean in July-December 2008

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panteleev, G.; Francis, O. P.; Yaremchuk, M.; Zhang, J.; Kulakov, M.; Onat, Y.

2017-12-01

Variability of the mean summer-fall ocean state in the Pacific Sector of the Arctic Ocean (PSAO) is studied using a dynamically constrained synthesis (4Dvar) of historical in situ observations collected during 1972 to 2008. Specifically, the oceanic response to the cyclonic (1989-1996) and anticyclonic (1972-1978, 1997-2006) phases o f the Arctic Ocean Oscillation (AOO) is assessed for the purpose of quantitatively comparing the 2008 circulation pattern that followed the 2007 ice cover minimum.It is shown that the PSAO circulation during July-December of 2008 was characterized by a pronounced negative Sea Surface Height (SSH) anomaly along theEurasian shelf break, which caused a significant decline of the transport in the Atlantic Water (AW) inflow region into the PSAO and increased the sea level difference betweenthe Bering and Chukchi Seas. This anomaly could be one of the reasons for the observed amplification of the Bering Strait transport carrying fresh Pacific Waters into the PSAO. Largrangian analysis of the optimized solution suggests that the freshwater (FW) accumulation in the Beaufort Gyre has a negligible contribution from the East Siberian Sea and is likely caused by the enhanced FW export from the region north of the Canadian Archipelago/Greenland.The inverse modeling results are confirmed by validation against independent altimetry observations and in situ velocity data from NABOS moorings. It is also shown that presented results are in significantly better agreement with the data than the output of the PIOMAS model run utilized as a first guess solution for the 4dVar analysis.

Observed fingerprint of a weakening Atlantic Ocean overturning circulation.

PubMed

Caesar, L; Rahmstorf, S; Robinson, A; Feulner, G; Saba, V

2018-04-01

The Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC)-a system of ocean currents in the North Atlantic-has a major impact on climate, yet its evolution during the industrial era is poorly known owing to a lack of direct current measurements. Here we provide evidence for a weakening of the AMOC by about 3 ± 1 sverdrups (around 15 per cent) since the mid-twentieth century. This weakening is revealed by a characteristic spatial and seasonal sea-surface temperature 'fingerprint'-consisting of a pattern of cooling in the subpolar Atlantic Ocean and warming in the Gulf Stream region-and is calibrated through an ensemble of model simulations from the CMIP5 project. We find this fingerprint both in a high-resolution climate model in response to increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations, and in the temperature trends observed since the late nineteenth century. The pattern can be explained by a slowdown in the AMOC and reduced northward heat transport, as well as an associated northward shift of the Gulf Stream. Comparisons with recent direct measurements from the RAPID project and several other studies provide a consistent depiction of record-low AMOC values in recent years.

The Deep Meridional Overturning Circulation in the Indian Ocean Inferred from the GECCO Synthesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, W.; Koehl, A.; Stammer, D.

2012-04-01

The meridional overturning circulation in the Indian Ocean and its temporal variability in the GECCO ocean synthesis are being investigated. An analysis of the integrated circulation in different layers suggests that, on time average, 2.1 Sv enter the Indian Ocean in the bottom layer (>3200m) from the south and that 12.3 Sv leave the Indian Ocean in the upper and intermediate layers (<1500m), composed of the up-welled bottom layer inflow water, augmented by 9.6 Sv Indonesian Throughflow (ITF) water. The GECCO time-mean results differ significantly from those obtained by box inverse models, which, being based on individual hydrographic sections, are susceptible to aliasing. The GECCO solution has a large seasonal variation in its meridional overturning caused by the seasonal reversal of monsoon-related wind stress forcing. Associated seasonal variations of the deep meridional overturning range from -7 Sv in boreal winter to 3 Sv in summer. In addition, the upper and bottom transports across 34°S section show pronounced interannual variability with roughly biennial variations superimposed by strong anomalies during each La Niña phase as well as the ITF, which mainly affect the upper layer transports. On decadal and longer timescale, the meridional overturning variability as well as long-term trends differ before and after 1980. Notably, our analysis shows a rather stable trend for the period 1960-1979 and significant changes in the upper and bottom layer for the period 1980-2001. By means of a multivariate EOF analysis, the importance of Ekman dynamics as driving forces of the deep meridional overturning of the Indian Ocean on the interannual timescale is highlighted. The leading modes of the zonal and meridional wind stress favour a basin-wide meridional overturning mode via Ekman upwelling or downwelling mostly in the central and eastern Indian Ocean. Moreover, tropical zonal wind stress along the equator and alongshore wind stress off the Sumatra-Java coast

What Drives the Variability of the Atlantic Water Circulation in the Arctic Ocean?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lique, C.; Johnson, H. L.

2016-02-01

The Atlantic Water (AW) layer in the Arctic Basin is isolated from the atmosphere by the overlaying surface layer; yet observations of the AW pan-Arctic boundary current have revealed that the velocities in this layer exhibit significant variations on all timescales. Here, analysis of a global ocean/sea ice model hindcast, complemented by experiments performed with an idealized process model, are used to investigate what controls the variability of AW circulation, with a focus on the role of wind forcing. The AW circulation carries the imprint of wind variations, both remotely over the Nordic and Barents seas where they force variability on the AW inflow to the Arctic Basin, and locally over the Arctic Basin through the forcing of the wind-driven Beaufort gyre, which modulates and transfers the wind variability to the AW layer. Our results further suggest that understanding variability in the large amount of heat contained within the AW layer requires a better understanding of the circulation within both AW and surface layers.

On the role of inter-basin surface salinity contrasts in global ocean circulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seidov, D.; Haupt, B. J.

2002-08-01

The role of sea surface salinity (SSS) contrasts in maintaining vigorous global ocean thermohaline circulation (TOC) is revisited. Relative importance of different generalizations of sea surface conditions in climate studies is explored. Ocean-wide inter-basin SSS contrasts serve as the major controlling element in global TOC. These contrasts are shown to be at least as important as high-latitudinal freshwater impacts. It is also shown that intra-basin longitudinal distribution of sea surface salinity, as well as intra- and inter-basin longitudinal distribution of sea surface temperature, is not crucial to conveyor functionality if only inter-basin contrasts in sea surface salinity are retained. This is especially important for paleoclimate and future climate simulations.

Comparison of MERRA-2 and ECCO-v4 ocean surface heat fluxes: Consequences of different forcing feedbacks on ocean circulation and implications for climate data assimilation.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strobach, E.; Molod, A.; Menemenlis, D.; Forget, G.; Hill, C. N.; Campin, J. M.; Heimbach, P.

2017-12-01

Forcing ocean models with reanalysis data is a common practice in ocean modeling. As part of this practice, prescribed atmospheric state variables and interactive ocean SST are used to calculate fluxes between the ocean and the atmosphere. When forcing an ocean model with reanalysis fields, errors in the reanalysis data, errors in the ocean model and errors in the forcing formulation will generate a different solution compared to other ocean reanalysis solutions (which also have their own errors). As a first step towards a consistent coupled ocean-atmosphere reanalysis, we compare surface heat fluxes from a state-of-the-art atmospheric reanalysis, the Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications, Version 2 (MERRA-2), to heat fluxes from a state-of-the-art oceanic reanalysis, the Estimating the Circulation and Climate of the Ocean Version 4, Release 2 (ECCO-v4). Then, we investigate the errors associated with the MITgcm ocean model in its ECCO-v4 ocean reanalysis configuration (1992-2011) when it is forced with MERRA-2 atmospheric reanalysis fields instead of with the ECCO-v4 adjoint optimized ERA-interim state variables. This is done by forcing ECCO-v4 ocean with and without feedbacks from MERRA-2 related to turbulent fluxes of heat and moisture and the outgoing long wave radiation. In addition, we introduce an intermediate forcing method that includes only the feedback from the interactive outgoing long wave radiation. The resulting ocean circulation is compared with ECCO-v4 reanalysis and in-situ observations. We show that, without feedbacks, imbalances in the energy and the hydrological cycles of MERRA-2 (which are directly related to the fact it was created without interactive ocean) result in considerable SST drifts and a large reduction in sea level. The bulk formulae and interactive outgoing long wave radiation, although providing air-sea feedbacks and reducing model-data misfit, strongly relax the ocean to observed SST and may result in

Linear stability analysis of the three-dimensional thermally-driven ocean circulation: application to interdecadal oscillations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huck, Thierry; Vallis, Geoffrey K.

2001-08-01

What can we learn from performing a linear stability analysis of the large-scale ocean circulation? Can we predict from the basic state the occurrence of interdecadal oscillations, such as might be found in a forward integration of the full equations of motion? If so, do the structure and period of the linearly unstable modes resemble those found in a forward integration? We pursue here a preliminary study of these questions for a case in idealized geometry, in which the full nonlinear behavior can also be explored through forward integrations. Specifically, we perform a three-dimensional linear stability analysis of the thermally-driven circulation of the planetary geostrophic equations. We examine the resulting eigenvalues and eigenfunctions, comparing them with the structure of the interdecadal oscillations found in the fully nonlinear model in various parameter regimes. We obtain a steady state by running the time-dependent, nonlinear model to equilibrium using restoring boundary conditions on surface temperature. If the surface heat fluxes are then diagnosed, and these values applied as constant flux boundary conditions, the nonlinear model switches into a state of perpetual, finite amplitude, interdecadal oscillations. We construct a linearized version of the model by empirically evaluating the tangent linear matrix at the steady state, under both restoring and constant-flux boundary conditions. An eigen-analysis shows there are no unstable eigenmodes of the linearized model with restoring conditions. In contrast, under constant flux conditions, we find a single unstable eigenmode that shows a striking resemblance to the fully-developed oscillations in terms of three-dimensional structure, period and growth rate. The mode may be damped through either surface restoring boundary conditions or sufficiently large horizontal tracer diffusion. The success of this simple numerical method in idealized geometry suggests applications in the study of the stability of

Barium isotopes reveal role of ocean circulation on barium cycling in the Atlantic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bates, Stephanie L.; Hendry, Katharine R.; Pryer, Helena V.; Kinsley, Christopher W.; Pyle, Kimberley M.; Woodward, E. Malcolm S.; Horner, Tristan J.

2017-05-01

We diagnose the relative influences of local-scale biogeochemical cycling and regional-scale ocean circulation on Atlantic barium cycling by analysing four new depth profiles of dissolved Ba concentrations and isotope compositions from the South and tropical North Atlantic. These new profiles exhibit systematic vertical, zonal and meridional variations that reflect the influence of both local-scale barite cycling and large-scale ocean circulation. Epipelagic decoupling of dissolved Ba and Si reported previously in the tropics is also found to be associated with significant Ba isotope heterogeneity. As such, we contend that this decoupling originates from the depth segregation of opal and barite formation but is exacerbated by weak vertical mixing. Zonal influence from isotopically-'heavy' water masses in the western North Atlantic evidence the advective inflow of Ba-depleted Upper Labrador Sea Water, which is not seen in the eastern basin or the South Atlantic. Meridional variations in Atlantic Ba isotope systematics below 2000 m appear entirely controlled by conservative mixing. Using an inverse isotopic mixing model, we calculate the Ba isotope composition of the Ba-poor northern end-member as +0.45 ‰ and the Ba-rich southern end-member +0.26 ‰, relative to NIST SRM 3104a. The near-conservative behaviour of Ba below 2000 m indicates that Ba isotopes can serve as an independent tracer of the provenance of northern- versus southern-sourced water masses in the deep Atlantic Ocean. This finding may prove useful in palaeoceanographic studies, should appropriate sedimentary archives be identified, and offers new insights into the processes that cycle Ba in seawater.

Deglacial Ocean Circulation Scheme at Intermediate Depths in the Tropical North Atlantic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, R. C.; Marcantonio, F.; Schmidt, M. W.

2014-12-01

In the modern Atlantic Ocean, intermediate water circulation is largely governed by the southward flowing upper North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) and the northward return flow Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW). During the last deglaciation, it is commonly accepted that the southward flow Glacial North Atlantic Intermediate Water, the glacial analogue of NADW, contributed significantly to past variations in intermediate water circulation. However, to date, there is no common consensus of the role AAIW played during the last deglaciation, especially across abrupt climate events such as the Heinrich 1 and the Younger Dryas. This study aims to reconstruct intermediate northern- and southern-sourced water circulation in the tropical North Atlantic during the past 22 kyr and attempts to confine the boundary between AAIW and northern-sourced intermediate waters in the past. High-resolution Nd isotopic compositions (ɛNd thereafter) of fish debris and bulk sediment acid-reductive leachate from the Southern Caribbean (VM12-107; 1079 m) are inconsistent, again casting concerns, as already raised by recent studies, on the reliability of the leachate method in extracting seawater ɛNd signature. This urges the need to carefully verify the seawater ɛNd integrity in sediment acid-reductive leachate in various oceanic settings. Fish debris Nd isotope record in our study displays a two-step decreasing trend from the early deglaciation to early Holocene. We interpret this as recording a two-step deglacial recovery of the upper NADW, given the assumption on a more radiogenic glacial northern-sourced water is valid. Comparing with authigenic ɛNd records in the Florida Straits [1] and the Demarara Rise [2], our new fish debris ɛNd results suggest that, in the tropical western North Atlantic, glacial and deglacial AAIW never penetrated beyond the lower depth limit of modern AAIW. [1] Xie et al., GCA (140) 2014; [2] Huang et al., EPSL (389) 2014

A review of the Southern Oscillation - Oceanic-atmospheric circulation changes and related rainfall anomalies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kousky, V. E.; Kagano, M. T.; Cavalcanti, I. F. A.

1984-01-01

The region of South America is emphasized in the present consideration of the Southern Oscillation (SO) oceanic and atmospheric circulation changes. The persistence of climate anomalies associated with El Nino-SO events is due to strong atmosphere-ocean coupling. Once initiated, the SO follows a certain sequence of events with clearly defined effects on tropical and subtropical rainfall. Excessive rainfall related to the SO in the central and eastern Pacific, Peru, Ecuador, and southern Brazil, are complemented by drought in Australia, Indonesia, India, West Africa, and northeast Brazil. El Nino-SO events are also associated with dramatic changes in the tropospheric flow pattern over a broad area of both hemispheres.

Simulating pathways of subsurface oil in the Faroe-Shetland Channel using an ocean general circulation model.

PubMed

Main, C E; Yool, A; Holliday, N P; Popova, E E; Jones, D O B; Ruhl, H A

2017-01-15

Little is known about the fate of subsurface hydrocarbon plumes from deep-sea oil well blowouts and their effects on processes and communities. As deepwater drilling expands in the Faroe-Shetland Channel (FSC), oil well blowouts are a possibility, and the unusual ocean circulation of this region presents challenges to understanding possible subsurface oil pathways in the event of a spill. Here, an ocean general circulation model was used with a particle tracking algorithm to assess temporal variability of the oil-plume distribution from a deep-sea oil well blowout in the FSC. The drift of particles was first tracked for one year following release. Then, ambient model temperatures were used to simulate temperature-mediated biodegradation, truncating the trajectories of particles accordingly. Release depth of the modeled subsurface plumes affected both their direction of transport and distance travelled from their release location, and there was considerable interannual variability in transport. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Slope/Shelf Circulation and Cross-Slope/Shelf Transport Out of a Bay Driven by Eddies from the Open Ocean

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-09-01

channel. More recently, they examined the role of eddies in the overturning circulation of the Southern Ocean using the hemispheric HIM with realistic... meridional velocity with intervals of 0.1 · 10−3ms−1 159 PV equation to study the bay-scale circulations : d dt ( f + ζ H0 − f0h0 H 20 ) = F, (4.30) where...2009-18 DOCTORAL DISSERTATION by Yu Zhang September 2009 Slope/shelf Circulation and Cross-slope/shelf Transport Out of a Bay Driven by Eddies from

Cenozoic Circulation History of the North Atlantic Ocean From Seismic Stratigraphy of the Newfoundland Ridge Drift Complex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boyle, P. R.; Romans, B.; Norris, R. D.; Tucholke, B. E.; Swift, S. A.; Sexton, P. F.

2014-12-01

In the North Atlantic Ocean, contour-following bottom currents have eroded regional unconformities and deposited contourite drifts that exceed two km in thickness and extend for 100s of km. The character of deep-water masses that are conveyed through ocean basins by such currents influence global heat transfer and ocean-atmosphere partitioning of CO2. The Newfoundland Ridge Drift Complex lies directly under the modern Deep Western Boundary Current southeast of Newfoundland, close to the site of overturning in the northwest Atlantic Ocean and at the intersection of the warm Gulf Stream and cool Labrador surface currents. To the south are regions of the western North Atlantic basin that are influenced by southern- as well as northern-sourced bottom waters. Here, we document the evolution of North Atlantic deep-water circulation by seismic-stratigraphic analysis of the long-lived and areally extensive Newfoundland Ridge Drift Complex. IODP Expedition 342 boreholes provide age control on seismic units, allowing sedimentation patterns to be placed in a temporal framework. We find three major phases of sedimentation: pre-contourite drift (~115-50 Ma), active contourite drift (~50-2.6 Ma), and late-contourite drift (~2.6-0 Ma). Bottom-current-controlled deposition of terrigenous-rich sediment began at ~50 Ma, which correlates to the onset of a long-term global cooling trend. A further change in deep circulation near the Eocene-Oligocene transition (~30 Ma) is indicated by more focused drift sedimentation with greatly increased accumulation rates and stratal architecture dominated by mud waves. At ~2.6 Ma to present the axis of drift accumulation shifted markedly towards shallower water depths, corresponding with the onset of Northern Hemisphere ice sheets. We discuss how these reorganizations of deep circulation correlate with results of other North Atlantic seismic stratigraphic studies to the north and south.

An Improved Heat Budget Estimation Including Bottom Effects for General Ocean Circulation Models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carder, Kendall; Warrior, Hari; Otis, Daniel; Chen, R. F.

2001-01-01

This paper studies the effects of the underwater light field on heat-budget calculations of general ocean circulation models for shallow waters. The presence of a bottom significantly alters the estimated heat budget in shallow waters, which affects the corresponding thermal stratification and hence modifies the circulation. Based on the data collected during the COBOP field experiment near the Bahamas, we have used a one-dimensional turbulence closure model to show the influence of the bottom reflection and absorption on the sea surface temperature field. The water depth has an almost one-to-one correlation with the temperature rise. Effects of varying the bottom albedo by replacing the sea grass bed with a coral sand bottom, also has an appreciable effect on the heat budget of the shallow regions. We believe that the differences in the heat budget for the shallow areas will have an influence on the local circulation processes and especially on the evaporative and long-wave heat losses for these areas. The ultimate effects on humidity and cloudiness of the region are expected to be significant as well.

Seasonal variations of thermocline circulation and ventilation in the Indian Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

You, Yuzhu

1997-05-01

of RSW/PGW seems effectively blocked by the continuation of strong northward jet of the Somali Current along the western Arabian Sea during the summer, giving a rather small contribution of only up to 20% in the Arabian Sea. A schematic summer and winter thermocline circulation emerges from this study. Both hydrography and water - mass mixing ratios suggest that the contribution of the water from the South Indian Ocean and from the Indo-Pacific through flow controls the circulation and ventilation in the western boundary region during the summer. However, during the winter the water is carried into the eastern boundary by the Equatorial Countercurrent and leaks into the eastern Bay of Bengal, from where the water is advected into the northwestern Indian Ocean by the North Equatorial Current. The so-called East Madagascar Current as a southward flow occurs only during the summer, as is suggested by both hydrography and water-mass mixing patterns from this paper. During the winter (austral summer) the current seems reversal to a northward flow along east of Madagascar, somewhat symmetrical to the Somali Current in the north.

Juvenile recruitment in loggerhead sea turtles linked to decadal changes in ocean circulation.

PubMed

Ascani, François; Van Houtan, Kyle S; Di Lorenzo, Emanuele; Polovina, Jeffrey J; Jones, T Todd

2016-11-01

Given the threats of climate change, understanding the relationship of climate with long-term population dynamics is critical for wildlife conservation. Previous studies have linked decadal climate oscillations to indices of juvenile recruitment in loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta), but without a clear understanding of mechanisms. Here, we explore the underlying processes that may explain these relationships. Using the eddy-resolving Ocean General Circulation Model for the Earth Simulator, we generate hatch-year trajectories for loggerhead turtles emanating from Japan over six decades (1950-2010). We find that the proximity of the high-velocity Kuroshio Current to the primary nesting areas in southern Japan is remarkably stable and that hatchling dispersal to oceanic habitats itself does not vary on decadal timescales. However, we observe a shift in latitudes of trajectories, consistent with the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO). In a negative PDO phase, the Kuroshio Extension Current (KEC) is strong and acts as a physical barrier to the northward transport of neonates. As a result, hatch-year trajectories remain mostly below 35°N in the warm, unproductive region south of the Transition Zone Chlorophyll Front (TZCF). During a positive PDO phase, however, the KEC weakens facilitating the neonates to swim north of the TZCF into cooler and more productive waters. As a result, annual cohorts from negative PDO years may face a lack of resources, whereas cohorts from positive PDO years may find sufficient resources during their pivotal first year. These model outputs indicate that the ocean circulation dynamics, combined with navigational swimming behavior, may be a key factor in the observed decadal variability of sea turtle populations. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Towards Improved Forecasts of Atmospheric and Oceanic Circulations over the Complex Terrain of the Eastern Mediterranean

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chronis, Themis; Case, Jonathan L.; Papadopoulos, Anastasios; Anagnostou, Emmanouil N.; Mecikalski, John R.; Haines, Stephanie L.

2008-01-01

Forecasting atmospheric and oceanic circulations accurately over the Eastern Mediterranean has proved to be an exceptional challenge. The existence of fine-scale topographic variability (land/sea coverage) and seasonal dynamics variations can create strong spatial gradients in temperature, wind and other state variables, which numerical models may have difficulty capturing. The Hellenic Center for Marine Research (HCMR) is one of the main operational centers for wave forecasting in the eastern Mediterranean. Currently, HCMR's operational numerical weather/ocean prediction model is based on the coupled Eta/Princeton Ocean Model (POM). Since 1999, HCMR has also operated the POSEIDON floating buoys as a means of state-of-the-art, real-time observations of several oceanic and surface atmospheric variables. This study attempts a first assessment at improving both atmospheric and oceanic prediction by initializing a regional Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) model with high-resolution sea surface temperatures (SST) from remotely sensed platforms in order to capture the small-scale characteristics.

Terrestrial water cycle induced meridional overturning circulation variability over the Atlantic Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hsu, C. W.; Velicogna, I.

2016-12-01

Terrestrial water cycle has a significant role in the long-term changes of Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC). With the fresh water input over the ocean from the river runoff or ice melting at the higher latitude, AMOC transport has been predicted to slow down at the end of the century. We compare ocean bottom pressure measured from the GRACE satellite data with the conventional density derived transport observations from the RAPID MOC/MOCHA array to study the impact of the terrestrial water cycle on the seasonal and inter annual AMOC variability detected by the RAPID MOC/MOCHA array observations. We propose that the observed short-term variability is due to coupling of wind driven and terrestrial water cycle changes. We show that the proposed mechanism explains a significant portion of the transport variance and we present new possible mechanism that can explain the residual transport signal in AMOC.

Importance of solar subsurface heating in ocean general circulation models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rochford, Peter A.; Kara, A. Birol; Wallcraft, Alan J.; Arnone, Robert A.

2001-12-01

The importance of subsurface heating on surface mixed layer properties in an ocean general circulation model (OGCM) is examined using attenuation of solar irradiance with depth below the ocean surface. The depth-dependent attenuation of subsurface heating is given by global monthly mean fields for the attenuation of photosynthetically available radiation (PAR), kPAR. These global fields of kPAR are derived from Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) data on the spectral diffuse attenuation coefficient at 490 nm (k490), and have been processed to have the smoothly varying and continuous coverage necessary for use in OGCM applications. These monthly fields provide the first complete global data sets of subsurface optical fields that can be used for OGCM applications of subsurface heating and bio-optical processes. The effect on global OGCM prediction of sea surface temperature (SST) and surface mixed layer depth (MLD) is examined when solar heating, as given by monthly mean kPAR and PAR fields, is included in the model. It is found that subsurface heating yields a marked increase in the SST predictive skill of the OGCM at low latitudes. No significant improvement in MLD predictive skill is obtained when including subsurface heating. Use of the monthly mean kPAR produces an SST decrease of up to 0.8°C and a MLD increase of up to only 4-5 m for climatological surface forcing, with this primarily confined to the equatorial regions. Remarkably, a constant kPAR value of 0.06 m-1, which is indicative of optically clear open ocean conditions, is found to serve very well for OGCM prediction of SST and MLD over most of the global ocean.

The Errors Sources Affect to the Results of One-Way Nested Ocean Regional Circulation Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pham, S. V.

2016-02-01

Pham-Van Sy1, Jin Hwan Hwang2 and Hyeyun Ku3 Dept. of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Seoul National University, KoreaEmail: 1phamsymt@gmail.com (Corresponding author) Email: 2jinhwang@snu.ac.krEmail: 3hyeyun.ku@gmail.comAbstractThe Oceanic Regional Circulation Model (ORCM) is an essential tool in resolving highly a regional scale through downscaling dynamically the results from the roughly revolved global model. However, when dynamic downscaling from a coarse resolution of the global model or observations to the small scale, errors are generated due to the different sizes of resolution and lateral updating frequency. This research evaluated the effect of four main sources on the results of the ocean regional circulation model (ORCMs) during downscaling and nesting the output data from the ocean global circulation model (OGCMs). Representative four error sources should be the way of the LBC formulation, the spatial resolution difference between driving and driven data, the frequency for up-dating LBCs and domain size. Errors which are contributed from each error source to the results of the ORCMs are investigated separately by applying the Big-Brother Experiment (BBE). Within resolution of 3km grid point of the ORCMs imposing in the BBE framework, it clearly exposes that the simulation results of the ORCMs significantly depend on the domain size and specially the spatial and temporal resolution of lateral boundary conditions (LBCs). The ratio resolution of spatial resolution between driving data and driven model could be up to 3, the updating frequency of the LBCs can be up to every 6 hours per day. The optimal domain size of the ORCMs could be smaller than the OGCMs' domain size around 2 to 10 times. Key words: ORCMs, error source, lateral boundary conditions, domain size Acknowledgement: This research was supported by grants from the Korean Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries entitled as "Developing total management system for the Keum river estuary and coast

Concurrent Simulation of the Eddying General Circulation and Tides in a Global Ocean Model

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-01

Eddying General Circulation and Tides in a Global Ocean Model 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 0602435N 6...STATEMENT Approved for public release, distribution is unlimited. 13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 14. ABSTRACT This paper presents a five-year global ...running 25-h average to approximately separate tidal and non-tidal components of the near-bottom flow. In contrast to earlier high-resolution global

Modes of North Atlantic Decadal Variability in the ECHAM1/LSG Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere General Circulation Model.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zorita, Eduardo; Frankignoul, Claude

1997-02-01

The climate variability in the North Atlantic sector is investigated in a 325-yr integration of the ECHAM1/ LSG coupled ocean-atmosphere general circulation model. At the interannual timescale, the coupled model behaves realistically and sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies arise as a response of the oceanic surface layer to the stochastic forcing by the atmosphere, with the heat exchanges both generating and damping the SST anomalies. In the ocean interior, the temperature spectra are red up to a period of about 20 years, and substantial decadal fluctuations are found in the upper kilometer or so of the water column. Using extended empirical orthogonal function analysis, two distinct quasi-oscillatory modes of ocean-atmosphere variability are identified, with dominant periods of about 20 and 10 years, respectively. The oceanic changes in both modes reflect the direct forcing by the atmosphere through anomalous air-sea fluxes and Ekman pumping, which after some delay affects the intensity of the subtropical and subpolar gyres. The SST is also strongly modulated by the gyre currents. In the thermocline, the temperature and salinity fluctuations are in phase, as if caused by thermocline displacements, and they have no apparent connection with the thermohaline circulation. The 20-yr mode is the most energetic one; it is easily seen in the thermocline and can be found in SST data, but it is not detected in the atmosphere alone. As there is no evidence of positive ocean-atmosphere feedback, the 20-yr mode primarily reflects the passive response of the ocean to atmospheric fluctuations, which may be in part associated with climate anomalies appearing a few years earlier in the North Pacific. The 10-yr mode is more surface trapped in the ocean. Although the mode is most easily seen in the temperature variations of the upper few hundred meters of the ocean, it is also detected in the atmosphere alone and thus appears to be a coupled ocean-atmosphere mode. In both modes

Adaptive subdomain modeling: A multi-analysis technique for ocean circulation models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Altuntas, Alper; Baugh, John

2017-07-01

Many coastal and ocean processes of interest operate over large temporal and geographical scales and require a substantial amount of computational resources, particularly when engineering design and failure scenarios are also considered. This study presents an adaptive multi-analysis technique that improves the efficiency of these computations when multiple alternatives are being simulated. The technique, called adaptive subdomain modeling, concurrently analyzes any number of child domains, with each instance corresponding to a unique design or failure scenario, in addition to a full-scale parent domain providing the boundary conditions for its children. To contain the altered hydrodynamics originating from the modifications, the spatial extent of each child domain is adaptively adjusted during runtime depending on the response of the model. The technique is incorporated in ADCIRC++, a re-implementation of the popular ADCIRC ocean circulation model with an updated software architecture designed to facilitate this adaptive behavior and to utilize concurrent executions of multiple domains. The results of our case studies confirm that the method substantially reduces computational effort while maintaining accuracy.

Insights into ice-ocean interactions and fjord circulation from fjord sea surface temperatures at the Petermann Glacier, Greenland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Snow, T.; Shepherd, B.; Abdalati, W.; Scambos, T. A.

2016-12-01

Dynamic processes at marine-terminating outlet glaciers are responsible for over one-third of Greenland Ice Sheet (GIS) mass loss. Enhanced intrusion of warm ocean waters at the termini of these glaciers has contributed to elevated rates of ice thinning and terminus retreat over the last two decades. In situ oceanographic measurements and modeling studies show that basal melting of glaciers and subglacial discharge can cause buoyant plumes of water to rise to the fjord surface and influence fjord circulation characteristics. The temperature of these surface waters holds clues about ice-ocean interactions and small-scale circulation features along the glacier terminus that could contribute to outlet glacier mass loss, but the magnitude and duration of temperature variability remains uncertain. Satellite remote sensing has proven very effectiver for acquiring sea surface temperatuer (SST) data from these remote regions on a long-term, consistent basis and shows promise for identifying temperature anomalies at the ice front. However, these data sets have not been widely utilized to date. Here, we use satellite-derived sea surface temperatures to identify fjord surface outflow characteristics from 2000 to present at the Petermann Glacier, which drains 4% of the GIS and is experiencing 80% of its mass loss from basal melt. We find a general SST warming trend that coincides with early sea ice breakup and precedes two major calving events and ice speedup that began in 2010. Persistent SST anomalies along the terminus provide evidence of warm outflow that is consistent with buoyant plume model predictions. However, the anomalies are not evident early in the time series, suggesting that ocean inflow and ice-ocean interactions have experienced a regime shift since 2000. Our results provide valuable insight into fjord circulation patterns and the forcing mechanisms that contribute to terminus retreat. Comparing our results to ongoing modeling experiments, time series from

Seaglider surveys at Ocean Station Papa: Circulation and water mass properties in a meander of the North Pacific Current

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pelland, Noel A.; Eriksen, Charles C.; Cronin, Meghan F.

2016-09-01

A Seaglider autonomous underwater vehicle augmented the Ocean Station Papa (OSP; 50°N, 145°W) surface mooring, measuring spatial structure on scales relevant to the monthly evolution of the moored time series. During each of three missions from June 2008 to January 2010, a Seaglider made biweekly 50 km × 50 km surveys in a bowtie-shaped survey track. Horizontal temperature and salinity gradients measured by these surveys were an order of magnitude stronger than climatological values and sometimes of opposite sign. Geostrophically inferred circulation was corroborated by moored acoustic Doppler current profiler measurements and AVISO satellite altimetry estimates of surface currents, confirming that glider surveys accurately resolved monthly scale mesoscale spatial structure. In contrast to climatological North Pacific Current circulation, upper-ocean flow was modestly northward during the first half of the 18 month survey period, and weakly westward during its latter half, with Rossby number O>(0.01>). This change in circulation coincided with a shift from cool and fresh to warm, saline, oxygen-rich water in the upper-ocean halocline, and an increase in vertical fine structure there and in the lower pycnocline. The anomalous flow and abrupt water mass transition were due to the slow growth of an anticyclonic meander within the North Pacific Current with radius comparable to the scale of the survey pattern, originating to the southeast of OSP.

Responses of ocean circulation and carbon cycle to changes in the position of the Southern Hemisphere westerlies at Last Glacial Maximum

PubMed Central

Völker, Christoph; Köhler, Peter

2013-01-01

We explore the impact of a latitudinal shift in the westerly wind belt over the Southern Ocean on the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) and on the carbon cycle for Last Glacial Maximum background conditions using a state-of-the-art ocean general circulation model. We find that a southward (northward) shift in the westerly winds leads to an intensification (weakening) of no more than 10% of the AMOC. This response of the ocean physics to shifting winds agrees with other studies starting from preindustrial background climate, but the responsible processes are different. In our setup changes in AMOC seemed to be more pulled by upwelling in the south than pushed by downwelling in the north, opposite to what previous studies with different background climate are suggesting. The net effects of the changes in ocean circulation lead to a rise in atmospheric pCO2 of less than 10 μatm for both northward and southward shift in the winds. For northward shifted winds the zone of upwelling of carbon- and nutrient-rich waters in the Southern Ocean is expanded, leading to more CO2outgassing to the atmosphere but also to an enhanced biological pump in the subpolar region. For southward shifted winds the upwelling region contracts around Antarctica, leading to less nutrient export northward and thus a weakening of the biological pump. These model results do not support the idea that shifts in the westerly wind belt play a dominant role in coupling atmospheric CO2 rise and Antarctic temperature during deglaciation suggested by the ice core data. PMID:26074663

Responses of ocean circulation and carbon cycle to changes in the position of the Southern Hemisphere westerlies at Last Glacial Maximum.

PubMed

Völker, Christoph; Köhler, Peter

2013-12-01

We explore the impact of a latitudinal shift in the westerly wind belt over the Southern Ocean on the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) and on the carbon cycle for Last Glacial Maximum background conditions using a state-of-the-art ocean general circulation model. We find that a southward (northward) shift in the westerly winds leads to an intensification (weakening) of no more than 10% of the AMOC. This response of the ocean physics to shifting winds agrees with other studies starting from preindustrial background climate, but the responsible processes are different. In our setup changes in AMOC seemed to be more pulled by upwelling in the south than pushed by downwelling in the north, opposite to what previous studies with different background climate are suggesting. The net effects of the changes in ocean circulation lead to a rise in atmospheric p CO 2 of less than 10 μatm for both northward and southward shift in the winds. For northward shifted winds the zone of upwelling of carbon- and nutrient-rich waters in the Southern Ocean is expanded, leading to more CO 2 outgassing to the atmosphere but also to an enhanced biological pump in the subpolar region. For southward shifted winds the upwelling region contracts around Antarctica, leading to less nutrient export northward and thus a weakening of the biological pump. These model results do not support the idea that shifts in the westerly wind belt play a dominant role in coupling atmospheric CO 2 rise and Antarctic temperature during deglaciation suggested by the ice core data.

Duality of Ross Ice Shelf systems: crustal boundary, ice sheet processes and ocean circulation from ROSETTA-Ice surveys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tinto, K. J.; Siddoway, C. S.; Padman, L.; Fricker, H. A.; Das, I.; Porter, D. F.; Springer, S. R.; Siegfried, M. R.; Caratori Tontini, F.; Bell, R. E.

2017-12-01

Bathymetry beneath Antarctic ice shelves controls sub-ice-shelf ocean circulation and has a major influence on the stability and dynamics of the ice sheets. Beneath the Ross Ice Shelf, the sea-floor bathymetry is a product of both tectonics and glacial processes, and is influenced by the processes it controls. New aerogeophysical surveys have revealed a fundamental crustal boundary bisecting the Ross Ice Shelf and imparting a duality to the Ross Ice Shelf systems, encompassing bathymetry, ocean circulation and ice flow history. The ROSETTA-Ice surveys were designed to increase the resolution of Ross Ice Shelf mapping from the 55 km RIGGS survey of the 1970s to a 10 km survey grid, flown over three years from New York Air National Guard LC130s. Radar, LiDAR, gravity and magnetic instruments provide a top to bottom profile of the ice shelf and the underlying seafloor, with 20 km resolution achieved in the first two survey seasons (2015 and 2016). ALAMO ocean-profiling floats deployed in the 2016 season are measuring the temperature and salinity of water entering and exiting the sub-ice water cavity. A significant east-west contrast in the character of the magnetic and gravity fields reveals that the lithospheric boundary between East and West Antarctica exists not at the base of the Transantarctic Mountains (TAM), as previously thought, but 300 km further east. The newly-identified boundary spatially coincides with the southward extension of the Central High, a rib of shallow basement identified in the Ross Sea. The East Antarctic side is characterized by lower amplitude magnetic anomalies and denser TAM-type lithosphere compared to the West Antarctic side. The crustal structure imparts a fundamental duality on the overlying ice and ocean, with deeper bathymetry and thinner ice on the East Antarctic side creating a larger sub-ice cavity for ocean circulation. The West Antarctic side has a shallower seabed, more restricted ocean access and a more complex history of

Use of surface drifters to increase resolution and accuracy of oceanic geostrophic circulation mapped from satellite only (altimetry and gravimetry)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mulet, Sandrine; Rio, Marie-Hélène; Etienne, Hélène

2017-04-01

Strong improvements have been made in our knowledge of the surface ocean geostrophic circulation thanks to satellite observations. For instance, the use of the latest GOCE (Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer) geoid model with altimetry data gives good estimate of the mean oceanic circulation at spatial scales down to 125 km. However, surface drifters are essential to resolve smaller scales, it is thus mandatory to carefully process drifter data and then to combine these different data sources. In this framework, the global 1/4° CNES-CLS13 Mean Dynamic Topography (MDT) and associated mean geostrophic currents have been computed (Rio et al, 2014). First a satellite only MDT was computed from altimetric and gravimetric data. Then, an important work was to pre-process drifter data to extract only the geostrophic component in order to be consistent with physical content of satellite only MDT. This step include estimate and remove of Ekman current and wind slippage. Finally drifters and satellite only MDT were combined. Similar approaches are used regionally to go further toward higher resolution, for instance in the Agulhas current or along the Brazilian coast. Also, a case study in the Gulf of Mexico intends to use drifters in the same way to improve weekly geostrophic current estimate.

The role of ocean circulation on methane hydrate stability and margin evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hornbach, M. J.; Phrampus, B. J.; Ruppel, C. D.; Hart, P. E.

2012-12-01

hydrate destabilization at these sites and that this destabilization could continue for centuries. The results have significant implications for the global carbon budget, ocean acidification, ocean circulation, and the evolution of continental margins. The analysis presented here also provides a new method for constraining Holocene changes in intermediate ocean temperatures and demonstrates that only slight shifts in ocean current flow direction have a profound impact on both margin stability and the ocean carbon budget.

The Double ITCZ Syndrome in GCMs: A Coupled Problem among Convection, Atmospheric and Ocean Circulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, G. J.; Song, X.

2017-12-01

The double ITCZ bias has been a long-standing problem in coupled atmosphere-ocean models. A previous study indicates that uncertainty in the projection of global warming due to doubling of CO2 is closely related to the double ITCZ biases in global climate models. Thus, reducing the double ITCZ biases is not only important to getting the current climate features right, but also important to narrowing the uncertainty in future climate projection. In this work, we will first review the possible factors contributing to the ITCZ problem. Then, we will focus on atmospheric convection, presenting recent progress in alleviating the double ITCZ problem and its sensitivity to details of convective parameterization, including trigger conditions for convection onset, convective memory, entrainment rate, updraft model and closure in the NCAR CESM1. These changes together can result in dramatic improvements in the simulation of ITCZ. Results based on both atmospheric only and coupled simulations with incremental changes of convection scheme will be shown to demonstrate the roles of convection parameterization and coupled interaction between convection, atmospheric circulation and ocean circulation in the simulation of ITCZ.

Optimal Geoid Modelling to determine the Mean Ocean Circulation - Project Overview and early Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fecher, Thomas; Knudsen, Per; Bettadpur, Srinivas; Gruber, Thomas; Maximenko, Nikolai; Pie, Nadege; Siegismund, Frank; Stammer, Detlef

2017-04-01

The ESA project GOCE-OGMOC (Optimal Geoid Modelling based on GOCE and GRACE third-party mission data and merging with altimetric sea surface data to optimally determine Ocean Circulation) examines the influence of the satellite missions GRACE and in particular GOCE in ocean modelling applications. The project goal is an improved processing of satellite and ground data for the preparation and combination of gravity and altimetry data on the way to an optimal MDT solution. Explicitly, the two main objectives are (i) to enhance the GRACE error modelling and optimally combine GOCE and GRACE [and optionally terrestrial/altimetric data] and (ii) to integrate the optimal Earth gravity field model with MSS and drifter information to derive a state-of-the art MDT including an error assessment. The main work packages referring to (i) are the characterization of geoid model errors, the identification of GRACE error sources, the revision of GRACE error models, the optimization of weighting schemes for the participating data sets and finally the estimation of an optimally combined gravity field model. In this context, also the leakage of terrestrial data into coastal regions shall be investigated, as leakage is not only a problem for the gravity field model itself, but is also mirrored in a derived MDT solution. Related to (ii) the tasks are the revision of MSS error covariances, the assessment of the mean circulation using drifter data sets and the computation of an optimal geodetic MDT as well as a so called state-of-the-art MDT, which combines the geodetic MDT with drifter mean circulation data. This paper presents an overview over the project results with focus on the geodetic results part.

Comparison of ocean surface solar irradiance in the GLA General Circulation Model and satellite-based calculations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chertock, Beth; Sud, Y. C.

1993-01-01

A global, 7-year satellite-based record of ocean surface solar irradiance (SSI) is used to assess the realism of ocean SSI simulated by the nine-layer Goddard Laboratory for Atmospheres (GLA) General Circulation Model (GCM). January and July climatologies of net SSI produced by the model are compared with corresponding satellite climatologies for the world oceans between 54 deg N and 54 deg S. This comparison of climatologies indicates areas of strengths and weaknesses in the GCM treatment of cloud-radiation interactions, the major source of model uncertainty. Realism of ocean SSI is also important for applications such as incorporating the GLA GCM into a coupled ocean-atmosphere GCM. The results show that the GLA GCM simulates too much SSI in the extratropics and too little in the tropics, especially in the summer hemisphere. These discrepancies reach magnitudes of 60 W/sq m and more. The discrepancies are particularly large in the July case off the western coast of North America. Positive and negative discrepancies in SSI are shown to be consistent with discrepancies in planetary albedo.

Impact of river discharge on the California coastal ocean circulation and variability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leiva, J.; Chao, Y.; Farrara, J. D.; Zhang, H.

2016-12-01

A real-time California coastal ocean nowcast and forecast system is used to quantify the impact of river discharge on the California coastal ocean circulation and variability. River discharge and freshwater runoff is monitored by an extensive network of stream gages maintained through the U.S. Geological Survey, that offers archived stream flow records as well as real-time datasets. Of all the rivers monitored by the USGS, 25 empty into the Pacific Ocean and contribute a potential source of runoff data. Monthly averages for the current water year yield discharge estimates as high as 6,000 cubic meters per second of additional freshwater input into our present model. Using Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS), we performed simulations from October 2015 to May 2016 with and without the river discharge. Results of these model simulations are compared with available observations including both in situ and satellite. Particular attention is paid to the salinity simulation. Validation is done with comparisons to sea glider data available through Oregon State University and UC San Diego, which provides depth profiles along the California coast during this time period. Additional validation is performed through comparisons with sea surface salinity measurements from the Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) mission. Continued testing for previous years, e.g. between 2011 and 2015, is being made using the Aquarius sea surface salinity data. Discharge data collected by the USGS stream gages provides a necessary source of freshwater input that must be accounted for. Incorporating a new runoff source produces a more robust model that generates improved forecasts. Following validation with available sea glider and satellite data, the enhanced model can be adapted to real-time forecasting.

Isotopic evaluation of ocean circulation in the Late Cretaceous North American seaway

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coulson, Alan B.; Kohn, Matthew J.; Barrick, Reese E.

2011-12-01

During the mid- and Late Cretaceous period, North America was split by the north-south oriented Western Interior Seaway. Its role in creating and maintaining Late Cretaceous global greenhouse conditions remains unclear. Different palaeoceanographic reconstructions portray diverse circulation patterns. The southward extent of relatively cool, low-salinity, low-δ18O surface waters critically distinguishes among these models, but past studies of invertebrates could not independently assess water temperature and isotopic compositions. Here we present oxygen isotopes in biophosphate from coeval marine turtle and fish fossils from western Kansas, representing the east central seaway, and from the Mississippi embayment, representing the marginal Tethys Ocean. Our analyses yield precise seawater isotopic values and geographic temperature differences during the main transition from the Coniacian to the early Campanian age (87-82 Myr), and indicate that the seaway oxygen isotope value and salinity were 2‰ and 3‰ lower, respectively, than in the marginal Tethys Ocean. We infer that the influence of northern freshwater probably reached as far south as Kansas. Our revised values imply relatively large temperature differences between the Mississippi embayment and central seaway, explain the documented regional latitudinal palaeobiogeographic zonation and support models with relatively little inflow of surface waters from the Tethys Ocean to the Western Interior Seaway.

On the choice of orbits for an altimetric satellite to study ocean circulation and tides

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parke, Michael E.; Stewart, Robert H.; Farless, David L.; Cartwright, David E.

1987-01-01

The choice of an orbit for satellite altimetric studies of the ocean's circulation and tides requires an understanding of the orbital characteristics that influence the accuracy of the satellite's measurements of sea level and the temporal and spatial distribution of the measurements. The orbital characteristics that influence accurate calculations of the satellite's position as a function of time are examined, and the pattern of ground tracks laid down on the ocean's surface as a function of the satellite's altitude and inclination is studied. The results are used to examine the aliases in the measurements of surface geostrophic currents and tides. Finally, these considerations are used to specify possible orbits that may be useful for the upcoming Topex/Poseidon mission.

Impacts of changing ocean circulation on the distribution of marine microplastic litter.

PubMed

Welden, Natalie Ac; Lusher, Amy L

2017-05-01

Marine plastic pollution is currently a major scientific focus, with attention paid to its distribution and impacts within ecosystems. With recent estimates indicating that the mass of plastic released to the marine environment may reach 250 million metric tons by 2025, the effects of plastic on our oceans are set to increase. Distribution of microplastics, those plastics measuring less than 5 mm, are of increasing concern because they represent an increasing proportion of marine litter and are known to interact with species in a range of marine habitats. The local abundance of microplastic is dependent on a complex interaction between the scale of local plastic sources and prevailing environmental conditions; as a result, microplastic distribution is highly heterogeneous. Circulation models have been used to predict plastic distribution; however, current models do not consider future variation in circulation patterns and weather systems caused by a changing climate. In this study, we discuss the potential impacts of global climate change on the abundance and distribution of marine plastic pollution. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2017;13:483-487. © 2017 SETAC. © 2017 SETAC.

Use of Ocean Remote Sensing Data to Enhance Predictions with a Coupled General Circulation Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rienecker, Michele M.

1999-01-01

Surface height, sea surface temperature and surface wind observations from satellites have given a detailed time sequence of the initiation and evolution of the 1997/98 El Nino. The data have beet complementary to the subsurface TAO moored data in their spatial resolution and extent. The impact of satellite observations on seasonal prediction in the tropical Pacific using a coupled ocean-atmosphere general circulation model will be presented.

Significant Findings: Seasonal Distributions of Global Ocean Chlorophyll and Nutrients With a Coupled Ocean General Circulation, Biogeochemical, and Radiative Model. 2; Comparisons With Satellite and In Situ Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gregg, Watson W.; Busalacchi, Antonio (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

A coupled ocean general circulation, biogeochemical, and radiative model was constructed to evaluate and understand the nature of seasonal variability of chlorophyll and nutrients in the global oceans. Biogeochemical processes in the model were determined from the influences of circulation and turbulence dynamics, irradiance availability, and the interactions among three functional phytoplankton groups (diatoms, chlorophytes, and picoplankton) and three nutrients (nitrate, ammonium, and silicate). Basin scale (>1000 km) model chlorophyll seasonal distributions were statistically positively correlated with CZCS chlorophyll in 10 of 12 major oceanographic regions, and with SeaWiFS in all 12. Notable disparities in magnitudes occurred, however, in the tropical Pacific, the spring/summer bloom in the Antarctic, autumn in the northern high latitudes, and during the southwest monsoon in the North Indian Ocean. Synoptic scale (100-1000 km) comparisons of satellite and in situ data exhibited broad agreement, although occasional departures were apparent. Model nitrate distributions agreed with in situ data, including seasonal dynamics, except for the equatorial Atlantic. The overall agreement of the model with satellite and in situ data sources indicated that the model dynamics offer a reasonably realistic simulation of phytoplankton and nutrient dynamics on basin and synoptic scales.

Exceptional twentieth-century slowdown in Atlantic Ocean overturning circulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahmstorf, Stefan; Box, Jason E.; Feulner, Georg; Mann, Michael E.; Robinson, Alexander; Rutherford, Scott; Schaffernicht, Erik J.

2015-05-01

Possible changes in Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) provide a key source of uncertainty regarding future climate change. Maps of temperature trends over the twentieth century show a conspicuous region of cooling in the northern Atlantic. Here we present multiple lines of evidence suggesting that this cooling may be due to a reduction in the AMOC over the twentieth century and particularly after 1970. Since 1990 the AMOC seems to have partly recovered. This time evolution is consistently suggested by an AMOC index based on sea surface temperatures, by the hemispheric temperature difference, by coral-based proxies and by oceanic measurements. We discuss a possible contribution of the melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet to the slowdown. Using a multi-proxy temperature reconstruction for the AMOC index suggests that the AMOC weakness after 1975 is an unprecedented event in the past millennium (p > 0.99). Further melting of Greenland in the coming decades could contribute to further weakening of the AMOC.

Seawater-derived neodymium isotope records in the Chukchi Sea, western Arctic Ocean during Holocene: implications for oceanographic circulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Borom; Nam, Seung-Il; Huh, Youngsook; Lee, Mi Jung

2015-04-01

Changes in oceanographic circulation in the Artic have a large influence on the global oceanic and climate system of the Earth through the geological times. In particular, freshwater input from the North Pacific to the western Arctic Ocean affects the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) after the opening of the Bering Strait. Seawater-derived neodymium isotope in marine sediments has been used as a proxy to trace the origin of water masses and oceanic circulation system. The global average residence time of Nd is shorter than the global ocean mixing time and dissolved Nd in seawater behaves quasi-conservatively. In the modern Arctic Ocean, the Nd isotope distribution is dominated by Atlantic source water, although the circum-Arctic riverine discharge and Pacific-derived waters also have noticeable impacts. In this study, we investigated seawater-derived neodymium isotope records from a sediment core recovered from the Chukchi Sea to understand the changes in hydrograhic circulation of the western Arctic during the Holocene. A gravity core, ARA02B 01A, was collected on the northern shelf of the Chukchi Sea (73°37.8939'N, 166°30.9838'W, ca. 111 m in water depth) during the RV Araon expedition in 2011. To obtain seawater-derived Nd records, we extracted Fe-Mn oxide coatings as an authigenic fraction from bulk sediments by leaching with acid-reducing solution after removing carbonate by leaching with acetic acid. Our preliminary results might show a general pattern of increasing radiogenic ɛNd values through Holocene intervals. Therefore, it implies that ɛNd results may be related with variations in the intensity of Bering Strait inflow during the last ~9.31 ka BP. The radiogenic trend was strongly pronounced from the late Holocene (ɛNd -7.23; ca. 8.84 ka BP) to the middle Holocene (ɛNd -4.78; ca. 6.18 ka BP) and vaguely during the middle Holocene. After 4.13 ka BP, ɛNd values were increased again from -4.86 to -4.03 at 0.57 ka BP. But 87Sr/86Sr

Change of ocean circulation in the East Asian Marginal Seas under different climate conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Min, Hong Sik; Kim, Cheol-Ho; Kim, Young Ho

2010-05-01

Global climate models do not properly resolve an ocean environment in the East Asian Marginal Seas (EAMS), which is mainly due to a poor representation of the topography in continental shelf region and a coarse spatial resolution. To examine a possible change of ocean environment under global warming in the EAMS, therefore we used North Pacific Regional Ocean Model. The regional model was forced by atmospheric conditions extracted from the simulation results of the global climate models for the 21st century projected by the IPCC SRES A1B scenario as well as the 20th century. The North Pacific Regional Ocean model simulated a detailed pattern of temperature change in the EAMS showing locally different rising or falling trend under the future climate condition, while the global climate models simulated a simple pattern like an overall increase. Changes of circulation pattern in the EAMS such as an intrusion of warm water into the Yellow Sea as well as the Kuroshio were also well resolved. Annual variations in volume transports through the Taiwan Strait and the Korea Strait under the future condition were simulated to be different from those under present condition. Relative ratio of volume transport through the Soya Strait to the Tsugaru Strait also responded to the climate condition.

Influence of solar radiation absorbed by phytoplankton on the thermal structure and circulation of the tropical Atlantic Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frouin, Robert; Ueyoshi, Kyozo; Kampel, Milton

2007-09-01

Numerical experiments conducted with an ocean general ocean circulation model reveal the potential influence of solar radiation absorbed by phytoplankton on the thermal structure and currents of the Tropical Atlantic Ocean. In the model, solar radiation penetration is parameterized explicitly as a function of chlorophyll-a concentration, the major variable affecting water turbidity in the open ocean. Two types of runs are performed, a clear water (control) run with a constant minimum chlorophyll-a concentration of 0.02 mgm -3, and a turbid water (chlorophyll) run with space- and time-varying chlorophyll-a concentration from satellite data. The difference between results from the two runs yields the biological effects. In the chlorophyll run, nutrients and biology production are implicitly taken into account, even though biogeochemical processes are not explicitly included, since phytoplankton distribution, prescribed from observations, is the result of those processes. Due to phytoplankton-radiation forcing, the surface temperature is higher by 1-2 K on average annually in the region of the North Equatorial current, the Northern part of the South Equatorial current, and the Caribbean system, and by 3-4 K in the region of the Guinea current. In this region, upwelling is reduced, and heat trapped in the surface layers by phytoplankton is not easily removed. The surface temperature is lower by 1 K in the Northern region of the Benguela current, due to increased upwelling. At depth, the equatorial Atlantic is generally cooler, as well as the eastern part of the tropical basin (excluding the region of the sub-tropical gyres). The North and South equatorial currents, as well as the Equatorial undercurrent, are enhanced by as much as 3-4 cms -1, and the circulation of the subtropical gyres is increased. Pole-ward heat transport is slightly reduced North of 35°N, suggesting that phytoplankton, by increasing the horizontal return flow in the subtropical region, may exert a

Methods of testing parameterizations: Vertical ocean mixing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tziperman, Eli

1992-01-01

The ocean's velocity field is characterized by an exceptional variety of scales. While the small-scale oceanic turbulence responsible for the vertical mixing in the ocean is of scales a few centimeters and smaller, the oceanic general circulation is characterized by horizontal scales of thousands of kilometers. In oceanic general circulation models that are typically run today, the vertical structure of the ocean is represented by a few tens of discrete grid points. Such models cannot explicitly model the small-scale mixing processes, and must, therefore, find ways to parameterize them in terms of the larger-scale fields. Finding a parameterization that is both reliable and plausible to use in ocean models is not a simple task. Vertical mixing in the ocean is the combined result of many complex processes, and, in fact, mixing is one of the less known and less understood aspects of the oceanic circulation. In present models of the oceanic circulation, the many complex processes responsible for vertical mixing are often parameterized in an oversimplified manner. Yet, finding an adequate parameterization of vertical ocean mixing is crucial to the successful application of ocean models to climate studies. The results of general circulation models for quantities that are of particular interest to climate studies, such as the meridional heat flux carried by the ocean, are quite sensitive to the strength of the vertical mixing. We try to examine the difficulties in choosing an appropriate vertical mixing parameterization, and the methods that are available for validating different parameterizations by comparing model results to oceanographic data. First, some of the physical processes responsible for vertically mixing the ocean are briefly mentioned, and some possible approaches to the parameterization of these processes in oceanographic general circulation models are described in the following section. We then discuss the role of the vertical mixing in the physics of the

Deep Ocean Circulation and Nutrient Contents from Atlantic-Pacific Gradients of Neodymium and Carbon Isotopes During the Last 1 Ma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piotrowski, A. M.; Elderfield, H.; Howe, J. N. W.

2014-12-01

The last few million years saw changing boundary conditions to the Earth system which set the stage for bi-polar glaciation and Milankovich-forced glacial-interglacial cycles which dominate Quaternary climate variability. Recent studies have highlighted the relative importance of temperature, ice volume and ocean circulation changes during the Mid-Pleistocene Transition at ~900 ka (Elderfield et al., 2012, Pena and Goldstein, 2014). Reconstructing the history of global deep water mass propagation and its carbon content is important for fully understanding the ocean's role in amplifying Milankovich changes to cause glacial-interglacial transitions. A new foraminiferal-coating Nd isotope record from ODP Site 1123 on the deep Chatham Rise is interpreted as showing glacial-interglacial changes in the bottom water propagation of Atlantic-sourced waters into the Pacific via the Southern Ocean during the last 1 million years. This is compared to globally-distributed bottom water Nd isotope records; including a new deep western equatorial Atlantic Ocean record from ODP Site 929, as well as published records from ODP 1088 and Site 1090 in the South Atlantic (Pena and Goldstein, 2014), and ODP 758 in the deep Indian Ocean (Gourlan et al., 2010). Atlantic-to-Pacific gradients in deep ocean neodymium isotopes are constructed for key time intervals to elucidate changes in deep water sourcing and circulation pathways through the global ocean. Benthic carbon isotopes are used to estimate deep water nutrient contents of deep water masses and constrain locations and modes of deep water formation. References: Elderfield et al. Science 337, 704 (2012) Pena and Goldstein, Science 345, 318 (2014) Gourlan et al., Quaternary Science Reviews 29, 2484-2498 (2010)

Prognostic residual mean flow in an ocean general circulation model and its relation to prognostic Eulerian mean flow

DOE PAGES

Saenz, Juan A.; Chen, Qingshan; Ringler, Todd

2015-05-19

Recent work has shown that taking the thickness-weighted average (TWA) of the Boussinesq equations in buoyancy coordinates results in exact equations governing the prognostic residual mean flow where eddy–mean flow interactions appear in the horizontal momentum equations as the divergence of the Eliassen–Palm flux tensor (EPFT). It has been proposed that, given the mathematical tractability of the TWA equations, the physical interpretation of the EPFT, and its relation to potential vorticity fluxes, the TWA is an appropriate framework for modeling ocean circulation with parameterized eddies. The authors test the feasibility of this proposition and investigate the connections between the TWAmore » framework and the conventional framework used in models, where Eulerian mean flow prognostic variables are solved for. Using the TWA framework as a starting point, this study explores the well-known connections between vertical transfer of horizontal momentum by eddy form drag and eddy overturning by the bolus velocity, used by Greatbatch and Lamb and Gent and McWilliams to parameterize eddies. After implementing the TWA framework in an ocean general circulation model, we verify our analysis by comparing the flows in an idealized Southern Ocean configuration simulated using the TWA and conventional frameworks with the same mesoscale eddy parameterization.« less

North Pacific barium isotope distributions illustrate importance of ocean mixing in controlling barium distributions despite weak regional circulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geyman, B.; Auro, M. E. E.; LaVigne, M.; Ptacek, J. L.; Horner, T. J.

2016-12-01

The dissolved behavior of barium in the ocean exhibits a `refractory' nutrient-type profile similar to that of silicon, which has led to the use of Ba as a proxy for paleo-productivity and carbon cycling. Marine barium cycling appears to be controlled by the precipitation of micron-scale barite crystals in the mesopelagic and their subsequent dissolution throughout the water column, which has been shown to impart an isotopic signature that may itself harbor information about ocean circulation and export production. However, the utility of Ba-based proxies in chemical and paleoceanography relies on a sound understanding of the processes governing marine barium distributions, which remain unresolved. Here, we report the first full oceanographic depth profile of barium isotopes from the North Pacific Ocean (30 N, 140 W), which offers the ability to resolve biogeochemical cycling from mixing processes in a given water mass. Our data confirm findings from other oceanographic regions showing a close coupling between increasing [Ba] and decreasing Ba-isotope compositions with depth. Unlike other profiles however, this coupling is restricted to the upper 1,000 m of the North Pacific water column, with samples from between 1,000 m and 4,500 m showing a roughly 60 % increase in [Ba] but essentially no changes in their Ba-isotope compositions (within measurement uncertainty of 15 ppm/AMU). As with Atlantic data, samples spanning the entire profile define a linear trend (R2 > 0.9) when plotted as Ba-isotope compositions against 1/[Ba], indicating that conservative mixing can account for much of the Ba-isotope variation in the North Pacific water column. Overall, these findings highlight the utility of stable isotope measurements to illuminate the processes governing nutrient cycling, and support the critical role of large-scale ocean circulation in setting `refractory' nutrient distributions. These results have particular relevance to regions with relatively weak overturning

Longitudinal biases in the Seychelles Dome simulated by 35 ocean-atmosphere coupled general circulation models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagura, Motoki; Sasaki, Wataru; Tozuka, Tomoki; Luo, Jing-Jia; Behera, Swadhin K.; Yamagata, Toshio

2013-02-01

Seychelles Dome refers to the shallow climatological thermocline in the southwestern Indian Ocean, where ocean wave dynamics efficiently affect sea surface temperature, allowing sea surface temperature anomalies to be predicted up to 1-2 years in advance. Accurate reproduction of the dome by ocean-atmosphere coupled general circulation models (CGCMs) is essential for successful seasonal predictions in the Indian Ocean. This study examines the Seychelles Dome as simulated by 35 CGCMs, including models used in phase five of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5). Among the 35 CGCMs, 14 models erroneously produce an upwelling dome in the eastern half of the basin whereas the observed Seychelles Dome is located in the southwestern tropical Indian Ocean. The annual mean Ekman pumping velocity in these models is found to be almost zero in the southern off-equatorial region. This result is inconsistent with observations, in which Ekman upwelling acts as the main cause of the Seychelles Dome. In the models reproducing an eastward-displaced dome, easterly biases are prominent along the equator in boreal summer and fall, which result in shallow thermocline biases along the Java and Sumatra coasts via Kelvin wave dynamics and a spurious upwelling dome in the region. Compared to the CMIP3 models, the CMIP5 models are even worse in simulating the dome longitudes.

Oceanic link between abrupt changes in the North Atlantic Ocean and the African monsoon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Ping; Zhang, Rong; Hazeleger, Wilco; Wen, Caihong; Wan, Xiuquan; Ji, Link; Haarsma, Reindert J.; Breugem, Wim-Paul; Seidel, Howard

2008-07-01

Abrupt changes in the African monsoon can have pronounced socioeconomic impacts on many West African countries. Evidence for both prolonged humid periods and monsoon failures have been identified throughout the late Pleistocene and early Holocene epochs. In particular, drought conditions in West Africa have occurred during periods of reduced North Atlantic thermohaline circulation, such as the Younger Dryas cold event. Here, we use an ocean-atmosphere general circulation model to examine the link between oceanographic changes in the North Atlantic Ocean and changes in the strength of the African monsoon. Our simulations show that when North Atlantic thermohaline circulation is substantially weakened, the flow of the subsurface North Brazil Current reverses. This leads to decreased upper tropical ocean stratification and warmer sea surface temperatures in the equatorial South Atlantic Ocean, and consequently reduces African summer monsoonal winds and rainfall over West Africa. This mechanism is in agreement with reconstructions of past climate. We therefore suggest that the interaction between thermohaline circulation in the North Atlantic Ocean and wind-driven currents in the tropical Atlantic Ocean contributes to the rapidity of African monsoon transitions during abrupt climate change events.

Adjustments of a global Finite-Element Sea Ice Ocean Model configuration to improve the general ocean circulation in the North Pacific and its marginal seas.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scholz, Patrick; Lohmann, Gerrit

2017-04-01

The sub-Arctic oceans like the Sea of Okhotsk, the Bering Sea, the Labrador Sea or the Greenland- Irminger-Norwegian (GIN) Sea react particularly sensitive to global climate changes and have the potential to reversely regulate climate change by CO2 uptake in the other areas of the world. So far, the natural processes in the Arctic and Subarctic system, especially over the Pacific realm, remain poorly understood in terms of numerical modeling. As such, in this study we focus on the North Pacific and its adjacent marginal seas (e.g. the Sea of Okhotsk, the Bering Sea and the Sea of Japan), which have nowadays a significant role in the climate system of the Northwest Pacific by influencing the atmospheric and oceanic circulation as well as the hydrology of the Pacific water masses. The Sea of Okhotsk, in particular, is characterized by a highly dynamical sea-ice coverage, where, in autumn and winter, due to massive sea ice formation and brine rejection, the Sea of Okhotsk Intermediate Water (SOIW) is formed which contributes to the mid-depth (500-1000m) water layer of the North Pacific known as newly formed North Pacific Intermediate Water (NPIW). By employing a Finite-Element Sea-Ice Ocean Model (FESOM), in a global configuration, but with high resolution over the marginal seas of the Northwest Pacific Ocean ( 7 km), we tested different meshes and forcing improvements to correct the general ocean circulation in the North Pacific realm towards a more realistic pattern. By using different forcing data (e.g. CORE2, ERA-40/interim, CCMP-correction), adapting the mesh resolutions in the tropical and subtropical North Pacific and changing the bathymetry over important inflow straits (e.g. Amukta Passage, Kruzenstern Strait), we show that the better results are obtained (when compared with observational data) via a combination of CCMP corrected COREv2 forcing with increased resolution in the pathway of the Kuroshio Extension Current and Northern Equatorial Current.

Ocean circulation drifts in multi-millennial climate simulations: the role of salinity corrections and climate feedbacks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dentith, Jennifer E.; Ivanovic, Ruza F.; Gregoire, Lauren J.; Tindall, Julia C.; Smith, Robin S.

2018-05-01

Low-resolution, complex general circulation models (GCMs) are valuable tools for studying the Earth system on multi-millennial timescales. However, slowly evolving salinity drifts can cause large shifts in climatic and oceanic regimes over thousands of years. We test two different schemes for neutralising unforced salinity drifts in the FAMOUS GCM: surface flux correction and volumetric flux correction. Although both methods successfully maintain a steady global mean salinity, local drifts and subsequent feedbacks promote cooling (≈ 4 °C over 6000 years) and freshening (≈ 2 psu over 6000 years) in the North Atlantic Ocean, and gradual warming (≈ 0.2 °C per millennium) and salinification (≈ 0.15 psu per millennium) in the North Pacific Ocean. Changes in the surface density in these regions affect the meridional overturning circulation (MOC), such that, after several millennia, the Atlantic MOC (AMOC) is in a collapsed state, and there is a strong, deep Pacific MOC (PMOC). Furthermore, the AMOC exhibits a period of metastability, which is only identifiable with run lengths in excess of 1500 years. We also compare simulations with two different land surface schemes, demonstrating that small biases in the surface climate may cause regional salinity drifts and significant shifts in the MOC (weakening of the AMOC and the initiation then invigoration of PMOC), even when the global hydrological cycle has been forcibly closed. Although there is no specific precursor to the simulated AMOC collapse, the northwest North Pacific and northeast North Atlantic are important areas that should be closely monitored for trends arising from such biases.

El Nino-southern oscillation simulated in an MRI atmosphere-ocean coupled general circulation model

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nagai, T.; Tokioka, T.; Endoh, M.

A coupled atmosphere-ocean general circulation model (GCM) was time integrated for 30 years to study interannual variability in the tropics. The atmospheric component is a global GCM with 5 levels in the vertical and 4[degrees]latitude X 5[degrees] longitude grids in the horizontal including standard physical processes (e.g., interactive clouds). The oceanic component is a GCM for the Pacific with 19 levels in the vertical and 1[degrees]x 2.5[degrees] grids in the horizontal including seasonal varying solar radiation as forcing. The model succeeded in reproducing interannual variations that resemble the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) with realistic seasonal variations in the atmospheric andmore » oceanic fields. The model ENSO cycle has a time scale of approximately 5 years and the model El Nino (warm) events are locked roughly in phase to the seasonal cycle. The cold events, however, are less evident in comparison with the El Nino events. The time scale of the model ENSO cycle is determined by propagation time of signals from the central-eastern Pacific to the western Pacific and back to the eastern Pacific. Seasonal timing is also important in the ENSO time scale: wind anomalies in the central-eastern Pacific occur in summer and the atmosphere ocean coupling in the western Pacific operates efficiently in the first half of the year.« less

The Ocean-Atmosphere Hydrothermohaline Conveyor Belt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Döös, Kristofer; Kjellsson, Joakim; Zika, Jan; Laliberté, Frédéric; Brodeau, Laurent

2015-04-01

The ocean thermohaline circulation is linked to the hydrothermal circulation of the atmosphere. The ocean thermohaline circulation is expressed in potential temperature-salinity space and comprises a tropical upper-ocean circulation, a global conveyor belt cell and an Antarctic Bottom Water cell. The atmospheric hydrothermal circulation in a potential temperature-specific humidity space unifies the tropical Hadley and Walker cells as well as the midlatitude eddies into a single, global circulation. Superimposed, these thermohaline and hydrothermal stream functions reveal the possibility of a close connection between some parts of the water and air mass conversions. The exchange of heat and fresh water through the sea surface (precipiation-evaporation) and incoming solar radiation act to make near-surface air warm and moist while making surface water warmer and saltier as both air and water travel towards the Equator. In the tropics, air masses can undergo moist convection releasing latent heat by forming precipitation, thus acting to make warm surface water fresher. We propose that the Clausius-Clapeyron relationship for moist near-surface air acts like a lower bound for the atmospheric hydrothermal cell and an upper bound for the ocean thermohaline Conveyor-Belt cell. The analysis is made by combining and merging the overturning circulation of the ocean and atmosphere by relating the salinity of the ocean to the humidity of the atmosphere, where we set the heat and freshwater transports equal in the two stream functions By using simulations integrated with our Climate-Earth system model EC-Earth, we intend to produce the "hydrothermohaline" stream function of the coupled ocean-atmosphere overturning circulation in one single picture. We explore how the oceanic thermohaline Conveyor Belt can be linked to the global atmospheric hydrothermal circulation and if the water and air mass conversions in humidity-temperature-salinity space can be related and linked to each

Observed fingerprint of a weakening Atlantic Ocean overturning circulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahmstorf, S.; Caesar, L.; Feulner, G.; Robinson, A.; Saba, V. S.

2017-12-01

The overturning circulation of the Atlantic Ocean (AMOC) has a major impact on climate, yet its evolution over the past hundred years or so is poorly known for lack of direct measurements. We use a high-resolution global climate model to derive a characteristic spatial and seasonal fingerprint of AMOC changes and compare this to the observed linear temperature trend since 1870. Both the model and observations show a remarkably similar pattern of a cooling in the subpolar gyre region (most pronounced for the November to May season) and a warming in the Gulf Stream region which in their combination can only be explained by a reduction in the AMOC. We explain the mechanisms that link the pattern to an AMOC slowdown, and use an ensemble of CMIP5 simulations to calibrate the observed decline. This suggests a weakening of the AMOC by 3 Sv ( 16%) since the mid-20th Century. Its recent evolution is consistent with direct measurements in the RAPID project and reaches record low values in recent years.

The Development of a Degree 360 Expansion of the Dynamic Ocean Topography of the POCM_4B Global Circulation Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rapp, Richard H.

1998-01-01

This paper documents the development of a degree 360 expansion of the dynamic ocean topography (DOT) of the POCM_4B ocean circulation model. The principles and software used that led to the final model are described. A key principle was the development of interpolated DOT values into land areas to avoid discontinuities at or near the land/ocean interface. The power spectrum of the POCM_4B is also presented with comparisons made between orthonormal (ON) and spherical harmonic magnitudes to degree 24. A merged file of ON and SH computed degree variances is proposed for applications where the DOT power spectrum from low to high (360) degrees is needed.

South Atlantic Ocean circulation: Simulation experiments with a quasi-geostrophic model and assimilation of TOPEX/POSEIDON and ERS 1 altimeter data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Florenchie, P.; Verron, J.

1998-10-01

Simulation experiments of South Atlantic Ocean circulations are conducted with a 1/6°, four-layered, quasi-geostrophic model. By means of a simple nudging data assimilation procedure along satellite tracks, TOPEX/POSEIDON and ERS 1 altimeter measurements are introduced into the model to control the simulation of the basin-scale circulation for the period from October 1992 to September 1994. The model circulation appears to be strongly influenced by the introduction of altimeter data, offering a consistent picture of South Atlantic Ocean circulations. Comparisons with observations show that the assimilating model successfully simulates the kinematic behavior of a large number of surface circulation components. The assimilation procedure enables us to produce schematic diagrams of South Atlantic circulation in which patterns ranging from basin-scale currents to mesoscale eddies are portrayed in a realistic way, with respect to their complexity. The major features of the South Atlantic circulation are described and analyzed, with special emphasis on the Brazil-Malvinas Confluence region, the Subtropical Gyre with the formation of frontal structures, and the Agulhas Retroflection. The Agulhas eddy-shedding process has been studied extensively. Fourteen eddies appear to be shed during the 2-year experiment. Because of their strong surface topographic signature, Agulhas eddies have been tracked continuously during the assimilation experiment as they cross the South Atlantic basin westward. Other effects of the assimilation procedure are shown, such as the intensification of the Subtropical Gyre, the appearance of a strong seasonal cycle in the Brazil Current transport, and the increase of the mean Brazil Current transport. This last result, combined with the westward oriention of the Agulhas eddies' trajectories, leads to a southward transport of mean eddy kinetic energy across 30°S.

The Arctic Ocean as a dead end for floating plastics in the North Atlantic branch of the Thermohaline Circulation

PubMed Central

Cózar, Andrés; Martí, Elisa; Duarte, Carlos M.; García-de-Lomas, Juan; van Sebille, Erik; Ballatore, Thomas J.; Eguíluz, Victor M.; González-Gordillo, J. Ignacio; Pedrotti, Maria L.; Echevarría, Fidel; Troublè, Romain; Irigoien, Xabier

2017-01-01

The subtropical ocean gyres are recognized as great marine accummulation zones of floating plastic debris; however, the possibility of plastic accumulation at polar latitudes has been overlooked because of the lack of nearby pollution sources. In the present study, the Arctic Ocean was extensively sampled for floating plastic debris from the Tara Oceans circumpolar expedition. Although plastic debris was scarce or absent in most of the Arctic waters, it reached high concentrations (hundreds of thousands of pieces per square kilometer) in the northernmost and easternmost areas of the Greenland and Barents seas. The fragmentation and typology of the plastic suggested an abundant presence of aged debris that originated from distant sources. This hypothesis was corroborated by the relatively high ratios of marine surface plastic to local pollution sources. Surface circulation models and field data showed that the poleward branch of the Thermohaline Circulation transfers floating debris from the North Atlantic to the Greenland and Barents seas, which would be a dead end for this plastic conveyor belt. Given the limited surface transport of the plastic that accumulated here and the mechanisms acting for the downward transport, the seafloor beneath this Arctic sector is hypothesized as an important sink of plastic debris. PMID:28439534

The Arctic Ocean as a dead end for floating plastics in the North Atlantic branch of the Thermohaline Circulation.

PubMed

Cózar, Andrés; Martí, Elisa; Duarte, Carlos M; García-de-Lomas, Juan; van Sebille, Erik; Ballatore, Thomas J; Eguíluz, Victor M; González-Gordillo, J Ignacio; Pedrotti, Maria L; Echevarría, Fidel; Troublè, Romain; Irigoien, Xabier

2017-04-01

The subtropical ocean gyres are recognized as great marine accummulation zones of floating plastic debris; however, the possibility of plastic accumulation at polar latitudes has been overlooked because of the lack of nearby pollution sources. In the present study, the Arctic Ocean was extensively sampled for floating plastic debris from the Tara Oceans circumpolar expedition. Although plastic debris was scarce or absent in most of the Arctic waters, it reached high concentrations (hundreds of thousands of pieces per square kilometer) in the northernmost and easternmost areas of the Greenland and Barents seas. The fragmentation and typology of the plastic suggested an abundant presence of aged debris that originated from distant sources. This hypothesis was corroborated by the relatively high ratios of marine surface plastic to local pollution sources. Surface circulation models and field data showed that the poleward branch of the Thermohaline Circulation transfers floating debris from the North Atlantic to the Greenland and Barents seas, which would be a dead end for this plastic conveyor belt. Given the limited surface transport of the plastic that accumulated here and the mechanisms acting for the downward transport, the seafloor beneath this Arctic sector is hypothesized as an important sink of plastic debris.

Two different regimes of anomalous walker circulation over the Indian and Pacific Oceans before and after the late 1970s

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawamura, Ryuichi; Aruga, Hiromitsu; Matsuura, Tomonori; Iizuka, Satoshi

Using the National Centers for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research reanalysis data aided by a coupled ocean-atmosphere model, we investigated two different regimes of anomalous Walker circulation system over the Pacific and Indian Oceans before and after a climate shift, which occurred in the late 1970s. During the period before the climate shift, an upper-level velocity potential anomaly systematically moves eastward from the tropical Indian Ocean to the warm pool region of the western Pacific during the growth phase of El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). In the meantime, the activities of South Asian and Australian summer monsoon systems are directly affected by the evolution of the anomalous Walker circulation. During the period after the climate shift, in contrast, an upperlevel velocity potential anomaly in the vicinity of the Philippine Sea and maritime continent is observed to expand westward into the northern Indian Ocean and South Asia during the decay phase of ENSO. This feature is identified with a major precursory signal of an anomalous South Asian summer monsoon in the preceding spring. The model captures a systematic eastward propagation similar to that observed prior to the late 1970s, but fails to reproduce the westward extension of the velocity potential anomaly observed to prevail after the late 1970s. The model results suggest that the cross-basin connection between the two oceans is a prerequisite for the turnabout of ENSO prior to the climate shift, in terms of the occurrence of westerly wind bursts.

Ocean Circulation Modeling for Aquatic Dispersion of Liquid Radioactive Effluents from Nuclear Power Plants

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chung, Y.G.; Lee, G.B.; Bang, S.Y.

2006-07-01

Recently, three-dimensional models have been used for aquatic dispersion of radioactive effluents in relation to nuclear power plant siting based on the Notice No. 2003-12 'Guideline for investigating and assessing hydrological and aquatic characteristics of nuclear facility site' of the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) in Korea. Several nuclear power plants have been under construction or planed, which are Shin-Kori Unit 1 and 2, Shin-Wolsong Unit 1 and 2, and Shin-Ulchin Unit 1 and 2. For assessing the aquatic dispersion of radionuclides released from the above nuclear power plants, it is necessary to know the coastal currents around sitesmore » which are affected by circulation of East Sea. In this study, a three dimensional hydrodynamic model for the circulation of the East Sea of Korea has been developed as the first phase, which is based on the RIAMOM (Research Institute of Applied Mechanics' Ocean Model, Kyushu University, Japan). The model uses the primitive equation with hydrostatic approximation, and uses Arakawa-B grid system horizontally and Z coordinate vertically. Model domain is 126.5 deg. E to 142.5 deg. E of east longitude and 33 deg. N and 52 deg. N of the north latitude. The space of the horizontal grid was 1/12 deg. to longitude and latitude direction and vertical level was divided to 20. This model uses Generalized Arakawa Scheme, Slant Advection, and Mode-Splitting Method. The input data were from JODC (Japan Oceanographic Data Center), KNFRDI (Korea National Fisheries Research and Development Institute), and ECMWF (European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts). The modeling results are in fairly good agreement with schematic patterns of the surface circulation in the East Sea/Japan Sea. The local current model and aquatic dispersion model of the coastal region will be developed as the second phase. The oceanic dispersion experiments will be also carried out by using ARGO Drifter around a nuclear power plant site. (authors)« less

The Effect of Changes in the Hadley Circulation on Oceanic Oxygen Minimum Zones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De La Cruz Tello, G.; Ummenhofer, C.; Karnauskas, K. B.

2014-12-01

Recent research argued that the Hadley circulation (HC) is composed of three regional cells located at the eastern edges of the ocean basins, rather than a single, globe-encircling cell as the classic textbook view suggests. The HC is expected to expand in concert with global warming, which means that the dry regions beneath the descending branches of the HC are projected to become even drier. Changes in the HC are thus likely to impact freshwater resources on land, as well as the underlying ocean in the subtropics. The eastern edges of ocean basins are characterized by oxygen minimum zones (OMZs), which are regions of very low oxygen concentrations. They affect marine life, as many animals cannot handle the stress caused by such conditions. OMZs have expanded and shoaled in the last 50 years, and they are expected to continue to do so as global climate changes. The purpose of this research is to find links between the projected changes in OMZs and the HC. The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Community Earth System Model 1.0 (CESM), Representative Concentration Pathways 8.5 (RCP8.5) experiment with a resolution of 0.9 by 1.25 degrees, which formed part of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 5 (CMIP5), was used for this analysis. Meridional winds and oceanic oxygen concentrations were the primarily analyzed variables. Latitudinal ocean oxygen slices demonstrate the OMZs' location along the eastern edges of ocean basins. Meridional winds overlayed with oxygen concentration are consistent with the idea that surface meridional 'Hadleywise flow' (i.e., towards the equator at the surface and towards the poles aloft) and OMZs are linked through changes in upwelling. Area-averaged time series spanning the historical period through to the end of the 21st century with RCP8.5 confirm that future changes in OMZs and the HC may be connected. Further research could lead to improved understanding of the factors that drive changes in both, which could

Orbital pacing and ocean circulation-induced collapses of the Mesoamerican monsoon over the past 22,000 y.

PubMed

Lachniet, Matthew S; Asmerom, Yemane; Bernal, Juan Pablo; Polyak, Victor J; Vazquez-Selem, Lorenzo

2013-06-04

The dominant controls on global paleomonsoon strength include summer insolation driven by precession cycles, ocean circulation through its influence on atmospheric circulation, and sea-surface temperatures. However, few records from the summer North American Monsoon system are available to test for a synchronous response with other global monsoons to shared forcings. In particular, the monsoon response to widespread atmospheric reorganizations associated with disruptions of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) during the deglacial period remains unconstrained. Here, we present a high-resolution and radiometrically dated monsoon rainfall reconstruction over the past 22,000 y from speleothems of tropical southwestern Mexico. The data document an active Last Glacial Maximum (18-24 cal ka B.P.) monsoon with similar δ(18)O values to the modern, and that the monsoon collapsed during periods of weakened AMOC during Heinrich stadial 1 (ca. 17 ka) and the Younger Dryas (12.9-11.5 ka). The Holocene was marked by a trend to a weaker monsoon that was paced by orbital insolation. We conclude that the Mesoamerican monsoon responded in concert with other global monsoon regions, and that monsoon strength was driven by variations in the strength and latitudinal position of the Intertropical Convergence Zone, which was forced by AMOC variations in the North Atlantic Ocean. The surprising observation of an active Last Glacial Maximum monsoon is attributed to an active but shallow AMOC and proximity to the Intertropical Convergence Zone. The emergence of agriculture in southwestern Mexico was likely only possible after monsoon strengthening in the Early Holocene at ca. 11 ka.

Orbital pacing and ocean circulation-induced collapses of the Mesoamerican monsoon over the past 22,000 y

PubMed Central

Lachniet, Matthew S.; Asmerom, Yemane; Bernal, Juan Pablo; Polyak, Victor J.; Vazquez-Selem, Lorenzo

2013-01-01

The dominant controls on global paleomonsoon strength include summer insolation driven by precession cycles, ocean circulation through its influence on atmospheric circulation, and sea-surface temperatures. However, few records from the summer North American Monsoon system are available to test for a synchronous response with other global monsoons to shared forcings. In particular, the monsoon response to widespread atmospheric reorganizations associated with disruptions of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) during the deglacial period remains unconstrained. Here, we present a high-resolution and radiometrically dated monsoon rainfall reconstruction over the past 22,000 y from speleothems of tropical southwestern Mexico. The data document an active Last Glacial Maximum (18–24 cal ka B.P.) monsoon with similar δ18O values to the modern, and that the monsoon collapsed during periods of weakened AMOC during Heinrich stadial 1 (ca. 17 ka) and the Younger Dryas (12.9–11.5 ka). The Holocene was marked by a trend to a weaker monsoon that was paced by orbital insolation. We conclude that the Mesoamerican monsoon responded in concert with other global monsoon regions, and that monsoon strength was driven by variations in the strength and latitudinal position of the Intertropical Convergence Zone, which was forced by AMOC variations in the North Atlantic Ocean. The surprising observation of an active Last Glacial Maximum monsoon is attributed to an active but shallow AMOC and proximity to the Intertropical Convergence Zone. The emergence of agriculture in southwestern Mexico was likely only possible after monsoon strengthening in the Early Holocene at ca. 11 ka. PMID:23690596

Subaqueous melting in Zachariae Isstrom, Northeast Greenland combining observations and an ocean general circulation model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, C.; Rignot, E. J.; Menemenlis, D.; Nakayama, Y.

2016-12-01

Zachariae Isstrom, a major ice stream in northeast Greenland, has lost its entire ice shelf in the past decade. Here, we study the evolution of subaqueous melting of its floating section during the transition. Observations show that the rate of ice shelf melting has doubled during 1999-2010 and is twice higher than that maintaining the ice shelf in a steady state. The ice shelf melt rate depends on the thermal forcing from warm, saline, subsurface ocean water of Atlantic origin (AW), and on the mixing of AW with fresh buoyant subglacial discharge. Subglacial discharge has increased as result of enhanced ice sheet runoff driven by warmer air temperature; ocean thermal forcing has increased due to enhanced advection of AW. Here, we employ the Massachusetts Institute of Technology general circulation model (MITgcm) at a high spatial resolution to simulate the melting process in 3-D. The model is constrained by ice thickness from mass conservation, oceanic bathymetry inverted from gravity data by NASA Operation IceBridge and NASA Ocean Melting Greenland missions, in-situ ocean temperature/salinity data, ocean tide height and current from the Arctic Ocean Tidal Inverse Model (AOTIM-5) and reconstructed seasonal subglacial discharge from the Regional Atmospheric Climate Model (RACMO2). We compare the results in winter (small runoff but not negligible) with summer (maximum runoff) at two different stages with (prior to 2012) and without the ice shelf (after 2012) to subaqueous melt rates deduced from remote sensing observations. We show that ice melting by the ocean has increased by one order of magnitude as a result of the transition from ice shelf terminating to near-vertical calving front terminating. We also find that subglacial discharge has a significant impact on ice shelf melt rates in Greenland. We conclude on the impact of ocean warming and air temperature warming on the melting regime of the ice margin of Zachariae Isstrom, Greenland. This work was performed

Southern Oscillation in surface circulation and climate over the tropical Atlantic, eastern Pacific, and Indian Oceans as captured by cluster analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wolter, K.

Clusters of sea level pressure (SLP), surface wind, cloudiness, and sea surface temperature (SST) in the domain of the tropical Atlantic, eastern Pacific, and Indian Oceans are introduced and discussed in terms of general circulation and climate. They appear to capture well the large-scale degrees of freedom of the seasonal fields. In the Atlantic, and, to a lesser extent, in the eastern Pacific, most analyzed fields group into zonally oriented trade wind clusters. These are separated distinctly by the near-equatorial trough axis. By contrast, the Indian Ocean features strong interhemispheric connections associations with the monsoon systems of boreal summer and,more » to a lesser degree, of boreal winter. The usefulness of clusters thus established is elucidated with respect to the Southern Oscillation (SO). General circulation changes associated with this planetary pressure seesaw are deduced from the correlation maps of surface field clusters for January/February and July/August. During the positive SO phase (i.e., anomalously high pressure over the eastern Pacific and anomalously low pressure over Indonesia), both the Atlantic and eastern Pacific near-equatorial troughs are inferred to be shifted towards the north from July/August SLP, wind, and cloudiness fields. While eastern Pacific trade winds are weakened in both seasons in the positive PO phase, the Atlantic trades appear strengthened at the same time in the winter hemisphere only. Over the Indian Ocean, the monsoon circulation seems to be strengthened during the positive SO phase, with the summer monsoon displaying a more complex picture. Its SLP, cloudiness, and SST fields support an enhanced southwest monsoon, while its surface winds appear largely inconclusive. SST is lowered during the positive SO phase in all three tropical oceans.« less

Response of North Atlantic Ocean Chlorophyll a to the Change of Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Min; Zhang, Yuanling; Shu, Qi; Zhao, Chang; Wang, Gang; Wu, Zhaohua; Qiao, Fangli

2017-04-01

Changes in marine phytoplankton are a vital component in global carbon cycling. Despite this far-reaching importance, the variable trend in phytoplankton and its response to climate variability remain unclear. This work presents the spatiotemporal evolution of the chlorophyll a trend in the North Atlantic Ocean by using merged ocean color products for the period 1997-2016. We find a dipole pattern between the subpolar gyre and the Gulf Stream path,and chlorophyll a trend signal propagatedalong the opposite direction of the North Atlantic Current. Such a dipole pattern and opposite propagation of chlorophyll a signal are consistent with the recent distinctive signature of the slowdown of the Atlantic MeridionalOverturning Circulation (AMOC). It is suggested that the spatiotemporal evolution of chlorophyll a during the two most recent decades is a part of the multidecadal variation and regulated byAMOC, which could be used as an indicator of AMOC variations.

Importance of ocean salinity for climate and habitability.

PubMed

Cullum, Jodie; Stevens, David P; Joshi, Manoj M

2016-04-19

Modeling studies of terrestrial extrasolar planetary climates are now including the effects of ocean circulation due to a recognition of the importance of oceans for climate; indeed, the peak equator-pole ocean heat transport on Earth peaks at almost half that of the atmosphere. However, such studies have made the assumption that fundamental oceanic properties, such as salinity, temperature, and depth, are similar to Earth. This assumption results in Earth-like circulations: a meridional overturning with warm water moving poleward at the surface, being cooled, sinking at high latitudes, and traveling equatorward at depth. Here it is shown that an exoplanetary ocean with a different salinity can circulate in the opposite direction: an equatorward flow of polar water at the surface, sinking in the tropics, and filling the deep ocean with warm water. This alternative flow regime results in a dramatic warming in the polar regions, demonstrated here using both a conceptual model and an ocean general circulation model. These results highlight the importance of ocean salinity for exoplanetary climate and consequent habitability and the need for its consideration in future studies.

Dynamics of a Snowball Earth ocean.

PubMed

Ashkenazy, Yosef; Gildor, Hezi; Losch, Martin; Macdonald, Francis A; Schrag, Daniel P; Tziperman, Eli

2013-03-07

Geological evidence suggests that marine ice extended to the Equator at least twice during the Neoproterozoic era (about 750 to 635 million years ago), inspiring the Snowball Earth hypothesis that the Earth was globally ice-covered. In a possible Snowball Earth climate, ocean circulation and mixing processes would have set the melting and freezing rates that determine ice thickness, would have influenced the survival of photosynthetic life, and may provide important constraints for the interpretation of geochemical and sedimentological observations. Here we show that in a Snowball Earth, the ocean would have been well mixed and characterized by a dynamic circulation, with vigorous equatorial meridional overturning circulation, zonal equatorial jets, a well developed eddy field, strong coastal upwelling and convective mixing. This is in contrast to the sluggish ocean often expected in a Snowball Earth scenario owing to the insulation of the ocean from atmospheric forcing by the thick ice cover. As a result of vigorous convective mixing, the ocean temperature, salinity and density were either uniform in the vertical direction or weakly stratified in a few locations. Our results are based on a model that couples ice flow and ocean circulation, and is driven by a weak geothermal heat flux under a global ice cover about a kilometre thick. Compared with the modern ocean, the Snowball Earth ocean had far larger vertical mixing rates, and comparable horizontal mixing by ocean eddies. The strong circulation and coastal upwelling resulted in melting rates near continents as much as ten times larger than previously estimated. Although we cannot resolve the debate over the existence of global ice cover, we discuss the implications for the nutrient supply of photosynthetic activity and for banded iron formations. Our insights and constraints on ocean dynamics may help resolve the Snowball Earth controversy when combined with future geochemical and geological observations.

Finding the ‘lost years’ in green turtles: insights from ocean circulation models and genetic analysis

PubMed Central

Putman, Nathan F.; Naro-Maciel, Eugenia

2013-01-01

Organismal movement is an essential component of ecological processes and connectivity among ecosystems. However, estimating connectivity and identifying corridors of movement are challenging in oceanic organisms such as young turtles that disperse into the open sea and remain largely unobserved during a period known as ‘the lost years’. Using predictions of transport within an ocean circulation model and data from published genetic analysis, we present to our knowledge, the first basin-scale hypothesis of distribution and connectivity among major rookeries and foraging grounds (FGs) of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) during their ‘lost years’. Simulations indicate that transatlantic dispersal is likely to be common and that recurrent connectivity between the southwestern Indian Ocean and the South Atlantic is possible. The predicted distribution of pelagic juvenile turtles suggests that many ‘lost years hotspots’ are presently unstudied and located outside protected areas. These models, therefore, provide new information on possible dispersal pathways that link nesting beaches with FGs. These pathways may be of exceptional conservation concern owing to their importance for sea turtles during a critical developmental period. PMID:23945687

Tropical Atlantic climate response to different freshwater input in high latitudes with an ocean-only general circulation model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Men, Guang; Wan, Xiuquan; Liu, Zedong

2016-10-01

Tropical Atlantic climate change is relevant to the variation of Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) through different physical processes. Previous coupled climate model simulation suggested a dipole-like SST structure cooling over the North Atlantic and warming over the South Tropical Atlantic in response to the slowdown of the AMOC. Using an ocean-only global ocean model here, an attempt was made to separate the total influence of various AMOC change scenarios into an oceanic-induced component and an atmospheric-induced component. In contrast with previous freshwater-hosing experiments with coupled climate models, the ocean-only modeling presented here shows a surface warming in the whole tropical Atlantic region and the oceanic-induced processes may play an important role in the SST change in the equatorial south Atlantic. Our result shows that the warming is partly governed by oceanic process through the mechanism of oceanic gateway change, which operates in the regime where freshwater forcing is strong, exceeding 0.3 Sv. Strong AMOC change is required for the gateway mechanism to work in our model because only when the AMOC is sufficiently weak, the North Brazil Undercurrent can flow equatorward, carrying warm and salty north Atlantic subtropical gyre water into the equatorial zone. This threshold is likely to be model-dependent. An improved understanding of these issues may have help with abrupt climate change prediction later.

Walker circulation in a transient climate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plesca, Elina; Grützun, Verena; Buehler, Stefan A.

2016-04-01

The tropical overturning circulations modulate the heat exchange across the tropics and between the tropics and the poles. The anthropogenic influence on the climate system will affect these circulations, impacting the dynamics of the Earth system. In this work we focus on the Walker circulation. We investigate its temporal and spatial dynamical changes and their link to other climate features, such as surface and sea-surface temperature patterns, El-Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), and ocean heat-uptake, both at global and regional scale. In order to determine the impact of anthropogenic climate change on the tropical circulation, we analyze the outputs of 28 general circulation models (GCMs) from the CMIP5 project. We use the experiment with 1% year-1 increase in CO2 concentration from pre-industrial levels to quadrupling of the concentration. Consistent with previous studies (ex. Ma and Xie 2013), we find that for this experiment most GCMs associate a weakening Walker circulation to a warming transient climate. Due to the role of the Walker Pacific cell in the meridional heat and moisture transport across the tropical Pacific and also the connection to ENSO, we find that a weakened Walker circulation correlates with more extreme El-Niño events, although without a change in their frequency. The spatial analysis of the Pacific Walker cell suggests an eastward displacement of the ascending branch, which is consistent with positive SST anomalies over the tropical Pacific and the link of the Pacific Walker cell to ENSO. Recent studies (ex. England et al. 2014) have linked a strengthened Walker circulation to stronger ocean heat uptake, especially in the western Pacific. The inter-model comparison of the correlation between Walker circulation intensity and ocean heat uptake does not convey a robust response for the investigated experiment. However, there is some evidence that a stronger weakening of the Walker circulation is linked to a higher transient climate

Atlantic Ocean circulation changes preceded millennial tropical South America rainfall events during the last glacial

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burckel, Pierre; Waelbroeck, Claire; Gherardi, Jeanne Marie; Pichat, Sylvain; Arz, Helge; Lippold, Joerg; Dokken, Trond; Thil, François

2015-01-01

the last glacial period, Greenland's climate shifted between cold (stadial) and warm (interstadial) phases that were accompanied by ocean circulation changes characterized by reduced Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) during stadials. Here we present new data from the western tropical Atlantic demonstrating that AMOC slowdowns preceded some of the large South American rainfall events that took place during stadials. Based on 231Pa/230Th and Ti/Ca measurements in the same sediment core, we determine that the AMOC started to slowdown 1420 ± 250 and 690 ± 180 (1σ) years before the onset of two large precipitation events associated with Heinrich stadials. Our results bring unprecedented evidence that AMOC changes could be at the origin of the large precipitation events observed in tropical South America during Heinrich stadials. In addition, we propose a mechanism explaining the differences in the extent and timing of AMOC slowdowns associated with shorter and longer stadials.

Pacific deep circulation and ventilation controlled by tidal mixing away from the sea bottom.

PubMed

Oka, Akira; Niwa, Yoshihiro

2013-01-01

Vertical mixing in the ocean is a key driver of the global ocean thermohaline circulation, one of the most important factors controlling past and future climate change. Prior observational and theoretical studies have focused on intense tidal mixing near the sea bottom (near-field mixing). However, ocean general circulation models that employ a parameterization of near-field mixing significantly underestimate the strength of the Pacific thermohaline circulation. Here we demonstrate that tidally induced mixing away from the sea bottom (far-field mixing) is essential in controlling the Pacific thermohaline circulation. Via the addition of far-field mixing to a widely used tidal parameterization, we successfully simulate the Pacific thermohaline circulation. We also propose that far-field mixing is indispensable for explaining the presence of the world ocean's oldest water in the eastern North Pacific Ocean. Our findings suggest that far-field mixing controls ventilation of the deep Pacific Ocean, a process important for ocean carbon and biogeochemical cycles.

The role of North Atlantic Ocean circulation and biological sequestration on atmospheric CO2 uptake during the last deglaciation (CL Division Outstanding ECS Award Lecture)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muschitiello, Francesco; D'Andrea, William J.; Dokken, Trond M.; Schmittner, Andreas

2017-04-01

Understanding the impact of ocean circulation on the global atmospheric CO2 budget is of paramount importance for anticipating the consequences of projected future changes in Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). In particular, the efficiency of the oceanic biological pump can impact atmospheric CO2 through changes in vertical carbon export mediated by variations in the nutrient inventory of the North Atlantic basin. However, the causal relationship between North Atlantic Ocean circulation, biological carbon sequestration, and atmospheric CO2 is poorly understood. Here we present new high-resolution planktic-benthic 14C data and biomarker records from an exceptionally well-dated marine core from the Nordic Seas spanning the last deglaciation ( 15,000-10,000 years BP). The records document for the first time large and rapid atmospheric CO2 drawdowns and increase in plankton stocks during major North Atlantic cooling events. Using transient climate simulations from a fully coupled climate-biosphere model, we show that minor perturbations of the North Atlantic biological pump resulting from surface freshening and AMOC weakening can have a major impact on the global atmospheric CO2 budget. Furthermore, our data help clarifying the timing and magnitude of the deglacial CO2 signal recorded in Antarctic ice cores. We conclude that the global CO2 budget is more sensitive to perturbations in North Atlantic circulation than previously thought, which has significance in the future debate of the AMOC response to anthropogenic warming.

Upper Ocean Circulation in the Glacial Northeast Atlantic during Heinrich Stadials Ice-Sheet Retreat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toucanne, S.; Soulet, G.; Bosq, M.; Marjolaine, S.; Zaragosi, S.; Bourillet, J. F.; Bayon, G.

2016-12-01

Intermediate ocean water variability is involved in climate changes over geological timescales. As a prominent example, changes in North Atlantic subsurface water properties (including warming) during Heinrich Stadials may have triggered the so-called Heinrich events through ice-shelf loss and attendant ice-stream acceleration. While the origin of Heinrich Stadials and subsequent iceberg calving remains controversial, paleoceanographic research efforts mainly focus on the deep Atlantic overturning, leaving the upper ocean largely unexplored. To further evaluate variability in upper ocean circulation and its possible relationship with ice-sheet instabilities, a depth-transect of eight cores (BOBGEO and GITAN-TANDEM cruises) from the Northeast Atlantic (down to 2 km water depth) have been used to investigate kinematic and chemical changes in the upper ocean during the last glacial period. Our results reveal that near-bottom flow speeds (reconstructed by using sortable silt mean grain-size and X-ray fluorescence core-scanner Zr/Rb ratio) and water-masses chemistry (carbon and neodymium isotopes performed on foraminifera) substantially changed in phase with the millennial-scale climate changes recognized in the ice-core records. Our results are compared with paleoceanographic reconstructions of the 'Western Boundary Undercurrent' in order to discuss regional hydrographic differences at both sides of the North Atlantic, as well as with the fluctuations of both the marine- (through ice-rafted debris) and terrestrial-terminating ice-streams (through meltwater discharges) of the circum-Atlantic ice-sheets. Particular attention will be given to the Heinrich Stadials and concomitant Channel River meltwater discharges into the Northeast Atlantic in response to the melting of the European Ice-Sheet. This comparison helps to disentangle the cryosphere-ocean interactions throughout the last ice age, and the sequence of events occurring in the course of the Heinrich Stadials.

Climate, ocean circulation, and sea level changes under stabilization and overshoot pathways to 1.5 K warming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palter, Jaime B.; Frölicher, Thomas L.; Paynter, David; John, Jasmin G.

2018-06-01

The Paris Agreement has initiated a scientific debate on the role that carbon removal - or net negative emissions - might play in achieving less than 1.5 K of global mean surface warming by 2100. Here, we probe the sensitivity of a comprehensive Earth system model (GFDL-ESM2M) to three different atmospheric CO2 concentration pathways, two of which arrive at 1.5 K of warming in 2100 by very different pathways. We run five ensemble members of each of these simulations: (1) a standard Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP4.5) scenario, which produces 2 K of surface warming by 2100 in our model; (2) a stabilization pathway in which atmospheric CO2 concentration never exceeds 440 ppm and the global mean temperature rise is approximately 1.5 K by 2100; and (3) an overshoot pathway that passes through 2 K of warming at mid-century, before ramping down atmospheric CO2 concentrations, as if using carbon removal, to end at 1.5 K of warming at 2100. Although the global mean surface temperature change in response to the overshoot pathway is similar to the stabilization pathway in 2100, this similarity belies several important differences in other climate metrics, such as warming over land masses, the strength of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), ocean acidification, sea ice coverage, and the global mean sea level change and its regional expressions. In 2100, the overshoot ensemble shows a greater global steric sea level rise and weaker AMOC mass transport than in the stabilization scenario, with both of these metrics close to the ensemble mean of RCP4.5. There is strong ocean surface cooling in the North Atlantic Ocean and Southern Ocean in response to overshoot forcing due to perturbations in the ocean circulation. Thus, overshoot forcing in this model reduces the rate of sea ice loss in the Labrador, Nordic, Ross, and Weddell seas relative to the stabilized pathway, suggesting a negative radiative feedback in response to the early

Deep and surface circulation in the Northwest Indian Ocean from Argo, surface drifter, and in situ profiling current observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stryker, S. A.; Dimarco, S. F.; Stoessel, M. M.; Wang, Z.

2010-12-01

The northwest Indian Ocean is a region of complex circulation and atmospheric influence. The Persian (Arabian) Gulf and Red Sea contribute toward the complexity of the region. This study encompasses the surface and deep circulation in the region ranging from 0°N-35°N and 40°E-80°E from January 2002-December 2009. Emphasis is in the Persian Gulf, Oman Sea and Arabian Sea (roughly from 21°N-26°N and 56°E-63°E) using a variety of in situ and observation data sets. While there is a lot known about the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea, little is known about the Oman Sea. Circulation in the northwest Indian Ocean is largely influenced by seasonal monsoon winds. From the winter monsoon to the summer monsoon, current direction reverses. Marginal sea inflow and outflow are also seasonally variable, which greatly impacts the physical water mass properties in the region. In situ and observation data sets include data from Argo floats (US GODAE), surface drifters (AOML) and an observation system consisting of 4 independent moorings and a cabled ocean observatory in the Oman Sea. The observing system in the Oman Sea was installed by Lighthouse R & D Enterprises, Inc. beginning in 2005, and measures current, temperature, conductivity, pressure, dissolved oxygen and turbidity, using the Aanderaa Recording Doppler Current Profiler (RDCP) 600 and the Aanderaa Recording Current Meter (RCM) 11. The cabled ocean observatory measures dissolved oxygen, temperature and salinity between 65 m and 1000 m and reports in real-time. Argo floats in the region have a parking depth range from 500 m to 2000 m. At 1000 m depth, 98% of the velocity magnitudes range from less than 1 cm/s to 20 cm/s. The Somali Current and Northeast/Southwest Monsoon Currents are present, reversing from summer to winter. At 2000 m depth, the Somali and Monsoon Currents are still present but have smaller velocities with 98% ranging from less than 1 cm/s to 13 cm/s. At both 1000 m and 2000 m, larger velocities occur

A Coupled Model of Langmuir Circulations and Ramp-like Structures in the Upper Ocean Turbulent Boundary Layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soloviev, A.; Dean, C.; Lukas, R.; Donelan, M. A.; Terray, E. A.

2016-12-01

Surface-wave breaking is a powerful mechanism producing significant energy flux to small scale turbulence. Most of the turbulent energy produced by breaking waves dissipates within one significant wave height, while the turbulent diffusion layer extends to approximately ten significant wave heights. Notably, the near-surface shear may practically vanish within the wave-stirred layer due to small-scale turbulent mixing. The surface ocean temperature-salinity structure, circulation, and mass exchanges (including greenhouse gases and pollutants) substantially depend on turbulent mixing and non-local transport in the near-surface layer of the ocean. Spatially coherent organized motions have been recognized as an important part of non-local transport. Langmuir circulation (LC) and ramp-like structures are believed to vertically transfer an appreciable portion of the momentum, heat, gases, pollutants (e.g., oil), and other substances in the upper layer of the ocean. Free surface significantly complicates the analysis of turbulent exchanges at the air-sea interface and the coherent structures are not yet completely understood. In particular, there is growing observational evidence that in the case of developing seas when the wind direction may not coincide with the direction of the energy containing waves, the Langmuir lines are oriented in the wind rather than the wave direction. In addition, the vortex force due to Stokes drift in traditional models is altered in the breaking-wave-stirred layer. Another complication is that the ramp-like structures in the upper ocean turbulent boundary layer have axes perpendicular to the axes of LC. The ramp-like structures are not considered in the traditional model. We have developed a new model, which treats the LC and ramp-like structures in the near-surface layer of the ocean as a coupled system. Using computational fluid dynamics tools (LES), we have been able to reproduce both LC and ramp-like structures coexisting in space

Southern Ocean Circulation: a High Resolution Examination of the Last Deglaciation from Deep-Sea Corals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robinson, L. F.; Li, T.; Chen, T.; Burke, A.; Pegrum Haram, A.; Stewart, J.; Rae, J. W. B.; van de Flierdt, T.; Struve, T.; Wilson, D. J.

2017-12-01

Two decades ago it was first noted that the skeletal remains of deep-sea corals had the potential to provide absolutely dated archives of past ocean conditions. In the intervening twenty years this field has developed to the point where strategic collections and high throughput dating techniques now allow high resolution, well dated records of past deep sea behaviour to be produced. Likewise, efforts to improve understanding of biomineralisation and growth rates are leading to refinements in proxy tools useful for examining circulation, nutrient and carbon cycling, temperature and weathering processes. Deep-sea corals are particularly valuable archives in high latitude regions where radiocarbon-based age models are susceptible to large changes in surface reservoir ages. In this presentation we show new high resolution multiproxy records of the Southern Ocean (Drake Passage) made on U-Th dated corals spanning the last glacial cycle. With more than seventeen hundred reconnaissance ages, and around 200 precise isotope dilution U-Th ages, subtle changes in ocean behaviour can be identified during times of abrupt climate change. The geochemical signature of corals from the deepest sites, closest to modern day Lower Circumpolar Deep Waters, typically show a gradual shift from glacial to Holocene values during deglaciation, likely related to ventilation of the deep ocean. By contrast for the samples collected shallower in the water column (within sites currently bathed by Upper Circumpolar Deep Waters and Antarctic Intermediate and Mode Waters) the evidence points to a more complicated picture. Vertical zonation in the geochemical data suggests that periods of stratification are interspersed with mixing events within the upper 1500m of the water column. At the same time comparison to U-Th dated records from the low latitude Pacific and Atlantic points to an important role for the Southern Ocean in feeding the intermediate waters of both ocean basins throughout the

Indian Ocean and Indian summer monsoon: relationships without ENSO in ocean-atmosphere coupled simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crétat, Julien; Terray, Pascal; Masson, Sébastien; Sooraj, K. P.; Roxy, Mathew Koll

2017-08-01

The relationship between the Indian Ocean and the Indian summer monsoon (ISM) and their respective influence over the Indo-Western North Pacific (WNP) region are examined in the absence of El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) in two partially decoupled global experiments. ENSO is removed by nudging the tropical Pacific simulated sea surface temperature (SST) toward SST climatology from either observations or a fully coupled control run. The control reasonably captures the observed relationships between ENSO, ISM and the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD). Despite weaker amplitude, IODs do exist in the absence of ENSO and are triggered by a boreal spring ocean-atmosphere coupled mode over the South-East Indian Ocean similar to that found in the presence of ENSO. These pure IODs significantly affect the tropical Indian Ocean throughout boreal summer, inducing a significant modulation of both the local Walker and Hadley cells. This meridional circulation is masked in the presence of ENSO. However, these pure IODs do not significantly influence the Indian subcontinent rainfall despite overestimated SST variability in the eastern equatorial Indian Ocean compared to observations. On the other hand, they promote a late summer cross-equatorial quadrupole rainfall pattern linking the tropical Indian Ocean with the WNP, inducing important zonal shifts of the Walker circulation despite the absence of ENSO. Surprisingly, the interannual ISM rainfall variability is barely modified and the Indian Ocean does not force the monsoon circulation when ENSO is removed. On the contrary, the monsoon circulation significantly forces the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal SSTs, while its connection with the western tropical Indian Ocean is clearly driven by ENSO in our numerical framework. Convection and diabatic heating associated with above-normal ISM induce a strong response over the WNP, even in the absence of ENSO, favoring moisture convergence over India.

Summer monsoon circulation and precipitation over the tropical Indian Ocean during ENSO in the NCEP climate forecast system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chowdary, J. S.; Chaudhari, H. S.; Gnanaseelan, C.; Parekh, Anant; Suryachandra Rao, A.; Sreenivas, P.; Pokhrel, S.; Singh, P.

2014-04-01

This study investigates the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) teleconnections to tropical Indian Ocean (TIO) and their relationship with the Indian summer monsoon in the coupled general circulation model climate forecast system (CFS). The model shows good skill in simulating the impact of El Niño over the Indian Oceanic rim during its decay phase (the summer following peak phase of El Niño). Summer surface circulation patterns during the developing phase of El Niño are more influenced by local Sea Surface Temperature (SST) anomalies in the model unlike in observations. Eastern TIO cooling similar to that of Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) is a dominant model feature in summer. This anomalous SST pattern therefore is attributed to the tendency of the model to simulate more frequent IOD events. On the other hand, in the model baroclinic response to the diabatic heating anomalies induced by the El Niño related warm SSTs is weak, resulting in reduced zonal extension of the Rossby wave response. This is mostly due to weak eastern Pacific summer time SST anomalies in the model during the developing phase of El Niño as compared to observations. Both eastern TIO cooling and weak SST warming in El Niño region combined together undermine the ENSO teleconnections to the TIO and south Asia regions. The model is able to capture the spatial patterns of SST, circulation and precipitation well during the decay phase of El Niño over the Indo-western Pacific including the typical spring asymmetric mode and summer basin-wide warming in TIO. The model simulated El Niño decay one or two seasons later, resulting long persistent warm SST and circulation anomalies mainly over the southwest TIO. In response to the late decay of El Niño, Ekman pumping shows two maxima over the southern TIO. In conjunction with this unrealistic Ekman pumping, westward propagating Rossby waves display two peaks, which play key role in the long-persistence of the TIO warming in the model (for more than a

Importance of ocean salinity for climate and habitability

PubMed Central

Cullum, Jodie; Stevens, David P.; Joshi, Manoj M.

2016-01-01

Modeling studies of terrestrial extrasolar planetary climates are now including the effects of ocean circulation due to a recognition of the importance of oceans for climate; indeed, the peak equator-pole ocean heat transport on Earth peaks at almost half that of the atmosphere. However, such studies have made the assumption that fundamental oceanic properties, such as salinity, temperature, and depth, are similar to Earth. This assumption results in Earth-like circulations: a meridional overturning with warm water moving poleward at the surface, being cooled, sinking at high latitudes, and traveling equatorward at depth. Here it is shown that an exoplanetary ocean with a different salinity can circulate in the opposite direction: an equatorward flow of polar water at the surface, sinking in the tropics, and filling the deep ocean with warm water. This alternative flow regime results in a dramatic warming in the polar regions, demonstrated here using both a conceptual model and an ocean general circulation model. These results highlight the importance of ocean salinity for exoplanetary climate and consequent habitability and the need for its consideration in future studies. PMID:27044090

Wind driven general circulation of the Mediterranean Sea simulated with a Spectral Element Ocean Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Molcard, A.; Pinardi, N.; Iskandarani, M.; Haidvogel, D. B.

2002-05-01

This work is an attempt to simulate the Mediterranean Sea general circulation with a Spectral Finite Element Model. This numerical technique associates the geometrical flexibility of the finite elements for the proper coastline definition with the precision offered by spectral methods. The model is reduced gravity and we study the wind-driven ocean response in order to explain the large scale sub-basin gyres and their variability. The study period goes from January 1987 to December 1993 and two forcing data sets are used. The effect of wind variability in space and time is analyzed and the relationship between wind stress curl and ocean response is stressed. Some of the main permanent structures of the general circulation (Gulf of Lions cyclonic gyre, Rhodes gyre, Gulf of Syrte anticylone) are shown to be induced by permanent wind stress curl structures. The magnitude and spatial variability of the wind is important in determining the appearance or disappearance of some gyres (Tyrrhenian anticyclonic gyre, Balearic anticyclonic gyre, Ionian cyclonic gyre). An EOF analysis of the seasonal variability indicates that the weakening and strengthening of the Levantine basin boundary currents is a major component of the seasonal cycle in the basin. The important discovery is that seasonal and interannual variability peak at the same spatial scales in the ocean response and that the interannual variability includes the change in amplitude and phase of the seasonal cycle in the sub-basin scale gyres and boundary currents. The Coriolis term in the vorticity balance seems to be responsible for the weakening of anticyclonic structures and their total disappearance when they are close to a boundary. The process of adjustment to winds produces a train of coastally trapped gravity waves which travel around the eastern and western basins, respectively in approximately 6 months. This corresponds to a phase velocity for the wave of about 1 m/s, comparable to an average velocity of

Untangling biogeochemical processes from the impact of ocean circulation: First insight on the Mediterranean dissolved barium dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jullion, L.; Jacquet, S. H. M.; Tanhua, T.

2017-08-01

Based on an unprecedented dissolved barium (D_Ba) data set collected in the Mediterranean Sea during a zonal transect between the Lebanon coast and Gibraltar (M84/3 cruise, April 2011), we decompose the D_Ba distribution to isolate the contribution of biogeochemical processes from the impact of the oceanic circulation. We have built a simple parametric water mass analysis (Parametric Optimum Multiparameter analysis) to reconstruct the contribution of the different Mediterranean water masses to the thermohaline structure. These water mass fractions have then been used to successfully reconstruct the background vertical gradient of D_Ba reflecting the balance between the large-scale oceanic circulation and the biological activity over long time scales. Superimposed on the background field, several D_Ba anomalies have been identified. Positive anomalies are associated with topographic obstacles and may be explained by the dissolution of particulate biogenic barium (P_Ba barite) of material resuspended by the local currents. The derived dissolution rates range from 0.06 to 0.21 μmol m-2 d-1. Negative anomalies are present in the mesopelagic region of the western and eastern basins (except in the easternmost Levantine basin) as well as in the abyssal western basin. This represents the first quantification of the nonconservative component of the D_Ba signal. These mesopelagic anomalies could reflect the subtraction of D_Ba during P_Ba barite formation occurring during organic carbon remineralization. The deep anomalies may potentially reflect the transport of material toward the deep sea during winter deep convection and the subsequent remineralization. The D_Ba subtraction fluxes range from -0.07 to -1.28 μmol m-2 d-1. D_Ba-derived fluxes of P_Ba barite (up to 0.21 μmol m-2 d-1) and organic carbon (13 to 29 mmol C m-2 d-1) are in good agreement with other independent measurements suggesting that D_Ba can help constrain remineralization horizons. This study highlights

Regional variations in provenance and abundance of ice-rafted clasts in Arctic Ocean sediments: Implications for the configuration of late Quaternary oceanic and atmospheric circulation in the Arctic

USGS Publications Warehouse

Phillips, R.L.; Grantz, A.

2001-01-01

The composition and distribution of ice-rafted glacial erratics in late Quaternary sediments define the major current systems of the Arctic Ocean and identify two distinct continental sources for the erratics. In the southern Amerasia basin up to 70% of the erratics are dolostones and limestones (the Amerasia suite) that originated in the carbonate-rich Paleozoic terranes of the Canadian Arctic Islands. These clasts reached the Arctic Ocean in glaciers and were ice-rafted to the core sites in the clockwise Beaufort Gyre. The concentration of erratics decreases northward by 98% along the trend of the gyre from southeastern Canada basin to Makarov basin. The concentration of erratics then triples across the Makarov basin flank of Lomonosov Ridge and siltstone, sandstone and siliceous clasts become dominant in cores from the ridge and the Eurasia basin (the Eurasia suite). The bedrock source for the siltstone and sandstone clasts is uncertain, but bedrock distribution and the distribution of glaciation in northern Eurasia suggest the Taymyr Peninsula-Kara Sea regions. The pattern of clast distribution in the Arctic Ocean sediments and the sharp northward decrease in concentration of clasts of Canadian Arctic Island provenance in the Amerasia basin support the conclusion that the modem circulation pattern of the Arctic Ocean, with the Beaufort Gyre dominant in the Amerasia basin and the Transpolar drift dominant in the Eurasia basin, has controlled both sea-ice and glacial iceberg drift in the Arctic Ocean during interglacial intervals since at least the late Pleistocene. The abruptness of the change in both clast composition and concentration on the Makarov basin flank of Lomonosov Ridge also suggests that the boundary between the Beaufort Gyre and the Transpolar Drift has been relatively stable during interglacials since that time. Because the Beaufort Gyre is wind-driven our data, in conjunction with the westerly directed orientation of sand dunes that formed during

Geothermal influences on the abyssal ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Emile-Geay, J.; Madec, G.

2017-12-01

Long considered a negligible contribution to ocean dynamics, geothermal heat flow (GHF) is now increasingly recognized as an important contributor to the large scale ocean's deep structure and circulation. This presentation will review the history of theories regarding geothermal influences on the abyssal ocean. Though the contribution to the thermal structure was recognized early on, its potential in driving a circulation [Worthington, 1968] was largely ignored on the grounds that it could not materially affect potential vorticity. Huang [JPO, 1999] proposed that GHF may provide 30-50% of the energy available for deep mixing, a calculation that later proved too optimistic [Wunsch & Ferrari ARFM 2004]. Model simulations suggested that a uniform GHF of 50 mW/m2 could drive an abyssal of a few Sverdrups (1 Sv = 106 m3.s-1) [Adcroft et al, GRL 2001], but it was not until Emile-Geay & Madec [OS, 2009] (EM09) that GHF began to be taken seriously [Mashayek et al, GRL 2013; Voldoire et al. Clim. Dyn. 2013; Dufresnes et al., Clim. Dyn. 2013]. Using analytical and numerical approaches, the study made 3 main points: GHF brings as much energy to the deep ocean as intense diapycnal mixing (1 cm2/s). GHF consumes the densest water masses, inducing a deep circulation of 5 Sv even without mixing. This circulation varies in inverse proportion to abyssal stratification. The spatial structure of GHF, highest at mid-ocean ridges and lowest in abyssal plains, matters far less than the fact that it bathes vast fractions of the ocean floor in a relatively low, constant flux. EM09 concluded that GHF "is an important actor of abyssal dynamics, and should no longer be neglected in oceanographic studies". Recent work has confirmed that geothermal heat flow is of comparable importance to ocean circulation as bottom-intensified mixing induced by internal wave breaking [De Lavergne et al, JPO 2016a,b]. Thus, including GHF in ocean general circulation models improves abyssal structure and

Fueling export production: nutrient return pathways from the deep ocean and their dependence on the Meridional Overturning Circulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palter, J. B.; Sarmiento, J. L.; Gnanadesikan, A.; Simeon, J.; Slater, R. D.

2010-11-01

In the Southern Ocean, mixing and upwelling in the presence of heat and freshwater surface fluxes transform subpycnocline water to lighter densities as part of the upward branch of the Meridional Overturning Circulation (MOC). One hypothesized impact of this transformation is the restoration of nutrients to the global pycnocline, without which biological productivity at low latitudes would be significantly reduced. Here we use a novel set of modeling experiments to explore the causes and consequences of the Southern Ocean nutrient return pathway. Specifically, we quantify the contribution to global productivity of nutrients that rise from the ocean interior in the Southern Ocean, the northern high latitudes, and by mixing across the low latitude pycnocline. In addition, we evaluate how the strength of the Southern Ocean winds and the parameterizations of subgridscale processes change the dominant nutrient return pathways in the ocean. Our results suggest that nutrients upwelled from the deep ocean in the Antarctic Circumpolar Current and subducted in Subantartic Mode Water support between 33 and 75% of global export production between 30° S and 30° N. The high end of this range results from an ocean model in which the MOC is driven primarily by wind-induced Southern Ocean upwelling, a configuration favored due to its fidelity to tracer data, while the low end results from an MOC driven by high diapycnal diffusivity in the pycnocline. In all models, nutrients exported in the SAMW layer are utilized and converted rapidly (in less than 40 years) to remineralized nutrients, explaining previous modeling results that showed little influence of the drawdown of SAMW surface nutrients on atmospheric carbon concentrations.

Fueling primary productivity: nutrient return pathways from the deep ocean and their dependence on the Meridional Overturning Circulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palter, J. B.; Sarmiento, J. L.; Gnanadesikan, A.; Simeon, J.; Slater, D.

2010-06-01

In the Southern Ocean, mixing and upwelling in the presence of heat and freshwater surface fluxes transform subpycnocline water to lighter densities as part of the upward branch of the Meridional Overturning Circulation (MOC). One hypothesized impact of this transformation is the restoration of nutrients to the global pycnocline, without which biological productivity at low latitudes would be catastrophically reduced. Here we use a novel set of modeling experiments to explore the causes and consequences of the Southern Ocean nutrient return pathway. Specifically, we quantify the contribution to global productivity of nutrients that rise from the ocean interior in the Southern Ocean, the northern high latitudes, and by mixing across the low latitude pycnocline. In addition, we evaluate how the strength of the Southern Ocean winds and the parameterizations of subgridscale processes change the dominant nutrient return pathways in the ocean. Our results suggest that nutrients upwelled from the deep ocean in the Antarctic Circumpolar Current and subducted in Subantartic Mode Water support between 33 and 75% of global primary productivity between 30° S and 30° N. The high end of this range results from an ocean model in which the MOC is driven primarily by wind-induced Southern Ocean upwelling, a configuration favored due to its fidelity to tracer data, while the low end results from an MOC driven by high diapycnal diffusivity in the pycnocline. In all models, the high preformed nutrients subducted in the SAMW layer are converted rapidly (in less than 40 years) to remineralized nutrients, explaining previous modeling results that showed little influence of the drawdown of SAMW surface nutrients on atmospheric carbon concentrations.

On the Formation of Meridional Overturning Circulation in the Pacific Ocean during the MIS31 Interglacial

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Justino, F. J.; Lindemann, D.; Kucharski, F.

2016-02-01

Earth climate history has been punctuated by cold (glacial) and warm (inter-glacial) intervals associated with modification of the planetary orbit and subsequently changes in paleotopography.During the Pleistocene epoch, the time interval between 1.8 million and 11,700 before present, remarkable episodes of warmer climates such as the Marine IsotopeStage (MIS) 1, 5e, 11c, and 31 which occurred at 9, 127, 409, and 1080 ka, lead to changes in air temperature in the polar regions and substantial melting of polar glaciers. Based on first ever multi-millennium coupled climate simulations of the Marine Isotope Stage 31 (MIS31), long-term oceanic conditions characteristic of this interval have been analyzed. Modeling experiments forced by modified West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) topography and astronomical configuration, demonstrated that substantial increase in the thermohaline flow and its associated northward heat transport in both Atlantic and Pacific oceans are predicted to occur during the MIS31. In the Atlantic these changes are driven by enhanced oceanic heat loss and increased water density. In the Pacific, anomalous atmospheric circulation leads to an overall increase of the water mass transport in the subtropical gyre, and drastically modified subtropical cell.Additional aspects related to the formation of the Pacific ocean MOC will be presented. This study is sponsored by the Brazilian Antarctic Program Grant CNPq 407681/2013-2.

Ockham's Razorblade Shaving Wind-Induced Circulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bergmann, Juan Carlos

2010-05-01

Terrestrial physical oceanography is fortunate because of the existence of the continents that divide the low-latitude oceans into basins. At first glance, the previous statement appears to be not obvious because an ocean-planet should be much simpler to describe. Simple-case explanation is the central aspect of Ockham's Razorblade: If a theory fails to describe the most-simple case properly, the theory is, at least, ‘not good'. Also Descartes' methodical rules take the most-simple case as starting point. The analysis of wind-induced circulation on an ocean-planet will support the initial statement. Earth's south hemisphere is dominated by the oceans. The continents' influence on the zonal-average zonal-wind climate is relatively small. Therefore, South Hemisphere's zonal wind pattern is a relatively good proxy for that of an ocean planet. Application of this wind-stress pattern to an ocean planet yields reasonable meridional mass-flow results from the polar-regions down to the high-pressure belts: Down-welling and up-welling of water-mass are approximately balanced. However, the entire tropical circulation can in principle not be closed because there is only down-welling - even if the extreme down-welling in the equatorial belt (± 8°, with a singularity at the equator) is disregarded. The only input to the calculations is the observed terrestrial south-hemisphere zonal wind-stress pattern. Meridional stress is irrelevant because it produces a closed zonal Ekman-transport around the ocean planet (sic!). Vertical mass-transport is calculated from the divergence of the wind-induced meridional Ekman-mass-transport, which in its turn is a necessary consequence of angular-momentum conservation. No assumptions are made on how the return-flows at depth are forced because the wind-force equations cannot contribute hereto. This circumstance expresses a fundamental difference to atmospheric circulation, where mechanical forcing is caused by the pressure-fields that

Secular trends and climate drift in coupled ocean-atmosphere general circulation models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Covey, Curt; Gleckler, Peter J.; Phillips, Thomas J.; Bader, David C.

2006-02-01

Coupled ocean-atmosphere general circulation models (coupled GCMs) with interactive sea ice are the primary tool for investigating possible future global warming and numerous other issues in climate science. A long-standing problem with such models is that when different components of the physical climate system are linked together, the simulated climate can drift away from observation unless constrained by ad hoc adjustments to interface fluxes. However, 11 modern coupled GCMs, including three that do not employ flux adjustments, behave much better in this respect than the older generation of models. Surface temperature trends in control run simulations (with external climate forcing such as solar brightness and atmospheric carbon dioxide held constant) are small compared with observed trends, which include 20th century climate change due to both anthropogenic and natural factors. Sea ice changes in the models are dominated by interannual variations. Deep ocean temperature and salinity trends are small enough for model control runs to extend over 1000 simulated years or more, but trends in some regions, most notably the Arctic, differ substantially among the models and may be problematic. Methods used to initialize coupled GCMs can mitigate climate drift but cannot eliminate it. Lengthy "spin-ups" of models, made possible by increasing computer power, are one reason for the improvements this paper documents.

Subaqueous melting in Zachariae Isstrom, Northeast Greenland combining observations and an ocean general circulation model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, C.; Rignot, E. J.; Menemenlis, D.

2015-12-01

Zachariae Isstrom, a major ice stream in northeast Greenland, has lost its entire ice shelf in the past decade. Here, we study the evolution of subaqueous melting of its floating section during the transition. Observations show that the rate of ice shelf melting has doubled during 1999-2010 and is twice higher than that maintaining the ice shelf in a state of mass equilibrium. The ice shelf melt rate depends on the thermal forcing from warm, salty, subsurface ocean water of Atlantic origin (AW), and - in contrast with Antarctic ice shelves - on the mixing of AW with fresh buoyant subglacial discharge. Subglacial discharge has increased as result of enhanced ice sheet runoff driven by warmer air temperature; ocean thermal forcing has increased due enhanced advection of AW. Here, we employ the Massassuchetts Institute of Technology general circulation model (MITgcm) at a high spatial resolution (1 m horizontal and 1 m vertical spacing near the grounding line) to simulate the melting process in 3-D. The model is constrained by ice thickness from mass conservation, oceanic bathymetry from NASA Operation IceBridge gravity data, in-situ ocean temperature/salinity data, ocean tide height and current from the Arctic Ocean Tidal Inverse Model (AOTIM-5) and subglacial discharge from output products of the Regional Atmospheric Climate Model (RACMO). We compare the results in winter (no runoff) with summer (maximum runoff) at two different stages with (prior to 2012) and without the ice shelf (after 2012) to subaqueous melt rates deduced from remote sensing observations. We show that ice melting by the ocean has increased by one order of magnitude as a result of the transition from ice shelf terminating to near-vertical calving front terminating. We also find that subglacial discharge has a significant impact on the ice shelf melt rates in Greenland. We conclude on the impact of ocean warming and air temperature warming on the melting regime of the ice margin of Zachariae

Coupling of wave and circulation models in coastal-ocean predicting systems: A case study for the German Bight

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Staneva, Joanna; Wahle, Kathrin

2015-04-01

This study addresses the coupling between wind wave and circulation models on the example of the German Bight and its coastal area called the Wadden Sea (the area between the barrier islands and the coast). This topic reflects the increased interest in operational oceanography to reduce prediction errors of state estimates at coastal scales. The uncertainties in most of the presently used models result from the nonlinear feedback between strong tidal currents and wind-waves, which can no longer be ignored, in particular in the coastal zone where its role seems to be dominant. A nested modelling system is used in the Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht to producing reliable now- and short-term forecasts of ocean state variables, including wind waves and hydrodynamics. In this study we present analysis of wave and hydrographic observations, as well as the results of numerical simulations. The data base includes ADCP observations and continuous measurements from data stations. The individual and collective role of wind, waves and tidal forcing are quantified. The performance of the forecasting system is illustrated for the cases of several extreme events. Effects of ocean waves on coastal circulation and SST simulations are investigated considering wave-dependent stress and wave breaking parameterization during extreme events, e.g. hurricane Xavier in December, 2013. Also the effect which the circulation exerts on the wind waves is tested for the coastal areas using different parameterizations. The improved skill resulting from the new developments in the forecasting system, in particular during extreme events, justifies further enhancements of the coastal pre-operational system for the North Sea and German Bight.

Indian Ocean circulation changes over the Middle Pleistocene Transition.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petrick, B.; Auer, G.; De Vleeschouwer, D.; Christensen, B. A.; Stolfi, C.; Reuning, L.; Martinez-Garcia, A.; Haug, G. H.; Bogus, K.

2017-12-01

The Mid-Pleistocene Transition (MPT; 1.4 - 0.4 Ma) represents a climatic shift towards climate cycles at a quasi-100-kyr frequency. Although, several high-resolution records covering the MPT from globally distributed archives exist, there is only sparse evidence on changes in heat exchange between the Pacific and Indian Oceans, which represents a crucial part of the global thermohaline circulation (THC). Deciphering the influence of this heat exchange via the Indonesian Throughflow (ITF) is an important step in understanding the causes of the MPT. The Leeuwin Current off Western Australia is directly influenced by the ITF and can therefore be used to reconstruct ITF variability during the MPT. Today, the Leeuwin Current is the only southward flowing eastern boundary current in the southern hemisphere. The onset of the current is unknown but is proposed to have occurred 1 Ma and was likely related to significant changes in ITF dynamics during the MPT We present the first continuous reconstruction of changes in the Leeuwin Current during the MPT using data from IODP Expedition 356 Site U1460. The site is located at 29°S in the path of the current. High sedimentation rates ( 30 cm/ka) at Site U1460 provide the opportunity for high-resolution reconstruction of the MPT. We reconstruct paleoenvironmental variability by combining XRF, organic geochemistry, ICP-MS and XRD data with shipboard data, to reconstruct Leeuwin Current and ITF variability. Initial analyses show clear indications that upwelling off Western Australia intensified during the MPT, indicated by increased primary productivity related to increased nutrient levels, from 900-600 ka. Our results also suggest that the west Australian current (WAC) strengthened during this time supplying cool eutrophic waters from the high southern latitutes to the site. This intensification of the WAC may have had major implications for the Indian Ocean current system, but also the THC at large. This seems to be coupled with

Modeling of subaqueous melting in Petermann Fjord, Northwestern Greenland using an ocean general circulation model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, C.; Rignot, E. J.; Xu, Y.; An, L.; Tinto, K. J.; van den Broeke, M. R.

2014-12-01

Basal melting of the floating tongue of Petermann Glacier, in northwestern Greenland is by far the largest process of mass ablation. Melting of the floating tongue is controlled by the buoyancy of the melt water plume, the pressure-dependence of the melting point of sea ice, and the mixing of warm subsurface water with fresh buoyant subglacial discharge. In prior simulations of this melting process, the role of subglacial discharge has been neglected because in similar configurations (floating ice shelves) in the Antarctic, surface runoff is negligible; this is however not true in Greenland. Here, we use the Mass Institute of Technology general circulation model (MITgcm) at a high spatial resolution (10 m x 10 m) to simulate the melting process of the ice shelf in 2-D. The model is constrained by ice shelf bathymetry and ice thickness (refined model in the immediate vicinity of the grounding line) from NASA Operation IceBridge (2011), ocean temperature/salinity data from Johnson et al. (2011), ocean tide height and current from the Arctic Ocean Tidal Inverse Model (AOTIM-5) by Padman and Erofeeva (2004) and subglacial discharge at the grounding line calculated by the hydrostatic potential of the ice from estimated products of the Regional Atmospheric Climate Model (RACMO) of Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI). We compare the results obtained in winter (no runoff) with summer, and the sensitivity of the results to thermal forcing from the ocean, and to the variation of tide height and current, and to the magnitude of subglacial runoff. We conclude on the impact of the ocean and surface melting on the melting regime of the floating ice tongue of Petermann. The basal melt rate increases ~20% with summer surface runoff. This work is performed under a contract with NASA Cryosphere Program.

Ocean science. Enhanced: internal tides and ocean mixing.

PubMed

Garrett, Chris

2003-09-26

Recent satellite and in situ observations have shown that at ocean ridges and other seafloor topographic features, a substantial amount of energy is transferred from the main ocean tides into "internal tides." In his Perspective, Garrett explains how these internal waves with tidal periods propagate through the density-stratified deep ocean and eventually break down into turbulence. The resulting mixing affects ocean stratification and ocean circulation. It thus influences climate as well as biological production. The energy for the internal tides is derived from the rotational energy of the Earth-Moon system changes of the length of the day and the distance to the Moon.

Impact of Seawater Nonlinearities on Nordic Seas Circulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Helber, R. W.; Wallcraft, A. J.; Shriver, J. F.

2017-12-01

The Nordic Seas (Greenland, Iceland, and Norwegian Seas) form an ocean basin important for Arctic-mid-latitude climate linkages. Cold fresh water from the Arctic Ocean and warm salty water from the North Atlantic Ocean meet in the Nordic Seas, where a delicate balance between temperature and salinity variability results in deep water formation. Seawater non-linearities are stronger at low temperatures and salinities making high-latitude oceans highly subject to thermbaricity and cabbeling. This presentation highlights and quantifies the impact of seawater non-linearities on the Nordic Seas circulation. We use two layered ocean circulation models, the Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYOCM) and the Modular Ocean Model version 6 (MOM6), that enable accurate representation of processes along and across density or neutral density surfaces. Different equations-of-state and vertical coordinates are evaluated to clarify the impact of seawater non-linearities. Present Navy systems, however, do not capture some features in the Nrodic Seas vertical structure. For example, observations from the Greenland Sea reveal a subsurface temperature maximum that deepens from approximately 1500 m during 1998 to 1800 m during 2005. We demonstrate that in terms of density, salinity is the largest source of error in Nordic Seas Navy forecasts, regional scale models can represent mesoscale features driven by thermobaricity, vertical coordinates are a critical issue in Nordic Sea circulation modeling.

How potentially predictable are midlatitude ocean currents?

PubMed Central

Nonaka, Masami; Sasai, Yoshikazu; Sasaki, Hideharu; Taguchi, Bunmei; Nakamura, Hisashi

2016-01-01

Predictability of atmospheric variability is known to be limited owing to significant uncertainty that arises from intrinsic variability generated independently of external forcing and/or boundary conditions. Observed atmospheric variability is therefore regarded as just a single realization among different dynamical states that could occur. In contrast, subject to wind, thermal and fresh-water forcing at the surface, the ocean circulation has been considered to be rather deterministic under the prescribed atmospheric forcing, and it still remains unknown how uncertain the upper-ocean circulation variability is. This study evaluates how much uncertainty the oceanic interannual variability can potentially have, through multiple simulations with an eddy-resolving ocean general circulation model driven by the observed interannually-varying atmospheric forcing under slightly different conditions. These ensemble “hindcast” experiments have revealed substantial uncertainty due to intrinsic variability in the extratropical ocean circulation that limits potential predictability of its interannual variability, especially along the strong western boundary currents (WBCs) in mid-latitudes, including the Kuroshio and its eastward extention. The intrinsic variability also greatly limits potential predictability of meso-scale oceanic eddy activity. These findings suggest that multi-member ensemble simulations are essential for understanding and predicting variability in the WBCs, which are important for weather and climate variability and marine ecosystems. PMID:26831954

3D movies for teaching seafloor bathymetry, plate tectonics, and ocean circulation in large undergraduate classes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peterson, C. D.; Lisiecki, L. E.; Gebbie, G.; Hamann, B.; Kellogg, L. H.; Kreylos, O.; Kronenberger, M.; Spero, H. J.; Streletz, G. J.; Weber, C.

2015-12-01

Geologic problems and datasets are often 3D or 4D in nature, yet projected onto a 2D surface such as a piece of paper or a projection screen. Reducing the dimensionality of data forces the reader to "fill in" that collapsed dimension in their minds, creating a cognitive challenge for the reader, especially new learners. Scientists and students can visualize and manipulate 3D datasets using the virtual reality software developed for the immersive, real-time interactive 3D environment at the KeckCAVES at UC Davis. The 3DVisualizer software (Billen et al., 2008) can also operate on a desktop machine to produce interactive 3D maps of earthquake epicenter locations and 3D bathymetric maps of the seafloor. With 3D projections of seafloor bathymetry and ocean circulation proxy datasets in a virtual reality environment, we can create visualizations of carbon isotope (δ13C) records for academic research and to aid in demonstrating thermohaline circulation in the classroom. Additionally, 3D visualization of seafloor bathymetry allows students to see features of seafloor most people cannot observe first-hand. To enhance lessons on mid-ocean ridges and ocean basin genesis, we have created movies of seafloor bathymetry for a large-enrollment undergraduate-level class, Introduction to Oceanography. In the past four quarters, students have enjoyed watching 3D movies, and in the fall quarter (2015), we will assess how well 3D movies enhance learning. The class will be split into two groups, one who learns about the Mid-Atlantic Ridge from diagrams and lecture, and the other who learns with a supplemental 3D visualization. Both groups will be asked "what does the seafloor look like?" before and after the Mid-Atlantic Ridge lesson. Then the whole class will watch the 3D movie and respond to an additional question, "did the 3D visualization enhance your understanding of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge?" with the opportunity to further elaborate on the effectiveness of the visualization.

Role of the Bering Strait on the hysteresis of the ocean conveyor belt circulation and glacial climate stability.

PubMed

Hu, Aixue; Meehl, Gerald A; Han, Weiqing; Timmermann, Axel; Otto-Bliesner, Bette; Liu, Zhengyu; Washington, Warren M; Large, William; Abe-Ouchi, Ayako; Kimoto, Masahide; Lambeck, Kurt; Wu, Bingyi

2012-04-24

Abrupt climate transitions, known as Dansgaard-Oeschger and Heinrich events, occurred frequently during the last glacial period, specifically from 80-11 thousand years before present, but were nearly absent during interglacial periods and the early stages of glacial periods, when major ice-sheets were still forming. Here we show, with a fully coupled state-of-the-art climate model, that closing the Bering Strait and preventing its throughflow between the Pacific and Arctic Oceans during the glacial period can lead to the emergence of stronger hysteresis behavior of the ocean conveyor belt circulation to create conditions that are conducive to triggering abrupt climate transitions. Hence, it is argued that even for greenhouse warming, abrupt climate transitions similar to those in the last glacial time are unlikely to occur as the Bering Strait remains open.

Modeling of submarine melting in Petermann Fjord, Northwestern Greenland using an ocean general circulation model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, C.; Rignot, E. J.; Xu, Y.; An, L.

2013-12-01

Basal melting of the floating tongue of Petermann Glacier, in northwestern Greenland is by far the largest process of mass ablation. Melting of the floating tongue is controlled by the buoyancy of the melt water plume, the pressure-dependence of the melting point of sea ice, and the mixing of warm subsurface water with fresh buoyant subglacial discharge. In prior simulations of this melting process, the role of subglacial discharge has been neglected because in similar configurations (floating ice shelves) in the Antarctic, surface runoff is negligible; this is however not true in Greenland. Here, we use the Mass Institute of Technology general circulation model (MITgcm) at a high spatial resolution (10 m x 10 m) to simulate the melting process of the ice shelf in 2-D. the model is constrained by ice shelf bathymetry and ice thickness from NASA Operation IceBridge, ocean temperature/salinity data from Johnson et al. (2011), and subglacial discharge estimated from output products of the Regional Atmospheric Climate Model (RACMO). We compare the results obtained in winter (no runoff) with summer, and the sensitivity of the results to thermal forcing from the ocean, and to the magnitude of subglacial runoff. We conclude on the impact of the ocean and surface melting on the melting regime of the floating ice tongue of Petermann. This work is performed under a contract with NASA Cryosphere Program.

Changes in benthic ecosystems and ocean circulation in the Southeast Atlantic across Eocene Thermal Maximum 2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jennions, S. M.; Thomas, E.; Schmidt, D. N.; Lunt, D.; Ridgwell, A.

2015-08-01

Eocene Thermal Maximum 2 (ETM2) occurred 1.8 Myr after the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) and, like the PETM, was characterized by a negative carbon isotope excursion and warming. We combined benthic foraminiferal and sedimentological records for Southeast Atlantic Sites 1263 (1500 m paleodepth) and 1262 (3600 m paleodepth) to show that benthic foraminiferal diversity and accumulation rates declined more precipitously and severely at the shallower site during peak ETM2. As the sites are in close proximity, differences in surface productivity cannot have caused this differential effect. Instead, we infer that changes in ocean circulation across ETM2 may have produced more pronounced warming at intermediate depths (Site 1263). The effects of warming include increased metabolic rates, a decrease in effective food supply and increased deoxygenation, thus potentially explaining the more severe benthic impacts at Site 1263. In response, bioturbation may have decreased more at Site 1263 than at Site 1262, differentially affecting bulk carbonate records. We use a sediment-enabled Earth system model to test whether a reduction in bioturbation and/or the likely reduced carbonate saturation of more poorly ventilated waters can explain the more extreme excursion in bulk δ13C and sharper transition in wt % CaCO3 at Site 1263. We find that both enhanced acidification and reduced bioturbation during the ETM2 peak are needed to account for the observed features. Our combined ecological and modeling analysis illustrates the potential role of ocean circulation changes in amplifying local environmental changes and driving temporary, but drastic, loss of benthic biodiversity and abundance.

Circulation, eddies, oxygen and nutrient changes in the eastern tropical South Pacific Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Czeschel, R.; Stramma, L.; Weller, R. A.; Fischer, T.

2014-09-01

A large, subsurface oxygen deficiency zone is located in the eastern tropical South Pacific Ocean (ETSP). The large-scale circulation in the eastern equatorial Pacific and off Peru in November/December 2012 shows the influence of the equatorial current system, the eastern boundary currents, and the northern reaches of the subtropical gyre. In November 2012 the Equatorial Undercurrent is centered at 250 m depth, deeper than in earlier observations. In December 2012 the equatorial water is transported southeastward near the shelf in the Peru-Chile Undercurrent with a mean transport of 1.6 Sv. In the oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) the flow is overlaid with strong eddy activity on the poleward side of the OMZ. Floats with parking depth at 400 m show fast westward flow in the mid-depth equatorial channel and sluggish flow in the OMZ. Floats with oxygen sensors clearly show the passage of eddies with oxygen anomalies. The long-term float observations in the upper ocean lead to a net community production estimate at about 18° S of up to 16.7 mmol C m-3 yr1 extrapolated to an annual rate and 7.7 mmol C m-3 yr-1 for the time period below the mixed layer. Oxygen differences between repeated ship sections are influenced by the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation, by the phase of El Niño, by seasonal changes, and by eddies and hence have to be interpreted with care. At and south of the equator the decrease in oxygen in the upper ocean since 1976 is related to an increase in nitrate, phosphate, and in part in silicate.

Circulation, eddies, oxygen, and nutrient changes in the eastern tropical South Pacific Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Czeschel, R.; Stramma, L.; Weller, R. A.; Fischer, T.

2015-06-01

A large subsurface oxygen deficiency zone is located in the eastern tropical South Pacific Ocean (ETSP). The large-scale circulation in the eastern equatorial Pacific and off the coast of Peru in November/December 2012 shows the influence of the equatorial current system, the eastern boundary currents, and the northern reaches of the subtropical gyre. In November 2012 the equatorial undercurrent (EUC) is centered at 250 m depth, deeper than in earlier observations. In December 2012, the equatorial water is transported southeastward near the shelf in the Peru-Chile undercurrent (PCUC) with a mean transport of 1.4 Sv. In the oxygen minimum zone (OMZ), the flow is overlaid with strong eddy activity on the poleward side of the OMZ. Floats with parking depth at 400 m show fast westward flow in the mid-depth equatorial channel and sluggish flow in the OMZ. Floats with oxygen sensors clearly show the passage of eddies with oxygen anomalies. The long-term float observations in the upper ocean lead to a net community production estimate at about 18° S of up to 16.7 mmol C m-3 yr-1 extrapolated to an annual rate and 7.7 mmol C m-3 yr-1 for the time period below the mixed layer. Oxygen differences between repeated ship sections are influenced by the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation (IPO), by the phase of El Niño, by seasonal changes, and by eddies, and hence have to be interpreted with care. At and south of the Equator the decrease in oxygen in the upper ocean since 1976 is related to an increase in nitrate, phosphate, and in part silicate.

Applying Ensemble Kalman Filter to Regional Ocean Circulation Model in the East Asian Marginal Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pak, Gyun-Do; Kim, Young Ho; Chang, Kyung-Il

2010-05-01

We successfully apply the ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) data assimilation scheme to the East Sea Regional Ocean Model (ESROM). The ESROM solves the three dimensional ocean primitive equations with the hydrostatic and Boussinesq approximations. The domain of ESROM fully covers East Sea with grid intervals of approximately 0.1˚. The ESROM has one inflow port, the Korea Strait, and two outflow ports, the Tsugaru and Soya straits. High resolution bathymetry of 1/60˚ (Choi et al., 2002) is adopted for the model topography. The ESROM is initialized using hydrographic data from World Ocean Atlas (WOA), and forced by monthly mean surface and open boundary conditions supplied from European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecast data, WOA and so on. The EnKF system is composed of 16 ensembles and thousands of observation data are assimilated at every assimilation step into its parallel version, which significantly reduces the required memory and computational time more than 3-fold compared with its serial version. To prevent the collapse of ensembles due to rank deficiency, we employ various schemes such as localization and inflation of the background error covariance and disturbance of observations. Sea surface temperature from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer and in-situ temperature profiles from various sources including Argo floats have been assimilated into the EnKF system. For cyclonic circulation in the northern East Sea and paths of the East Korean Warm Current and the Nearshore Branch, the EnKF system reproduces the mean surface circulation more realistically than that in the case without data assimilation. Simulated area-averaged vertical temperature profiles also agrees well with the Generalized Digital Environmental Model data, which indicates that the EnKF system corrects the warming of subsurface temperature and the erosion of the permanent thermocline that are usually observed in numerical models without data assimilation. We also

Eastern Pacific cooling and Atlantic overturning circulation during the last deglaciation.

PubMed

Kienast, Markus; Kienast, Stephanie S; Calvert, Stephen E; Eglinton, Timothy I; Mollenhauer, Gesine; François, Roger; Mix, Alan C

2006-10-19

Surface ocean conditions in the equatorial Pacific Ocean could hold the clue to whether millennial-scale global climate change during glacial times was initiated through tropical ocean-atmosphere feedbacks or by changes in the Atlantic thermohaline circulation. North Atlantic cold periods during Heinrich events and millennial-scale cold events (stadials) have been linked with climatic changes in the tropical Atlantic Ocean and South America, as well as the Indian and East Asian monsoon systems, but not with tropical Pacific sea surface temperatures. Here we present a high-resolution record of sea surface temperatures in the eastern tropical Pacific derived from alkenone unsaturation measurements. Our data show a temperature drop of approximately 1 degrees C, synchronous (within dating uncertainties) with the shutdown of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation during Heinrich event 1, and a smaller temperature drop of approximately 0.5 degrees C synchronous with the smaller reduction in the overturning circulation during the Younger Dryas event. Both cold events coincide with maxima in surface ocean productivity as inferred from 230Th-normalized carbon burial fluxes, suggesting increased upwelling at the time. From the concurrence of equatorial Pacific cooling with the two North Atlantic cold periods during deglaciation, we conclude that these millennial-scale climate changes were probably driven by a reorganization of the oceans' thermohaline circulation, although possibly amplified by tropical ocean-atmosphere interaction as suggested before.

The Southern Ocean biogeochemical divide.

PubMed

Marinov, I; Gnanadesikan, A; Toggweiler, J R; Sarmiento, J L

2006-06-22

Modelling studies have demonstrated that the nutrient and carbon cycles in the Southern Ocean play a central role in setting the air-sea balance of CO(2) and global biological production. Box model studies first pointed out that an increase in nutrient utilization in the high latitudes results in a strong decrease in the atmospheric carbon dioxide partial pressure (pCO2). This early research led to two important ideas: high latitude regions are more important in determining atmospheric pCO2 than low latitudes, despite their much smaller area, and nutrient utilization and atmospheric pCO2 are tightly linked. Subsequent general circulation model simulations show that the Southern Ocean is the most important high latitude region in controlling pre-industrial atmospheric CO(2) because it serves as a lid to a larger volume of the deep ocean. Other studies point out the crucial role of the Southern Ocean in the uptake and storage of anthropogenic carbon dioxide and in controlling global biological production. Here we probe the system to determine whether certain regions of the Southern Ocean are more critical than others for air-sea CO(2) balance and the biological export production, by increasing surface nutrient drawdown in an ocean general circulation model. We demonstrate that atmospheric CO(2) and global biological export production are controlled by different regions of the Southern Ocean. The air-sea balance of carbon dioxide is controlled mainly by the biological pump and circulation in the Antarctic deep-water formation region, whereas global export production is controlled mainly by the biological pump and circulation in the Subantarctic intermediate and mode water formation region. The existence of this biogeochemical divide separating the Antarctic from the Subantarctic suggests that it may be possible for climate change or human intervention to modify one of these without greatly altering the other.

U.S. GODAE: Global Ocean Prediction with the HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-09-30

major contributors to the strength of the Gulf Stream, (1) the wind forcing, (2) the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC), and (3) a...convergence and sensitivity studies with North Atlantic circulation models. Part I. The western boundary current system. Ocean Model., 16, 141-159...a baroclinic version of ADvanced CIRCulation (ADCIRC), the latter an unstructured grid model for baroclinic coastal/estuarian applications. NCOM is

Arctic Ocean Circulation Patterns Revealed by GRACE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peralta-Ferriz, Cecilia; Morison, James H.; Wallace, John M.; Bonin, Jennifer A.; Zhang, Jinlun

2013-04-01

EOF analysis of non-seasonal, month-to-month variations in GRACE derived Arctic Ocean bottom pressure (OBP) yield three dominant modes. The first mode is a wintertime basin wide variation in mass associated with high atmospheric pressure (SLP) over Scandinavia. The second mode is a shift of mass from the central Arctic Ocean to the Siberian shelves due to low pressure over the basins, associated with the strength of the Arctic Oscillation. The third mode is a shift in mass between the Eastern and Western Siberian shelves, related to strength of the Beaufort High mainly in summer, and to eastward alongshore winds on the Barents Sea in winter. The PIOMAS and ECCO2 modeled OBP are consistent with the form of these modes and provide context in terms of variations in sea surface height. The models are used to investigate the ocean dynamics associated with each mode of OBP variability.

Modelling the ocean circulation on the West Greenland shelf with special emphasis on northern shrimp recruitment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hvid Ribergaard, Mads; Anker Pedersen, Søren; Ådlandsvik, Bjørn; Kliem, Nicolai

2004-08-01

The ocean circulation on the West Greenland shelf are modelled using a 3D finite element circulation model forced by wind data from the Danish Meteorological Institute-High-Resolution Limited Area Model operational atmospheric model for the Greenland area and tides at the open boundary. Residual anticyclonic eddies are generated around the shelf banks north of 64∘N and areas of permanent upwelling are located west of the shelf banks. The potential distances of shrimp larvae transport from larval release to settling at the bottom were studied, using a particle-tracking model. Particles released (hatched shrimp larvae) south of 62∘N had a probability of about 2% of being lost to the Canadian Shelf, whereas for particles released north of 64∘N almost none were lost from the West Greenland Shelf. The particles tended to have long retention times at the shelf banks caused by the residual anticyclonic eddies. The retention times increased slightly for particles tracked at depths from 80 to 30 m with minor implications for potential transport distances of larval shrimp and plankton.

Open oceanic productivity changes at mid-latitudes during interglacials and its relation to the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nave, Silvia; Lebreiro, S.; Kissel, C.; Guihou, A.; Figueiredo, M. O.; Silva, T. P.; Michel, E.; Cortijo, E.; Labeyrie, L.; Voelker, A.

2010-05-01

Variations in the interactions between marine ecosystems, thermohaline circulation, external forcing and atmospheric greenhouse gases concentrations are not yet fully represented in detailed models of the glacial-interglacial transitions. Most of the research on past productivity changes has been focused so far on high-productivity areas such as upwelling areas (i.e. equatorial or coastal upwelling areas) even though those regions appraise only a little part of the ocean. Accordingly, the importance of oceanic productivity changes over glacial/interglacial cycles should be better known, as it may also play an important role on the loss of photosynthetically generated carbon as a central mechanism in the global carbon cycle. Its understanding will help quantifying the parameters needed to run comprehensive climate models, and subsequently help to better predict climate change for the near future. A high-resolution study of oceanic productivity, bottom water flow speed, surface and deep-water mass, bottom water ventilation, and terrestrial input changes during two interglacials (Holocene and Marine Isotope Stage [MIS] 5), at an open ocean site approximately 300 km west off Portugal [IMAGES core MD01-2446: 39°03'N, 12°37'W, 3547 m water depth] was conducted within the AMOCINT project (ESF-EUROCORES programme, 06-EuroMARC-FP-008). Even though siliceous productivity is expectedly low for oceanic regions, it shows a robust and consistent pattern with increased values during cold phases of MIS 5, and during the glacial stages 4 and 6 suggesting higher nutrient availability, during these periods. The same pattern is observed for MIS2 and the last deglaciation. The opal record is fully supported by the organic carbon content and to the estimated productivity using foraminifera based FA20 and SIMMAX.28 transfer functions for a near location. The benthic δ13C record suggests less North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) coincident with periods of higher productivity. The grain

Evaluation and Sensitivity Analysis of an Ocean Model Response to Hurricane Ivan (PREPRINT)

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-05-18

analysis of upper-limb meridional overturning circulation interior ocean pathways in the tropical/subtropical Atlantic . In: Interhemispheric Water...diminishing returns are encountered when either resolution is increased. 3 1. Introduction Coupled ocean-atmosphere general circulation models have become...northwest Caribbean Sea 4 and GOM. Evaluation is difficult because ocean general circulation models incorporate a large suite of numerical algorithms

Dueling Deglacial Depth Transects: A Synthesis of Isotope Records from the South Atlantic and Pacific Oceans Provides Insight into Deglacial Ocean Circulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sikes, E. L.; Allen, K. A.; Lund, D. C.

2016-12-01

The end of the last ice age was marked by rapid increases in atmospheric CO2 and changes in ocean circulation and seawater δ13C and Δ14C, suggesting that enhanced ventilation of the deep ocean may have released sequestered CO2 to the atmosphere. Here we compare depth transects of Δ14C and high-resolution Cibicidoides sp. δ13C and δ18O records from the Southwest Pacific and the Southwest Atlantic to gain insight into the changing extent and composition of water masses in the Southern Hemisphere. Our vertical transects document that during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), water mass properties and boundaries in the Southwest Atlantic and Pacific were very different from one another and from their respective modern profiles. The shallow to deep δ13C difference (Δδ13C, 660- 2500 m) in the Pacific was 1.7‰, more than double the Holocene value ( 0.7‰) and a deep watermass boundary was situated above 1600m. LGM Δδ13C in the Atlantic was similar to the Pacific, but the deep geochemical front was situated at 2500 m (as observed previously; e.g. Hoffman and Lund, 2012). At the onset of Heinrich Stadial 1 (HS1; 18 - 14.5 ka), changes in the shallow isotope records (< 1500 m) from the two basins differed, indicating independent controls on intermediate water composition/formation in these two ocean basins. During HS1 in the Pacific, rapid δ13C and Δ14C enrichment above 1600 m coincided with δ13C depletion in Atlantic waters between 1500 m and 2500 m. Benthic δ13C below 2500 m in both basins and D14C in the Pacific remained depleted until the Antarctic Cold Reversal (ACR; 14.7 to 12.7 ka). During the ACR, Pacific Δ14C below 1600 m increased while both the Atlantic and Pacific experienced a rapid increase in δ13C and decrease in δ18O below 2500 m. These simultaneous isotopic shifts in the Pacific and Atlantic support the idea of a widespread pulse of deep-water ventilation driven by the resumption of North Atlantic Deep Water formation during the ACR. Overall

Meridional Transect of Atlantic Overturning Circulation across the Mid-Pleistocene Transition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldstein, S. L.; Pena, L. D.; Seguí, M. J.; Kim, J.; Yehudai, M.; Farmer, J. R.; Ford, H. L.; Haynes, L.; Hoenisch, B.; Raymo, M. E.; Ferretti, P.; Bickert, T.

2016-12-01

The Mid-Pleistocene Transition (MPT) marked a major transition in glacial-interglacial periodicity from dominantly 41 kyr to 100 kyr cycles between 1.3-0.7 Ma. From Nd isotope records in the South Atlantic, Pena and Goldstein (Science, 2014) concluded that the Atlantic overturning circulation circulation experienced major weakening between 950-850 ka (MIS 25-21), which generated the climatic conditions that intensified cold periods, prolonged their duration, and stabilized 100 kyr cycles. Such weakening would provide a mechanism for decreased atmospheric CO2 (Hönisch et al., Science, 2009) by allowing for additional atmospheric CO2 to be stored in the deep ocean. We present a summary of work in-progress to generate two dimensional representations of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation, from the north Atlantic to the Southern Ocean, at different time slices over the past 2Ma, including the MPT, based on Nd isotope ratios measured on Fe-Mn-oxide encrusted foraminifera and fish debris. Thus far we are analyzing samples from DSDP/ODP Sites 607, 1063 from the North Atlantic, 926 from the Equatorial Atlantic, 1264, 1267, 1088, 1090 in the South Atlantic, and 1094 from the Southern Ocean. Our data generated thus far support important changes in the overturning circulation during the MPT, and greater glacial-interglacial variability in the 100 kyr world compared with the 40 kyr world. In addition, the data indicate a North Atlantic-sourced origin for the ocean circulation disruption during the MPT. Comparison with ɛNd records in different ocean basins and with benthic foraminiferal δ13C and B/Ca ratios will also allow us to understand the links between deep ocean circulation changes and the global carbon cycle.

Monitoring estuarine circulation and ocean waste dispersion using an integrated satellite-aircraft-drogue approach. [Continental Shelf and Delaware Bay

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klemas, V. (Principal Investigator); Davis, G. R.; Wang, H.

1975-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. An integrated satellite-aircraft-drogue approach was developed which employs remotely tracked expendable drogues together with satellite and aircraft observations of oil slicks, waste plumes, and natural tracers, such as suspended sediment. Tests conducted on the Continental Shelf and in Delaware Bay indicate that the system provides a cost effective means of monitoring current circulation and verifying oil slick and ocean waste dispersion models even under severe environmental conditions.

Causes of strong ocean heating during glacial periods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zimov, N.; Zimov, S. A.

2013-12-01

During the last deglaciation period, the strongest climate changes occurred across the North Atlantic regions. Analyses of borehole temperatures from the Greenland ice sheet have yielded air temperature change estimates of 25°C over the deglaciation period (Dahl-Jensen et al. 1998). Such huge temperature changes cannot currently be explained in the frames of modern knowledge about climate. We propose that glacial-interglacial cycles are connected with gradual warming of ocean interior waters over the course of glaciations and quick transport of accumulated heat from ocean to the atmosphere during the deglaciation periods. Modern day ocean circulation is dominated by thermal convection with cold waters subsiding in the Northern Atlantic and filling up the ocean interior with cold and heavy water. However during the glaciation thermal circulation stopped and ocean circulation was driven by 'haline pumps' -Red and Mediterranean seas connected with ocean with only narrow but deep straights acts as evaporative basins, separating ocean water into fresh water which returns to the ocean surface (precipitation) and warm but salty, and therefore heavy, water which flows down to the ocean floor. This haline pump is stratifying the ocean, allowing warmer water locate under the colder water and thus stopping thermal convection in the ocean. Additional ocean interior warming is driven by geothermal heat flux and decomposition of organic rain. To test the hypothesis we present simple ocean box model that describes thermohaline circulation in the World Ocean. The first box is the Red and Mediterranean sea, the second is united high-latitude seas, the third is the ocean surface, and the fourth the ocean interior. The volume of these water masses and straight cross-sections are taken to be close to real values. We have accepted that the exchange of water between boxes is proportional to the difference in water density in these boxes, Sun energy inputs to the ocean and sea surface

Mechanisms underlying recent decadal changes in subpolar North Atlantic Ocean heat content

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piecuch, Christopher G.; Ponte, Rui M.; Little, Christopher M.; Buckley, Martha W.; Fukumori, Ichiro

2017-09-01

The subpolar North Atlantic (SPNA) is subject to strong decadal variability, with implications for surface climate and its predictability. In 2004-2005, SPNA decadal upper ocean and sea-surface temperature trends reversed from warming during 1994-2004 to cooling over 2005-2015. This recent decadal trend reversal in SPNA ocean heat content (OHC) is studied using a physically consistent, observationally constrained global ocean state estimate covering 1992-2015. The estimate's physical consistency facilitates quantitative causal attribution of ocean variations. Closed heat budget diagnostics reveal that the SPNA OHC trend reversal is the result of heat advection by midlatitude ocean circulation. Kinematic decompositions reveal that changes in the deep and intermediate vertical overturning circulation cannot account for the trend reversal, but rather ocean heat transports by horizontal gyre circulations render the primary contributions. The shift in horizontal gyre advection reflects anomalous circulation acting on the mean temperature gradients. Maximum covariance analysis (MCA) reveals strong covariation between the anomalous horizontal gyre circulation and variations in the local wind stress curl, suggestive of a Sverdrup response. Results have implications for decadal predictability.

Parameterized and resolved Southern Ocean eddy compensation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poulsen, Mads B.; Jochum, Markus; Nuterman, Roman

2018-04-01

The ability to parameterize Southern Ocean eddy effects in a forced coarse resolution ocean general circulation model is assessed. The transient model response to a suite of different Southern Ocean wind stress forcing perturbations is presented and compared to identical experiments performed with the same model in 0.1° eddy-resolving resolution. With forcing of present-day wind stress magnitude and a thickness diffusivity formulated in terms of the local stratification, it is shown that the Southern Ocean residual meridional overturning circulation in the two models is different in structure and magnitude. It is found that the difference in the upper overturning cell is primarily explained by an overly strong subsurface flow in the parameterized eddy-induced circulation while the difference in the lower cell is mainly ascribed to the mean-flow overturning. With a zonally constant decrease of the zonal wind stress by 50% we show that the absolute decrease in the overturning circulation is insensitive to model resolution, and that the meridional isopycnal slope is relaxed in both models. The agreement between the models is not reproduced by a 50% wind stress increase, where the high resolution overturning decreases by 20%, but increases by 100% in the coarse resolution model. It is demonstrated that this difference is explained by changes in surface buoyancy forcing due to a reduced Antarctic sea ice cover, which strongly modulate the overturning response and ocean stratification. We conclude that the parameterized eddies are able to mimic the transient response to altered wind stress in the high resolution model, but partly misrepresent the unperturbed Southern Ocean meridional overturning circulation and associated heat transports.

Pronounced centennial-scale Atlantic Ocean climate variability correlated with Western Hemisphere hydroclimate.

PubMed

Thirumalai, Kaustubh; Quinn, Terrence M; Okumura, Yuko; Richey, Julie N; Partin, Judson W; Poore, Richard Z; Moreno-Chamarro, Eduardo

2018-01-26

Surface-ocean circulation in the northern Atlantic Ocean influences Northern Hemisphere climate. Century-scale circulation variability in the Atlantic Ocean, however, is poorly constrained due to insufficiently-resolved paleoceanographic records. Here we present a replicated reconstruction of sea-surface temperature and salinity from a site sensitive to North Atlantic circulation in the Gulf of Mexico which reveals pronounced centennial-scale variability over the late Holocene. We find significant correlations on these timescales between salinity changes in the Atlantic, a diagnostic parameter of circulation, and widespread precipitation anomalies using three approaches: multiproxy synthesis, observational datasets, and a transient simulation. Our results demonstrate links between centennial changes in northern Atlantic surface-circulation and hydroclimate changes in the adjacent continents over the late Holocene. Notably, our findings reveal that weakened surface-circulation in the Atlantic Ocean was concomitant with well-documented rainfall anomalies in the Western Hemisphere during the Little Ice Age.

Pronounced centennial-scale Atlantic Ocean climate variability correlated with Western Hemisphere hydroclimate

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thirumalai, Kaustubh; Quinn, Terrence M.; Okumura, Yuko; Richey, Julie; Partin, Judson W.; Poore, Richard Z.; Moreno-Chamarro, Eduardo

2018-01-01

Surface-ocean circulation in the northern Atlantic Ocean influences Northern Hemisphere climate. Century-scale circulation variability in the Atlantic Ocean, however, is poorly constrained due to insufficiently-resolved paleoceanographic records. Here we present a replicated reconstruction of sea-surface temperature and salinity from a site sensitive to North Atlantic circulation in the Gulf of Mexico which reveals pronounced centennial-scale variability over the late Holocene. We find significant correlations on these timescales between salinity changes in the Atlantic, a diagnostic parameter of circulation, and widespread precipitation anomalies using three approaches: multiproxy synthesis, observational datasets, and a transient simulation. Our results demonstrate links between centennial changes in northern Atlantic surface-circulation and hydroclimate changes in the adjacent continents over the late Holocene. Notably, our findings reveal that weakened surface-circulation in the Atlantic Ocean was concomitant with well-documented rainfall anomalies in the Western Hemisphere during the Little Ice Age.

Can increased poleward oceanic heat flux explain the warm Cretaceous climate?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmidt, Gavin A.; Mysak, Lawrence A.

1996-10-01

The poleward transport of heat in the mid-Cretaceous (100 Ma) is examined using an idealized coupled ocean-atmosphere model. The oceanic component consists of two zonally averaged basins representing the proto-Pacific and proto-Indian oceans and models the dynamics of the meridional thermohaline circulation. The atmospheric component is a simple energy and moisture balance model which includes the diffusive meridional transport of sensible heat and moisture. The ocean model is spun up with a variety of plausible Cretaceous surface temperature and salinity profiles, and a consistent atmosphere is objectively derived based on the resultant sea surface temperature and the surface heat and freshwater fluxes. The coupled model does not exhibit climate drift. Multiple equilibria of the coupled model are found that break the initial symmetry of the ocean circulation; several of these equilibria have one-cell (northern or southern sinking) thermohaline circulation patterns. Two main classes of circulation are found: circulations where the densest water is relatively cool and is formed at the polar latitudes and circulations where the densest water is warm, but quite saline, and the strongest sinking occurs at the tropics. In all cases, significant amounts of warm, saline bottom water are formed in the proto-Indian basin which modify the deepwater characteristics in the larger (proto-Pacific) basin. Temperatures in the deep ocean are warm, 10°-17°C, in agreement with benthic foraminiferal oxygen isotope data. The poleward transport of heat in the modeled Cretaceous oceans is larger than in some comparable models of the present day thermohaline circulation and significantly larger than estimates of similar processes in the present-day ocean. It is consistently larger in the polar sinking cases when compared with that seen in the tropical sinking cases, but this represents an increase of only 10%. The largest increase over present-day model transports is in the atmospheric

Influence of Sea Ice on the Thermohaline Circulation in the Arctic-North Atlantic Ocean

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mauritzen, Cecilie; Haekkinen, Sirpa

1997-01-01

A fully prognostic coupled ocean-ice model is used to study the sensitivity of the overturning cell of the Arctic-North-Atlantic system to sea ice forcing. The strength of the thermohaline cell will be shown to depend on the amount of sea ice transported from the Arctic to the Greenland Sea and further to the subpolar gyre. The model produces a 2-3 Sv increase of the meridional circulation cell at 25N (at the simulation year 15) corresponding to a decrease of 800 cu km in the sea ice export from the Arctic. Previous modeling studies suggest that interannual and decadal variability in sea ice export of this magnitude is realistic, implying that sea ice induced variability in the overturning cell can reach 5-6 Sv from peak to peak.

Carbon and Neodymium Isotopic Fingerprints of Atlantic Deep Ocean Circulation During the Warm Pliocene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riesselman, C. R.; Scher, H.; Robinson, M. M.; Dowsett, H. J.; Bell, D. B.

2012-12-01

Earth's future climate may resemble the mid-Piacenzian Age of the Pliocene, a time when global temperatures were sustained within the range predicted for the coming century. Surface and deep water temperature reconstructions and coupled ocean-atmosphere general circulation model simulations by the USGS PRISM (Pliocene Research Interpretation and Synoptic Mapping) Group identify a dramatic North Atlantic warm surface temperature anomaly in the mid-Piacenzian (3.264 - 3.025 Ma), accompanied by increased evaporation. The anomaly is detected in deep waters at 46°S, suggesting enhanced meridional overturning circulation and more southerly penetration of North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) during the PRISM interval. However deep water temperature proxies are not diagnostic of water mass and some coupled model simulations predict transient decreases in NADW production in the 21st century, presenting a contrasting picture of future climate. We present a new multi-proxy investigation of Atlantic deep ocean circulation during the warm mid-Piacenzian, using δ13C of benthic foraminifera as a proxy for water mass age and the neodymium isotopic composition of fossil fish teeth (ɛNd) as a proxy for water mass source and mixing. This reconstruction utilizes both new and previously published data from DSDP and ODP cores along equatorial (Ceara Rise), southern mid-latitude (Walvis Ridge), and south Atlantic (Meteor Rise/Agulhas Ridge) depth transects. Additional end-member sites in the regions of modern north Atlantic and Southern Ocean deep water formation provide a Pliocene baseline for comparison. δ13C throughout the Atlantic basin is remarkably homogenous during the PRISM interval. δ13C values of Cibicidoides spp. and C. wuellerstorfi largely range between 0‰ and 1‰ at North Atlantic, shallow equatorial, southern mid-latitude, and south Atlantic sites with water depths from 2000-4700 m; both depth and latitudinal gradients are generally small (~0.3‰). However, equatorial

An ocean large-eddy simulation of Langmuir circulations and convection in the surface mixed layer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Skyllingstad, E.D.; Denbo, D.W.

Numerical experiments were performed using a three-dimensional large-eddy simulation model of the ocean surface mixed layer that includes the Craik-Leibovich vortex force to parameterize the interaction of surface waves with mean currents. Results from the experiments show that the vortex force generates Langmuir circulations that can dominate vertical mixing. The simulated vertical velocity fields show linear, small-scale, coherent structures near the surface that extend downwind across the model domain. In the interior of the mixed layer, scales of motion increase to eddy sizes that are roughly equivalent to the mixed-layer depth. Cases with the vortex force have stronger circulations nearmore » the surface in contrast to cases with only heat flux and wind stress, particularly when the heat flux is positive. Calculations of the velocity variance and turbulence dissipation rates for cases with and without the vortex force, surface cooling, and wind stress indicate that wave-current interactions are a dominant mixing process in the upper mixed layer. Heat flux calculations show that the entrainment rate at the mixed-layer base can be up to two times greater when the vortex force is included. In a case with reduced wind stress, turbulence dissipation rates remained high near the surface because of the vortex force interaction with preexisting inertial currents. In deep mixed layers ({approximately}250 m) the simulations show that Langmuir circulations can vertically transport water 145 m during conditions of surface heating. Observations of turbulence dissipation rates and the vertical temperature structure support the model results. 42 refs., 20 figs., 21 tabs.« less

Assimilation of TOPEX/Poseidon altimeter data into a global ocean circulation model: How good are the results?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fukumori, Ichiro; Raghunath, Ramanujam; Fu, Lee-Lueng; Chao, Yi

1999-11-01

The feasibility of assimilating satellite altimetry data into a global ocean general circulation model is studied. Three years of TOPEX/Poseidon data are analyzed using a global, three-dimensional, nonlinear primitive equation model. The assimilation's success is examined by analyzing its consistency and reliability measured by formal error estimates with respect to independent measurements. Improvements in model solution are demonstrated, in particular, properties not directly measured. Comparisons are performed with sea level measured by tide gauges, subsurface temperatures and currents from moorings, and bottom pressure measurements. Model representation errors dictate what can and cannot be resolved by assimilation, and its identification is emphasized.

Ocean impact on decadal Atlantic climate variability revealed by sea-level observations.

PubMed

McCarthy, Gerard D; Haigh, Ivan D; Hirschi, Joël J-M; Grist, Jeremy P; Smeed, David A

2015-05-28

Decadal variability is a notable feature of the Atlantic Ocean and the climate of the regions it influences. Prominently, this is manifested in the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) in sea surface temperatures. Positive (negative) phases of the AMO coincide with warmer (colder) North Atlantic sea surface temperatures. The AMO is linked with decadal climate fluctuations, such as Indian and Sahel rainfall, European summer precipitation, Atlantic hurricanes and variations in global temperatures. It is widely believed that ocean circulation drives the phase changes of the AMO by controlling ocean heat content. However, there are no direct observations of ocean circulation of sufficient length to support this, leading to questions about whether the AMO is controlled from another source. Here we provide observational evidence of the widely hypothesized link between ocean circulation and the AMO. We take a new approach, using sea level along the east coast of the United States to estimate ocean circulation on decadal timescales. We show that ocean circulation responds to the first mode of Atlantic atmospheric forcing, the North Atlantic Oscillation, through circulation changes between the subtropical and subpolar gyres--the intergyre region. These circulation changes affect the decadal evolution of North Atlantic heat content and, consequently, the phases of the AMO. The Atlantic overturning circulation is declining and the AMO is moving to a negative phase. This may offer a brief respite from the persistent rise of global temperatures, but in the coupled system we describe, there are compensating effects. In this case, the negative AMO is associated with a continued acceleration of sea-level rise along the northeast coast of the United States.

Neodymium Isotope associated with planktonic foraminifera as a proxy of deglacial changes in Pacific ocean circulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, R.

2015-12-01

Neodymium isotopes of ferromanganese oxide coatings precipitated on planktonic foraminifera have been intensively used as a proxy for water mass reconstruction in the deep Atlantic and Indian Ocean, but their suitability is not well constrained in the Pacific and may be affected by enhanced inputs and scavenging relative to advection. In this study, Nd isotopes and Rare Earth Element (REE) concentrations of planktonic foraminifera from ~60 sites widely distributed throughout the Pacific are presented. We found that the REE pattern associated with planktonic foraminifera in our study and Fe-Mn oxides/coatings in the global ocean have a common heavy REE depleted pattern when normalized to their ambient seawater due to preferential removal of light REEs onto particles relative to heavy REEs during scavenging. The core-top ɛNd results agree with the proximal seawater compositions, indicating that planktonic foraminiferal coatings can give a reliable record of past changes in bottom water Nd isotopes in the Pacific. A good correlation between foraminifera Nd isotopes and seawater phosphate suggests that Nd with a predominantly radiogenic isotopic composition was probably added gradually along continental boundaries so that the Nd isotopic composition change paralleled the accumulation of nutrients in the deep Pacific. By confirming Nd isotopes as a reliable water mass tracer in the Pacific Ocean, this proxy is then applied to reconstruct how the water mass circulation changes during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Most of the cores in deep North Pacific show essentially invariant Nd isotopic compositions during the LGM compared with core-top values, suggesting that Nd isotope of Pacific end-member did not change during glacial times. However, the LGM Southwest Pacific cores have more radiogenic ɛNd than core-tops corroborating the previous findings of reduced inflow of North Atlantic Deep Water. The Eastern Equatorial Pacific cores above ~2 km showed consistently

Recent changes in the summer monsoon circulation and their impact on dynamics and thermodynamics of the Arabian Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pratik, Kad; Parekh, Anant; Karmakar, Ananya; Chowdary, Jasti S.; Gnanaseelan, C.

2018-05-01

The present study examines changes in the low-level summer monsoon circulation over the Arabian Sea and their impact on the ocean dynamics using reanalysis data. The study confirms intensification and northward migration of low-level jet during 1979 to 2015. Further during the study period, an increase in the Arabian Sea upper ocean heat content is found in spite of a decreasing trend in the net surface heat flux, indicating the possible role of ocean dynamics in the upper ocean warming. Increase in the anti-cyclonic wind stress curl associated with the change in the monsoon circulation induces downwelling over the central Arabian Sea, favoring upper ocean warming. The decreasing trend of southward Ekman transport, a mechanism transporting heat from the land-locked north Indian Ocean to southern latitudes, also supports increasing trend of the upper ocean heat content. To reinstate and quantify the role of changing monsoon circulation in increasing the heat content over the Arabian Sea, sensitivity experiment is carried out using ocean general circulation model. In this experiment, the model is forced by inter-annual momentum forcing while rest of the forcing is climatological. Experiment reveals that the changing monsoon circulation increases the upper ocean heat content, effectively by enhancing downwelling processes and reducing southward heat transport, which strongly endorses our hypothesis that changing ocean dynamics associated with low-level monsoon circulation is causing the increasing trend in the heat content of the Arabian Sea.

Southern Ocean vertical iron fluxes; the ocean model effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schourup-Kristensen, V.; Haucke, J.; Losch, M. J.; Wolf-Gladrow, D.; Voelker, C. D.

2016-02-01

The Southern Ocean plays a key role in the climate system, but commonly used large-scale ocean general circulation biogeochemical models give different estimates of current and future Southern Ocean net primary and export production. The representation of the Southern Ocean iron sources plays an important role for the modeled biogeochemistry. Studies of the iron supply to the surface mixed layer have traditionally focused on the aeolian and sediment contributions, but recent work has highlighted the importance of the vertical supply from below. We have performed a model study in which the biogeochemical model REcoM2 was coupled to two different ocean models, the Finite Element Sea-ice Ocean Model (FESOM) and the MIT general circulation model (MITgcm) and analyzed the magnitude of the iron sources to the surface mixed layer from below in the two models. Our results revealed a remarkable difference in terms of mechanism and magnitude of transport. The mean iron supply from below in the Southern Ocean was on average four times higher in MITgcm than in FESOM and the dominant pathway was entrainment in MITgcm, whereas diffusion dominated in FESOM. Differences in the depth and seasonal amplitude of the mixed layer between the models affect on the vertical iron profile, the relative position of the base of the mixed layer and ferricline and thereby also on the iron fluxes. These differences contribute to differences in the phytoplankton composition in the two models, as well as in the timing of the onset of the spring bloom. The study shows that the choice of ocean model has a significant impact on the iron supply to the Southern Ocean mixed layer and thus on the modeled carbon cycle, with possible implications for model runs predicting the future carbon uptake in the region.

Circulation in the South China Sea during summer 2000 as obtained from observations and a generalized topography-following ocean model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Huiqun; Yuan, Yaochu; Guan, Weibing; Lou, Ruyun; Wang, Kangshan

2004-07-01

On the basis of the recently obtained hydrographic data in the South China Sea, the improved Princeton Ocean Model with a generalized topography-following coordinate system is used to study the circulation in the region during summer 2000. Several sensitivity experiments are carried out to achieve reasonable model parameters for the South China Sea (SCS). It is shown from the resting stratification experiments that the generalized topography-following coordinate scheme is better than the standard sigma grid scheme for reducing the pressure gradient errors. The combination of sea surface height anomaly derived from TOPEX/Poseidon and numerical results with both diagnostic and semidiagnostic simulations provides a consistent circulation pattern for the SCS in August, and the main circulation features can be summarized as follows: (1) There is a notable anticyclonic warm eddy southeast of Vietnam with a horizontal scale of ˜300 km, and there is a cyclonic cold eddy. The simultaneous existence of these cold and warm eddies is one of the important circulation characteristics in the SCS during summer 2000. (2) A secondary cold eddy is found east of Vietnam. (3) The northwestern part of the SCS is dominated by an anticyclonic circulation system. (4) There is also a secondary warm eddy southwest off the Luzon Island. (5) A cyclonic eddy is found west off the Borneo Island. (6) A western intensification phenomenon obviously occurs in the SCS. The dynamical mechanisms of the above-mentioned circulation pattern in the SCS are the interaction between the wind stress and bottom topography and the joint effect of baroclinicity and relief.

Turning Ocean Mixing Upside Down

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferrari, Raffaele; Mashayek, Ali; Campin, Jean-Michael; McDougall, Trevor; Nikurashin, Maxim

2015-11-01

It is generally understood that small-scale mixing, such as is caused by breaking internal waves, drives upwelling of the densest ocean waters that sink to the ocean bottom at high latitudes. However the observational evidence that small-scale mixing is more vigorous close to the ocean bottom than above implies that small-scale mixing converts light waters into denser ones, thus driving a net sinking of abyssal water. It is shown that abyssal waters return to the surface along weakly stratified boundary layers, where the small-scale mixing of density decays to zero. The net ocean meridional overturning circulation is thus the small residual of a large sinking of waters, driven by small-scale mixing in the stratified interior, and an equally large upwelling, driven by the reduced small-scale mixing along the ocean boundaries. Thus whether abyssal waters upwell or sink in the net cannot be inferred simply from the vertical profile of mixing intensity, but depends also on the ocean hypsometry, i.e. the shape of the bottom topography. The implications of this result for our understanding of the abyssal ocean circulation will be presented with a combination of numerical models and observations.

NASA Supercomputer Improves Prospects for Ocean Climate Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Menemenlis, D.; Hill, C.; Adcroft, A.; Campin, J. -M.; Cheng, B.; Ciotti, B.; Fukumori, I.; Heimbach, P.; Henze, C.; Kohl, A.;

The interaction between sea ice and salinity-dominated ocean circulation: implications for halocline stability and rapid changes of sea-ice cover

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jensen, M. F.; Nilsson, J.; Nisancioglu, K. H.

2016-02-01

In this study, we develop a simple conceptual model to examine how interactions between sea ice and oceanic heat and freshwater transports affect the stability of an upper-ocean halocline in a semi-enclosed basin. The model represents a sea-ice covered and salinity stratified ocean, and consists of a sea-ice component and a two-layer ocean; a cold, fresh surface layer above a warmer, more saline layer. The sea-ice thickness depends on the atmospheric energy fluxes as well as the ocean heat flux. We introduce a thickness-dependent sea-ice export. Whether sea ice stabilizes or destabilizes against a freshwater perturbation is shown to depend on the representation of the vertical mixing. In a system where the vertical diffusivity is constant, the sea ice acts as a positive feedback on a freshwater perturbation. If the vertical diffusivity is derived from a constant mixing energy constraint, the sea ice acts as a negative feedback. However, both representations lead to a circulation that breaks down when the freshwater input at the surface is small. As a consequence, we get rapid changes in sea ice. In addition to low freshwater forcing, increasing deep-ocean temperatures promote instability and the disappearance of sea ice. Generally, the unstable state is reached before the vertical density difference disappears, and small changes in temperature and freshwater inputs can provoke abrupt changes in sea ice.

Millennial-Scale Variability in the Indian Monsoon and Links to Ocean Circulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeLong, K. A.; Came, R. E.; Johnson, J. E.; Giosan, L.

2014-12-01

Millennial-scale variability in the Indian monsoon was temporally linked to changes in global ocean circulation during the last glacial period, as evidenced by planktic-benthic foraminiferal stable isotope and trace element results from an intermediate depth sediment core from the northwestern Bay of Bengal. Paired planktic foraminiferal Mg/Ca and δ18Oc constrain sea surface temperatures and isolate millennial-scale variations in the δ18O of surface waters (δ18Osw), which resulted from changes in river runoff in the northwestern Bay. Concurrently with low δ18Osw events, benthic foraminiferal δ13C decreased, suggesting an increased influence of an aged water mass at this intermediate depth site during the low salinity events. Benthic foraminiferal Cd/Ca results support the identification of this water mass as aged Glacial Antarctic Intermediate Water (GAAIW). Lagged correlation analysis (r= 0.41) indicates that changes in subsurface properties led changes in surface properties by an average of 380 years. The implication is that Southern Hemisphere climate exerted a controlling influence on the Indian monsoon during the last glacial period.

NASA Oceanic Processes Program, fiscal year 1983

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nelson, R. M. (Editor); Pieri, D. C. (Editor)

1984-01-01

Accomplishments, activities, and plans are highlighted for studies of ocean circulation, air sea interaction, ocean productivity, and sea ice. Flight projects discussed include TOPEX, the ocean color imager, the advanced RF tracking system, the NASA scatterometer, and the pilot ocean data system. Over 200 papers generated by the program are listed.

Geophysical excitation of LOD/UT1 estimated from the output of the global circulation models of the atmosphere - ERA-40 reanalysis and of the ocean - OMCT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korbacz, A.; Brzeziński, A.; Thomas, M.

2008-04-01

We use new estimates of the global atmospheric and oceanic angular momenta (AAM, OAM) to study the influence on LOD/UT1. The AAM series was calculated from the output fields of the atmospheric general circulation model ERA-40 reanalysis. The OAM series is an outcome of global ocean model OMCT simulation driven by global fields of the atmospheric parameters from the ERA- 40 reanalysis. The excitation data cover the period between 1963 and 2001. Our calculations concern atmospheric and oceanic effects in LOD/UT1 over the periods between 20 days and decades. Results are compared to those derived from the alternative AAM/OAM data sets.

Eddy-resolving simulations of the Fimbul Ice Shelf cavity circulation: Basal melting and exchange with open ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hattermann, T.; Smedsrud, L. H.; Nøst, O. A.; Lilly, J. M.; Galton-Fenzi, B. K.

2014-10-01

Melting at the base of floating ice shelves is a dominant term in the overall Antarctic mass budget. This study applies a high-resolution regional ice shelf/ocean model, constrained by observations, to (i) quantify present basal mass loss at the Fimbul Ice Shelf (FIS); and (ii) investigate the oceanic mechanisms that govern the heat supply to ice shelves in the Eastern Weddell Sea. The simulations confirm the low melt rates suggested by observations and show that melting is primarily determined by the depth of the coastal thermocline, regulating deep ocean heat fluxes towards the ice. Furthermore, the uneven distribution of ice shelf area at different depths modulates the melting response to oceanic forcing, causing the existence of two distinct states of melting at the FIS. In the simulated present-day state, only small amounts of Modified Warm Deep Water enter the continental shelf, and ocean temperatures beneath the ice are close to the surface freezing point. The basal mass loss in this so-called state of "shallow melting" is mainly controlled by the seasonal inflow of solar-heated surface water affecting large areas of shallow ice in the upper part of the cavity. This is in contrast to a state of "deep melting", in which the thermocline rises above the shelf break depth, establishing a continuous inflow of Warm Deep Water towards the deep ice. The transition between the two states is found to be determined by a complex response of the Antarctic Slope Front overturning circulation to varying climate forcings. A proper representation of these frontal dynamics in climate models will therefore be crucial when assessing the evolution of ice shelf basal melting along this sector of Antarctica.

Global Ocean Currents Database

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boyer, T.; Sun, L.

2016-02-01

The NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information has released an ocean currents database portal that aims 1) to integrate global ocean currents observations from a variety of instruments with different resolution, accuracy and response to spatial and temporal variability into a uniform network common data form (NetCDF) format and 2) to provide a dedicated online data discovery, access to NCEI-hosted and distributed data sources for ocean currents data. The portal provides a tailored web application that allows users to search for ocean currents data by platform types and spatial/temporal ranges of their interest. The dedicated web application is available at http://www.nodc.noaa.gov/gocd/index.html. The NetCDF format supports widely-used data access protocols and catalog services such as OPeNDAP (Open-source Project for a Network Data Access Protocol) and THREDDS (Thematic Real-time Environmental Distributed Data Services), which the GOCD users can use data files with their favorite analysis and visualization client software without downloading to their local machine. The potential users of the ocean currents database include, but are not limited to, 1) ocean modelers for their model skills assessments, 2) scientists and researchers for studying the impact of ocean circulations on the climate variability, 3) ocean shipping industry for safety navigation and finding optimal routes for ship fuel efficiency, 4) ocean resources managers while planning for the optimal sites for wastes and sewages dumping and for renewable hydro-kinematic energy, and 5) state and federal governments to provide historical (analyzed) ocean circulations as an aid for search and rescue

Climate Ocean Modeling on Parallel Computers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, P.; Cheng, B. N.; Chao, Y.

1998-01-01

Ocean modeling plays an important role in both understanding the current climatic conditions and predicting future climate change. However, modeling the ocean circulation at various spatial and temporal scales is a very challenging computational task.

A two-way nested simulation of the oceanic circulation in the Southwestern Atlantic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Combes, Vincent; Matano, Ricardo P.

2014-02-01

This article presents the results of a high-resolution (1/12°), two-way nested simulation of the oceanic circulation in the southwestern Atlantic region. A comparison between the model results and extant observations indicates that the nested model has skill in reproducing the best-known aspects of the regional circulation, e.g., the volume transport of the ACC, the latitudinal position of the BMC, the shelf break upwelling of Patagonia, and the Zapiola Anticyclone. Sensitivity experiments indicate that the bottom stress parameterization significantly impacts the mean location of the Brazil/Malvinas Confluence and the transport of the Zapiola Anticyclone. The transport of the Brazil Current strengthens during the austral summer and weakens during the austral winter. These variations are driven by the wind stress curl over the southwestern Atlantic. The variations of the transport of the Malvinas Current are out of phase with those of the Brazil Current. Most of the seasonal variability of this current is concentrated in the offshore portion of the jet, the inshore portion has a weak seasonality that modulates the magnitude of the Patagonian shelf break upwelling. Using passive tracers we show that most of the entrainment of deep waters into the shelf occurs in the southernmost portion of the Patagonian shelf and along the inshore boundary of the Brazil Current. Shelf waters are preferentially detrained near the Brazil/Malvinas Confluence. Consistent with previous studies, our simulation also shows that south of ˜42°S the Malvinas Current is composed of two jets, which merge near 42°S to form a single jet farther north.

The Indian Ocean as a Connector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Durgadoo, J. V.; Biastoch, A.; Boning, C. W.

2016-02-01

The Indian Ocean is a conduit for the upper ocean flow of the global thermohaline circulation. It receives water from the Pacific Ocean through the Indonesian throughflow and the Tasman leakage, and exports water into the Atlantic by means of Agulhas leakage. A small contribution from the northern Indian Ocean is also detectable within Agulhas leakage. Changes on different timescales in the various components of the Pacific inflows and the Atlantic outflow have been reported. Little is known on the role of the Indian Ocean circulation in communicating changes from the Pacific into the Atlantic, let alone any eventual alterations in response to climate change. The precise routes and timescales of Indonesian throughflow, Tasman leakage, Red Sea and Persian Gulf Waters towards the Atlantic are examined in a Lagrangian framework within a high-resolution global ocean model. In this presentation, the following questions are addressed: How are Pacific waters modified in the Indian Ocean before reaching the Agulhas system? On what timescale is water that enters the Indian Ocean from the Pacific flushed out? How important are detours in the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea?

Connecting Ocean Heat Transport Changes from the Midlatitudes to the Arctic Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hezel, P.; Nummelin, A.; Li, C.

2017-12-01

Under greenhouse warming, climate models simulate a weakening of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation and the associated ocean heat transport at midlatitudes but an increase in the ocean heat transport to the Arctic Ocean. These opposing trends lead to what could appear to be a discrepancy in the reported ocean contribution to Arctic amplification. This study clarifies how ocean heat transport affects Arctic climate under strong greenhouse warming using a set of the 21st century simulations performed within the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project. The results suggest that a future reduction in subpolar ocean heat loss enhances ocean heat transport to the Arctic Ocean, driving an increase in Arctic Ocean heat content and contributing to the intermodel spread in Arctic amplification. The results caution against extrapolating the forced oceanic signal from the midlatitudes to the Arctic.

Tide, Ocean and Climate on Exoplanets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Si, Y.; Yang, J.

2017-12-01

On Earth, tide is a main part of the driving force for the deep ocean overturning circulation. For habitable planets around low-mass stars, the tidal force is expected to be much stronger than that on Earth, due to the fact that the habitable zone is very close to the host stars and that tide force is inversely proportional to the orbital distance cubed. The deep ocean overturning circulation on this type of planets is therefore expected to be much stronger than that on Earth, if all else being equal. We test this hypothesis using a fully coupled atmosphere-ocean model, the Community Climate System Model version 3 (CCSM3). Our results show that the intensity of oceanic meridional overturning circulation (MOC) is approximately proportional to κ1/3, where κ is the mixing coefficient across density interfaces and it is mainly determined by the strength of the tidal force. As a result of the enhanced MOC, more heat is transported to dark regions and sea ice melts completely there, and meanwhile more heat is mixed from the surface to the deep ocean and thereby the entire ocean becomes much warmer (Fig. 1). A positive cloud feedback further warms the global ocean and atmosphere. These results imply that one planet with a stronger tidal force will likely enter a globally ice-covered snowball state at a lower stellar flux and enter a moist greenhouse or runaway greenhouse state at also a lower stellar flux, meaning that the tidal force acts to push the habitable zone outward. This study significantly improves our understanding of the possible coupling between planetary orbit, ocean, climate, and habitability on exoplanets.

Arctic Ocean Pathways in the 21st century

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aksenov, Yevgeny; van Gennip, Simon J.; Kelly, Stephen J.; Popova, Ekaterina E.; Yool, Andrew

2017-04-01

In the last three decades, changes in the Arctic environment have been occurring at an increasing rate. The opening up of large areas of previously sea ice-covered ocean affects the marine environment with potential impacts on Arctic ecosystems, including through changes in Arctic access, industries and societies. Changes to sea ice and surface winds result in large-scale shifts in ocean circulation and oceanic pathways. This study presents a high-resolution analysis of the projected ocean circulation and pathways of the Arctic water masses across the 21st century. The analysis is based on an eddy-permitting high-resolution global simulation of the ocean general circulation model NEMO (Nucleus for European Modelling of the Ocean) at the 1/4-degree horizontal resolution. The atmospheric forcing is from HadGEM2-ES model output from IPCC Assessment Report 5 (AR5) simulations performed for Coupled Model Intercomparison Project 5 (CMIP5), and follow the Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5 (RCP8.5) scenario. During the 21st century the AO experiences a significant warming, with sea surface temperature increased by in excess of 4 deg. C. Annual mean Arctic sea ice thickness drops to less than 0.5m, and the Arctic Ocean is ice-free in summer from the mid-century. We use an off-line tracer technique to investigate Arctic pathways of the Atlantic and Pacific waters (AW and PW respectively) under this future climate. The AW tracers have been released in the eastern Fram Strait and in the western Barents Sea, whereas the PW tracer has been seeded in the Bering Strait. In the second half of the century the upper 1000 m ocean circulation shows a reduction in the eastward AW flow along the continental slopes towards the Makarov and Canada basins and a deviation of the PW flow away from the Beaufort Sea towards the Siberian coast. Strengthening of Arctic boundary current and intensification of the cyclonic gyre in the Nansen basin of the Arctic Ocean is accompanied by

Linking the South Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation and the Global Monsoons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lopez, H.; Dong, S.; Goni, G. J.; Lee, S. K.

2016-02-01

This study tested the hypothesis whether low frequency decadal variability of the South Atlantic meridional heat transport (SAMHT) influences decadal variability of the global monsoons. A multi-century run from a state-of-the-art coupled general circulation model is used as basis for the analysis. Our findings indicate that multi-decadal variability of the South Atlantic Ocean plays a key role in modulating atmospheric circulation via interhemispheric changes in Atlantic Ocean heat content. Weaker SAMHT produces anomalous ocean heat divergence over the South Atlantic resulting in negative ocean heat content anomaly about 15 years later. This, in turn, forces a thermally direct anomalous interhemispheric Hadley circulation in the atmosphere, transporting heat from the northern hemisphere (NH) to the southern hemisphere (SH) and moisture from the SH to the NH, thereby intensify (weaken) summer (winter) monsoon in the NH and winter (summer) monsoon in the SH. Results also show that anomalous atmospheric eddies, both transient and stationary, transport heat northward in both hemispheres producing eddy heat flux convergence (divergence) in the NH (SH) around 15-30°, reinforcing the anomalous Hadley circulation. Overall, SAMHT decadal variability leads its atmospheric response by about 15 years, suggesting that the South Atlantic is a potential predictor of global climate variability.

Maintenance of Summer Monsoon Circulations: A Planetary-Scale Perspective.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Tsing-Chang

2003-06-01

The monsoon circulation, which is generally considered to be driven by the landmass-ocean thermal contrast, like a gigantic land-sea breeze circulation, exhibits a phase reversal in its vertical structure; a monsoon high aloft over a continental thermal low is juxtaposed with a midoceanic trough underlaid by an oceanic anticyclone. This classic monsoon circulation model is well matched by the monsoon circulation depicted with the observational data prior to the First Global Atmospheric Research Program (GARP) Global Experiment (FGGE). However, synthesizing findings of the global circulation portrayed with the post-FGGE data, it was found that some basic features of major monsoon circulations in Asia, North America, South America, and Australia differ from those of the classic monsoon circulation model. Therefore, a revision of the classic monsoon theory is suggested. With four different wave regimes selected to fit the horizontal dimensions of these monsoon circulations, basic features common to all four major monsoons are illustrated in terms of diagnostic analyses of the velocity potential maintenance equation (which relates diabatic heating and velocity potential) and the streamfunction budget (which links velocity potential and streamfunction) in these wave regimes. It is shown that a monsoon circulation is actually driven by the east-west differential heating and maintained dynamically by a balance between a vorticity source and advection. This dynamic balance is reflected by a spatial quadrature relationship between the monsoon divergent circulation and the monsoon high (low) at upper (lower) levels.

Active Pacific meridional overturning circulation (PMOC) during the warm Pliocene

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Burls, Natalie J.; Fedorov, Alexey V.; Sigman, Daniel M.

An essential element of modern ocean circulation and climate is the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC), which includes deep-water formation in the subarctic North Atlantic. However, a comparable overturning circulation is absent in the Pacific, theworld’s largest ocean,where relatively fresh surface waters inhibitNorth Pacific deep convection. We present complementary measurement and modeling evidence that the warm, ~400–ppmv (parts per million by volume) CO 2 world of the Pliocene supported subarctic North Pacific deep-water formation and a Pacific meridional overturning circulation (PMOC) cell. In Pliocene subarctic North Pacific sediments, we report orbitally paced maxima in calcium carbonate accumulation rate, with accompanyingmore » pigment and total organic carbon measurements supporting deep-ocean ventilation-driven preservation as their cause. Together with high accumulation rates of biogenic opal, these findings require vigorous bidirectional communication between surface waters and interior waters down to ~3 km in the western subarctic North Pacific, implying deep convection. Redoxsensitive trace metal data provide further evidence of higher Pliocene deep-ocean ventilation before the 2.73-Ma (million years) transition. This observational analysis is supported by climate modeling results, demonstrating that atmospheric moisture transport changes, in response to the reduced meridional sea surface temperature gradients of the Pliocene, were capable of eroding the halocline, leading to deep-water formation in the western subarctic Pacific and a strong PMOC. This second Northern Hemisphere overturning cell has important implications for heat transport, the ocean/atmosphere cycle of carbon, and potentially the equilibrium response of the Pacific to global warming.« less

Active Pacific meridional overturning circulation (PMOC) during the warm Pliocene.

PubMed

Burls, Natalie J; Fedorov, Alexey V; Sigman, Daniel M; Jaccard, Samuel L; Tiedemann, Ralf; Haug, Gerald H

2017-09-01

An essential element of modern ocean circulation and climate is the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC), which includes deep-water formation in the subarctic North Atlantic. However, a comparable overturning circulation is absent in the Pacific, the world's largest ocean, where relatively fresh surface waters inhibit North Pacific deep convection. We present complementary measurement and modeling evidence that the warm, ~400-ppmv (parts per million by volume) CO 2 world of the Pliocene supported subarctic North Pacific deep-water formation and a Pacific meridional overturning circulation (PMOC) cell. In Pliocene subarctic North Pacific sediments, we report orbitally paced maxima in calcium carbonate accumulation rate, with accompanying pigment and total organic carbon measurements supporting deep-ocean ventilation-driven preservation as their cause. Together with high accumulation rates of biogenic opal, these findings require vigorous bidirectional communication between surface waters and interior waters down to ~3 km in the western subarctic North Pacific, implying deep convection. Redox-sensitive trace metal data provide further evidence of higher Pliocene deep-ocean ventilation before the 2.73-Ma (million years) transition. This observational analysis is supported by climate modeling results, demonstrating that atmospheric moisture transport changes, in response to the reduced meridional sea surface temperature gradients of the Pliocene, were capable of eroding the halocline, leading to deep-water formation in the western subarctic Pacific and a strong PMOC. This second Northern Hemisphere overturning cell has important implications for heat transport, the ocean/atmosphere cycle of carbon, and potentially the equilibrium response of the Pacific to global warming.

Active Pacific meridional overturning circulation (PMOC) during the warm Pliocene

PubMed Central

Burls, Natalie J.; Fedorov, Alexey V.; Sigman, Daniel M.; Jaccard, Samuel L.; Tiedemann, Ralf; Haug, Gerald H.

2017-01-01

An essential element of modern ocean circulation and climate is the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC), which includes deep-water formation in the subarctic North Atlantic. However, a comparable overturning circulation is absent in the Pacific, the world’s largest ocean, where relatively fresh surface waters inhibit North Pacific deep convection. We present complementary measurement and modeling evidence that the warm, ~400–ppmv (parts per million by volume) CO2 world of the Pliocene supported subarctic North Pacific deep-water formation and a Pacific meridional overturning circulation (PMOC) cell. In Pliocene subarctic North Pacific sediments, we report orbitally paced maxima in calcium carbonate accumulation rate, with accompanying pigment and total organic carbon measurements supporting deep-ocean ventilation-driven preservation as their cause. Together with high accumulation rates of biogenic opal, these findings require vigorous bidirectional communication between surface waters and interior waters down to ~3 km in the western subarctic North Pacific, implying deep convection. Redox-sensitive trace metal data provide further evidence of higher Pliocene deep-ocean ventilation before the 2.73-Ma (million years) transition. This observational analysis is supported by climate modeling results, demonstrating that atmospheric moisture transport changes, in response to the reduced meridional sea surface temperature gradients of the Pliocene, were capable of eroding the halocline, leading to deep-water formation in the western subarctic Pacific and a strong PMOC. This second Northern Hemisphere overturning cell has important implications for heat transport, the ocean/atmosphere cycle of carbon, and potentially the equilibrium response of the Pacific to global warming. PMID:28924606

Active Pacific meridional overturning circulation (PMOC) during the warm Pliocene

DOE PAGES

Burls, Natalie J.; Fedorov, Alexey V.; Sigman, Daniel M.; ...

2017-09-13

An essential element of modern ocean circulation and climate is the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC), which includes deep-water formation in the subarctic North Atlantic. However, a comparable overturning circulation is absent in the Pacific, theworld’s largest ocean,where relatively fresh surface waters inhibitNorth Pacific deep convection. We present complementary measurement and modeling evidence that the warm, ~400–ppmv (parts per million by volume) CO 2 world of the Pliocene supported subarctic North Pacific deep-water formation and a Pacific meridional overturning circulation (PMOC) cell. In Pliocene subarctic North Pacific sediments, we report orbitally paced maxima in calcium carbonate accumulation rate, with accompanyingmore » pigment and total organic carbon measurements supporting deep-ocean ventilation-driven preservation as their cause. Together with high accumulation rates of biogenic opal, these findings require vigorous bidirectional communication between surface waters and interior waters down to ~3 km in the western subarctic North Pacific, implying deep convection. Redoxsensitive trace metal data provide further evidence of higher Pliocene deep-ocean ventilation before the 2.73-Ma (million years) transition. This observational analysis is supported by climate modeling results, demonstrating that atmospheric moisture transport changes, in response to the reduced meridional sea surface temperature gradients of the Pliocene, were capable of eroding the halocline, leading to deep-water formation in the western subarctic Pacific and a strong PMOC. This second Northern Hemisphere overturning cell has important implications for heat transport, the ocean/atmosphere cycle of carbon, and potentially the equilibrium response of the Pacific to global warming.« less

The Ocean Topography Experiment (TOPEX) - Some questions answered

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Townsend, W. F.

1985-01-01

The Ocean Topography Experiment (TOPEX) is to provide a basis for improving the understanding of the general circulation of the global oceans. In the context of this experiment, measurements of the surface topography of the oceans are to be conducted with the aid of radar altimetry. The obtained data, when combined with appropriate in situ observations, will make it possible to determine the three-dimensional structure of the ocean currents. The in situ observations needed are to be provided by the World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE). Information regarding the ocean surface winds obtained with the aid of the NASA Scatterometer (NSCAT) to be flown on the Navy Remote Ocean Sensing System (N-ROSS) can supplement the TOPEX and WOCE data about the oceans. The TOPEX satellite is to be designed for a three year lifetime, but it will carry expendables for two additional years. Attention is given to TOPEX as an international program, aspects of timing regarding the conduction of the various experiments dealing with the oceans and the global climate, and the special characteristics of the TOPEX mission.

Observations and Modeling of the Transient General Circulation of the North Pacific Basin

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McWilliams, James C.

2000-01-01

Because of recent progress in satellite altimetry and numerical modeling and the accumulation and archiving of long records of hydrographic and meteorological variables, it is becoming feasible to describe and understand the transient general circulation of the ocean (i.e., variations with spatial scales larger than a few hundred kilometers and time scales of seasonal and longer-beyond the mesoscale). We have carried out various studies in investigation of the transient general circulation of the Pacific Ocean from a coordinated analysis of satellite altimeter data, historical hydrographic gauge data, scatterometer wind observations, reanalyzed operational wind fields, and a variety of ocean circulation models. Broadly stated, our goal was to achieve a phenomenological catalogue of different possible types of large-scale, low-frequency variability, as a context for understanding the observational record. The approach is to identify the simplest possible model from which particular observed phenomena can be isolated and understood dynamically and then to determine how well these dynamical processes are represented in more complex Oceanic General Circulation Models (OGCMs). Research results have been obtained on Rossby wave propagation and transformation, oceanic intrinsic low-frequency variability, effects of surface gravity waves, pacific data analyses, OGCM formulation and developments, and OGCM simulations of forced variability.

Changing Arctic Ocean freshwater pathways.

PubMed

Morison, James; Kwok, Ron; Peralta-Ferriz, Cecilia; Alkire, Matt; Rigor, Ignatius; Andersen, Roger; Steele, Mike

2012-01-04

Freshening in the Canada basin of the Arctic Ocean began in the 1990s and continued to at least the end of 2008. By then, the Arctic Ocean might have gained four times as much fresh water as comprised the Great Salinity Anomaly of the 1970s, raising the spectre of slowing global ocean circulation. Freshening has been attributed to increased sea ice melting and contributions from runoff, but a leading explanation has been a strengthening of the Beaufort High--a characteristic peak in sea level atmospheric pressure--which tends to accelerate an anticyclonic (clockwise) wind pattern causing convergence of fresh surface water. Limited observations have made this explanation difficult to verify, and observations of increasing freshwater content under a weakened Beaufort High suggest that other factors must be affecting freshwater content. Here we use observations to show that during a time of record reductions in ice extent from 2005 to 2008, the dominant freshwater content changes were an increase in the Canada basin balanced by a decrease in the Eurasian basin. Observations are drawn from satellite data (sea surface height and ocean-bottom pressure) and in situ data. The freshwater changes were due to a cyclonic (anticlockwise) shift in the ocean pathway of Eurasian runoff forced by strengthening of the west-to-east Northern Hemisphere atmospheric circulation characterized by an increased Arctic Oscillation index. Our results confirm that runoff is an important influence on the Arctic Ocean and establish that the spatial and temporal manifestations of the runoff pathways are modulated by the Arctic Oscillation, rather than the strength of the wind-driven Beaufort Gyre circulation.

Weakening of tropical Pacific atmospheric circulation due to anthropogenic forcing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vecchi, Gabriel A.; Soden, Brian J.; Wittenberg, Andrew T.; Held, Isaac M.; Leetmaa, Ants; Harrison, Matthew J.

2006-05-01

Since the mid-nineteenth century the Earth's surface has warmed, and models indicate that human activities have caused part of the warming by altering the radiative balance of the atmosphere. Simple theories suggest that global warming will reduce the strength of the mean tropical atmospheric circulation. An important aspect of this tropical circulation is a large-scale zonal (east-west) overturning of air across the equatorial Pacific Ocean-driven by convection to the west and subsidence to the east-known as the Walker circulation. Here we explore changes in tropical Pacific circulation since the mid-nineteenth century using observations and a suite of global climate model experiments. Observed Indo-Pacific sea level pressure reveals a weakening of the Walker circulation. The size of this trend is consistent with theoretical predictions, is accurately reproduced by climate model simulations and, within the climate models, is largely due to anthropogenic forcing. The climate model indicates that the weakened surface winds have altered the thermal structure and circulation of the tropical Pacific Ocean. These results support model projections of further weakening of tropical atmospheric circulation during the twenty-first century.

Hydrothermal systems are a sink for dissolved black carbon in the deep ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niggemann, J.; Hawkes, J. A.; Rossel, P. E.; Stubbins, A.; Dittmar, T.

2016-02-01

Exposure to heat during fires on land or geothermal processes in Earth's crust induces modifications in the molecular structure of organic matter. The products of this thermogenesis are collectively termed black carbon. Dissolved black carbon (DBC) is a significant component of the oceanic dissolved organic carbon (DOC) pool. In the deep ocean, DBC accounts for 2% of DOC and has an apparent radiocarbon age of 18,000 years. Thus, DBC is much older than the bulk DOC pool, suggesting that DBC is highly refractory. Recently, it has been shown that recalcitrant deep-ocean DOC is efficiently removed during hydrothermal circulation. Here, we hypothesize that hydrothermal circulation is also a net sink for deep ocean DBC. We analyzed DBC in samples collected at different vent sites in the Atlantic, Pacific and Southern oceans. DBC was quantified in solid-phase extracts as benzenepolycarboxylic acids (BPCAs) following nitric acid digestion. Concentrations of DBC were much lower in hydrothermal fluids than in surrounding deep ocean seawater, confirming that hydrothermal circulation acts as a net sink for oceanic DBC. The relative contribution of DBC to bulk DOC did not change during hydrothermal circulation, indicating that DBC is removed at similar rates as bulk DOC. The ratio of the oxidation products benzenehexacarboxylic acid (B6CA) to benzenepentacarboxylic acid (B5CA) was significantly higher in hydrothermally altered samples compared to ratios typically found in the deep ocean, reflecting a higher degree of condensation of DBC molecules after hydrothermal circulation. Our study identified hydrothermal circulation as a quantitatively important sink for refractory DBC in the deep ocean. In contrast to photodegradation of DBC at the sea surface, which is more efficient for more condensed DBC, i.e. decreasing the B6CA/B5CA ratio, hydrothermal processing increases the B6CA/B5CA ratio, introducing a characteristic hydrothermal DBC signature.

North Atlantic forcing of tropical Indian Ocean climate.

PubMed

Mohtadi, Mahyar; Prange, Matthias; Oppo, Delia W; De Pol-Holz, Ricardo; Merkel, Ute; Zhang, Xiao; Steinke, Stephan; Lückge, Andreas

2014-05-01

The response of the tropical climate in the Indian Ocean realm to abrupt climate change events in the North Atlantic Ocean is contentious. Repositioning of the intertropical convergence zone is thought to have been responsible for changes in tropical hydroclimate during North Atlantic cold spells, but the dearth of high-resolution records outside the monsoon realm in the Indian Ocean precludes a full understanding of this remote relationship and its underlying mechanisms. Here we show that slowdowns of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation during Heinrich stadials and the Younger Dryas stadial affected the tropical Indian Ocean hydroclimate through changes to the Hadley circulation including a southward shift in the rising branch (the intertropical convergence zone) and an overall weakening over the southern Indian Ocean. Our results are based on new, high-resolution sea surface temperature and seawater oxygen isotope records of well-dated sedimentary archives from the tropical eastern Indian Ocean for the past 45,000 years, combined with climate model simulations of Atlantic circulation slowdown under Marine Isotope Stages 2 and 3 boundary conditions. Similar conditions in the east and west of the basin rule out a zonal dipole structure as the dominant forcing of the tropical Indian Ocean hydroclimate of millennial-scale events. Results from our simulations and proxy data suggest dry conditions in the northern Indian Ocean realm and wet and warm conditions in the southern realm during North Atlantic cold spells.

Numerical analysis of seawater circulation in carbonate platforms: I. Geothermal convection

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sanford, W.E.; Whitaker, F.F.; Smart, P.L.; Jones, G.

1998-01-01

Differences in fluid density between cold ocean water and warm ground water can drive the circulation of seawater through carbonate platforms. The circulating water can be the major source of dissolved constituents for diagenetic reactions such as dolomitization. This study was undertaken to investigate the conditions under which such circulation can occur and to determine which factors control both the flux and the patterns of fluid circulation and temperature distribution, given the expected ranges of those factors in nature. Results indicate that the magnitude and distribution of permeability within a carbonate platform are the most important parameters. Depending on the values of horizontal and vertical permeability, heat transport within a platform can occur by one of three mechanisms: conduction, forced convection, or free convection. Depth-dependent relations for porosity and permeability in carbonate platforms suggest circulation may decrease rapidly with depth. The fluid properties of density and viscosity are controlled primarily by their dependency on temperature. The bulk thermal conductivity of the rocks within the platform affects the conductive regime to some extent, especially if evaporite minerals are present within the section. Platform geometry has only a second-order effect on circulation. The relative position of sealevel can create surface conditions that range from exposed (with a fresh-water lens present) to shallow water (with hypersaline conditions created by evaporation in constricted flow conditions) to submerged or drowned (with free surface water circulation), but these boundary conditions and associated ocean temperature profiles have only a second-order effect on fluid circulation. Deep, convective circulation can be caused by horizon tal temperature gradients and can occur even at depths below the ocean bottom. Temperature data from deep holes in the Florida and Bahama platforms suggest that geothermal circulation is actively

Ocean products delivered by the Mercator Ocean Service Department

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crosnier, L.; Durand, E.; Soulat, F.; Messal, F.; Buarque, S.; Toumazou, V.; Landes, V.; Drevillon, M.; Lellouche, J.

2008-12-01

The newly created Service Department at Mercator Ocean is now offering various services for academic and private ocean applications. Mercator Ocean runs operationally ocean forecast systems for the Global and North Atlantic Ocean. These systems are based on an ocean general circulation model NEMO as well as on data assimilation of sea level anomalies, sea surface temperature and temperature and salinity vertical profiles. Three dimensional ocean fields of temperature, salinity and currents are updated and available weekly, including analysis and 2 weeks forecast fields. The Mercator Ocean service department is now offering a wide range of ocean derived products. This presentation will display some of the various products delivered in the framework of academic and private ocean applications: " Monitoring of the ocean current at the surface and at depth in several geographical areas for offshore oil platform, for offshore satellite launch platform, for transatlantic sailing or rowing boat races. " Monitoring of ocean climate indicators (Coral bleaching...) for marine reserve survey; " Monitoring of upwelling systems for fisheries; " Monitoring of the ocean heat content for tropical cyclone monitoring. " Monitoring of the ocean temperature/salinity and currents to guide research vessels during scientific cruises. The Mercator Ocean products catalogue will grow wider in the coming years, especially in the framework of the European GMES MyOcean project (FP7).

Ocean Data Assimilation in Support of Climate Applications: Status and Perspectives.

PubMed

Stammer, D; Balmaseda, M; Heimbach, P; Köhl, A; Weaver, A

2016-01-01

Ocean data assimilation brings together observations with known dynamics encapsulated in a circulation model to describe the time-varying ocean circulation. Its applications are manifold, ranging from marine and ecosystem forecasting to climate prediction and studies of the carbon cycle. Here, we address only climate applications, which range from improving our understanding of ocean circulation to estimating initial or boundary conditions and model parameters for ocean and climate forecasts. Because of differences in underlying methodologies, data assimilation products must be used judiciously and selected according to the specific purpose, as not all related inferences would be equally reliable. Further advances are expected from improved models and methods for estimating and representing error information in data assimilation systems. Ultimately, data assimilation into coupled climate system components is needed to support ocean and climate services. However, maintaining the infrastructure and expertise for sustained data assimilation remains challenging.

A Trip Through the Virtual Ocean: Understanding Basic Oceanic Process Using Real Data and Collaborative Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hastings, D. W.

2012-12-01

How can we effectively teach undergraduates the fundamentals of physical, chemical and biological processes in the ocean? Understanding physical circulation and biogeochemical processes is essential, yet it can be difficult for an undergraduate to easily grasp important concepts such as using temperature and salinity as conservative tracers, nutrient distribution, ageing of water masses, and thermocline variability. Like many other topics, it is best learned not in a lecture setting, but working with real data: plotting values, making predictions, and making mistakes. Part I: Using temperature and salinity values from any location in the world ocean (World Ocean Atlas), combined with an excellent user interface (http://ferret.pmel.noaa.gov), students are asked to answer a series of specific questions related to ocean circulation. Using established temperature and salinity values to characterize different water masses, students are able to identify various water masses and gain insight to physical circulation processes. Questions related to ocean circulation include: How far south and at what depth does NADW extend into the S. Atlantic? Is deep water formed in the North Pacific? How and why does the depth of the thermocline vary with latitude in the Atlantic Ocean? How deep does the Mediterranean Water descend as it leaves the Straits of Gibraltar? How far into the Atlantic can you see the influence of the Amazon River? Is there any Antarctic Bottom Water in the North Pacific? Collaborating with another student typically leads to increased engagement. Especially in large lecture settings, where one teacher is not able to address student questions or concerns, working in pairs or in groups of three is best. Part II: Using the same web-based viewer and data set students are subsequently assigned one oceanic property (phosphate, nitrate, silicate, O2, or AOU) and asked to construct three different plots: 1) vertical depth profile at one location; 2) latitude vs. depth

Characteristics of the ocean simulations in the Max Planck Institute Ocean Model (MPIOM) the ocean component of the MPI-Earth system model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jungclaus, J. H.; Fischer, N.; Haak, H.; Lohmann, K.; Marotzke, J.; Matei, D.; Mikolajewicz, U.; Notz, D.; von Storch, J. S.

2013-06-01

MPI-ESM is a new version of the global Earth system model developed at the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology. This paper describes the ocean state and circulation as well as basic aspects of variability in simulations contributing to the fifth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5). The performance of the ocean/sea-ice model MPIOM, coupled to a new version of the atmosphere model ECHAM6 and modules for land surface and ocean biogeochemistry, is assessed for two model versions with different grid resolution in the ocean. The low-resolution configuration has a nominal resolution of 1.5°, whereas the higher resolution version features a quasiuniform, eddy-permitting global resolution of 0.4°. The paper focuses on important oceanic features, such as surface temperature and salinity, water mass distribution, large-scale circulation, and heat and freshwater transports. In general, these integral quantities are simulated well in comparison with observational estimates, and improvements in comparison with the predecessor system are documented; for example, for tropical variability and sea ice representation. Introducing an eddy-permitting grid configuration in the ocean leads to improvements, in particular, in the representation of interior water mass properties in the Atlantic and in the representation of important ocean currents, such as the Agulhas and Equatorial current systems. In general, however, there are more similarities than differences between the two grid configurations, and several shortcomings, known from earlier versions of the coupled model, prevail.

Dynamical balance in the Indonesian Seas circulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burnett, William H.; Kamenkovich, Vladimir M.; Jaffe, David A.; Gordon, Arnold L.; Mellor, George L.

2000-09-01

A high resolution, four-open port, non-linear, barotropic ocean model (2D POM) is used to analyze the Indonesian Seas circulation. Both local and overall momentum balances are studied. It is shown that geostrophy holds over most of the area and that the Pacific-Indian Ocean pressure difference is essentially balanced by the resultant of pressure forces acting on the bottom.

Atmospheric Blocking and Atlantic Multi-Decadal Ocean Variability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haekkinen, Sirpa; Rhines, Peter B.; Worthlen, Denise L.

2011-01-01

Based on the 20th century atmospheric reanalysis, winters with more frequent blocking, in a band of blocked latitudes from Greenland to Western Europe, are found to persist over several decades and correspond to a warm North Atlantic Ocean, in-phase with Atlantic multi-decadal ocean variability. Atmospheric blocking over the northern North Atlantic, which involves isolation of large regions of air from the westerly circulation for 5 days or more, influences fundamentally the ocean circulation and upper ocean properties by impacting wind patterns. Winters with clusters of more frequent blocking between Greenland and western Europe correspond to a warmer, more saline subpolar ocean. The correspondence between blocked westerly winds and warm ocean holds in recent decadal episodes (especially, 1996-2010). It also describes much longer-timescale Atlantic multidecadal ocean variability (AMV), including the extreme, pre-greenhouse-gas, northern warming of the 1930s-1960s. The space-time structure of the wind forcing associated with a blocked regime leads to weaker ocean gyres and weaker heat-exchange, both of which contribute to the warm phase of AMV.

A Possible Cause for Recent Decadal Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation Decline

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Latif, Mojib; Park, Taewook; Park, Wonsun

2017-04-01

The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is a major oceanic current system with widespread climate impacts. AMOC influences have been discussed among others with regard to Atlantic hurricane activity, regional sea level variability, and surface air temperature and precipitation changes on land areas adjacent to the North Atlantic Ocean. Most climate models project significant AMOC slowing during the 21st century, if atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations continue to rise unabatedly. Recently, a marked decadal decline in AMOC strength has been observed, which was followed by strongly reduced oceanic poleward heat transport and record low sea surface temperature in parts of the North Atlantic. Here, we provide evidence from observations, re-analyses and climate models that the AMOC decline was due to the combined action of the North Atlantic Oscillation and East Atlantic Pattern, the two leading modes of North Atlantic atmospheric surface pressure variability, which prior to the decline both transitioned into their negative phases. This change in atmospheric circulation diminished oceanic heat loss over the Labrador Sea and forced ocean circulation changes lowering upper ocean salinity transport into that region. As a consequence, Labrador Sea deep convection weakened, which eventually slowed the AMOC. This study suggests a new mechanism for decadal AMOC variability, which is important to multiyear climate predictability and climate change detection in the North Atlantic sector.

Response of the North Atlantic dynamic sea level and circulation to Greenland meltwater and climate change in an eddy-permitting ocean model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saenko, Oleg A.; Yang, Duo; Myers, Paul G.

2017-10-01

The response of the North Atlantic dynamic sea surface height (SSH) and ocean circulation to Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) meltwater fluxes is investigated using a high-resolution model. The model is forced with either present-day-like or projected warmer climate conditions. In general, the impact of meltwater on the North Atlantic SSH and ocean circulation depends on the surface climate. In the two major regions of deep water formation, the Labrador Sea and the Nordic Seas, the basin-mean SSH increases with the increase of the GrIS meltwater flux. This SSH increase correlates with the decline of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC). However, while in the Labrador Sea the warming forcing and GrIS meltwater input lead to sea level rise, in the Nordic Seas these two forcings have an opposite influence on the convective mixing and basin-mean SSH (relative to the global mean). The warming leads to less sea-ice cover in the Nordic Seas, which favours stronger surface heat loss and deep mixing, lowering the SSH and generally increasing the transport of the East Greenland Current. In the Labrador Sea, the increased SSH and weaker deep convection are reflected in the decreased transport of the Labrador Current (LC), which closes the subpolar gyre in the west. Among the two major components of the LC transport, the thermohaline and bottom transports, the former is less sensitive to the GrIS meltwater fluxes under the warmer climate. The SSH difference across the LC, which is a component of the bottom velocity, correlates with the long-term mean AMOC rate.

Topex: Observing the Oceans from Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

Measurement of global ocean topography by a radar altimeter aboard the TOPEX satellite is discussed. Technical aspects of satellite altimetry as they pertain to the measurement of ocean circulation are described. The TOPEX mission is explained and a general history of oceanography is included.

The interaction between sea ice and salinity-dominated ocean circulation: implications for halocline stability and rapid changes of sea ice cover

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jensen, Mari F.; Nilsson, Johan; Nisancioglu, Kerim H.

2016-11-01

Changes in the sea ice cover of the Nordic Seas have been proposed to play a key role for the dramatic temperature excursions associated with the Dansgaard-Oeschger events during the last glacial. In this study, we develop a simple conceptual model to examine how interactions between sea ice and oceanic heat and freshwater transports affect the stability of an upper-ocean halocline in a semi-enclosed basin. The model represents a sea ice covered and salinity stratified Nordic Seas, and consists of a sea ice component and a two-layer ocean. The sea ice thickness depends on the atmospheric energy fluxes as well as the ocean heat flux. We introduce a thickness-dependent sea ice export. Whether sea ice stabilizes or destabilizes against a freshwater perturbation is shown to depend on the representation of the diapycnal flow. In a system where the diapycnal flow increases with density differences, the sea ice acts as a positive feedback on a freshwater perturbation. If the diapycnal flow decreases with density differences, the sea ice acts as a negative feedback. However, both representations lead to a circulation that breaks down when the freshwater input at the surface is small. As a consequence, we get rapid changes in sea ice. In addition to low freshwater forcing, increasing deep-ocean temperatures promote instability and the disappearance of sea ice. Generally, the unstable state is reached before the vertical density difference disappears, and the temperature of the deep ocean do not need to increase as much as previously thought to provoke abrupt changes in sea ice.

230Th and 231Pa: Tracers for Deep Water Circulation and Particle Fluxes in the Arctic Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valk, O.; Rutgers van der Loeff, M.; Puigcorbe Lacueva, V.; Paffrath, R.; Gdaniec, S.

2016-02-01

230Th and 231Pa data from the central Arctic Ocean is very limited. 230Th and 231Pa are produced at a constant rate in the water column by radioactive decay of Uranium isotopes (234U and 235U respectively) (e.g. Anderson et al., 1983). They are both particle reactive and are scavenged on settling particles. As 230Th is more particle reactive than 231Pa, their distribution in the water column and activity ratio give us information about particle fluxes and circulation patterns and -intensities (Henderson et al., 1999; Scholten et al., 2001). The Arctic Ocean is an almost landlocked ocean with limited connections to the Atlantic and Pacific and a high input of river water. About 10 % of the global river run-off is delivered to the Arctic Ocean. Due to climate change the Arctic Ocean will undergo dramatic changes in sea ice cover and supply of fresh water, while increasing coastal erosion will cause an increased input of terrestrial material (Peterson et al., 2002). This will influence the biogeochemical cycling and transport of carbon, nutrients and trace elements (IPCC, 2007). We expect that the distribution of 230Th and 231Pa will reflect changes in particle fluxes and shelf-basin exchange (Roy-Barman, 2009). We will present the first results of 230Th and 231Pa, in combination with on board measured particulate 234Th, collected during the 2015 Polarstern section (GEOTRACES section GN04 2015) through the Nansen, Amundsen, and Makarov Basins. Anderson, R. F., et al. (1983). EPSL 62: 7-23. Henderson, G. M., et al. (1999). DSR I 46: 1861-1893. IPCC, 2007. Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Solomon, S. et al.]. Cambridge University Press. Peterson, B. J., et al. (2002). Science 298: 2171-2173. Roy-Barman, M. (2009). Biogeosciences 6: 3091-3107. Scholten, J. C., et al. (2001). DSR II 48: 2383-2408.

Maximum Drawdown of Atmospheric CO2 due to Biological Uptake in the Ocean and the Ocean Temperature Effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Odalen, M.; Nycander, J.; Oliver, K. I. C.; Nilsson, J.; Brodeau, L.; Ridgwell, A.

2016-02-01

During glacials, atmospheric CO2 is significantly lowered; the decrease is about 1/3 or 90 ppm during the last four glacial cycles. Since the ocean reservoir of carbon, and hence the ocean capacity for storing carbon, is substantially larger than the atmospheric and terrestrial counterparts, it is likely that this lowering was caused by ocean processes, drawing the CO2 into the deep ocean. The Southern Ocean circulation and biological efficiency are widely accepted as having played an important part in this CO2 drawdown. However, the relative effects of different processes contributing to this oceanic uptake have not yet been well constrained. In this work, we focus on better constraining two of these processes; 1) the effect of increased efficiency of the biological carbon uptake, and 2) the effect of changes in global mean ocean temperature on the abiotic ocean-atmosphere CO2 equilibrium. By performing ensemble runs using an Earth System Model of Intermediate Complexity (EMIC) we examine the changes in atmospheric pCO2 achieved by 100% nutrient utilization efficiency of biology. The simulations display different ocean circulation patterns and hence different global ocean mean temperatures. By restoring the atmospheric pCO2 to a target value during the spin-up phase, the total carbon content differs between each of the ensemble members. The difference is due to circulation having direct effects on biology, but also on global ocean mean temperature, changing the solubility of CO2. This study reveals the relative importance of of the processes 1 and 2 (mentioned above) for atmospheric pCO2 in a changed climate. The results of this study also show that a difference in carbon content after spin-up can have a significant effect on the drawdown potential of a maximised biological efficiency. Thus, the choice of spin-up characteristics in a model study of climate change CO2 dynamics may significantly affect the outcome of the study.

Longitudinal Biases in the Seychelles Dome Simulated by 34 Ocean-Atmosphere Coupled General Circulation Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagura, M.; Sasaki, W.; Tozuka, T.; Luo, J.; Behera, S. K.; Yamagata, T.

2012-12-01

The upwelling dome of the southern tropical Indian Ocean is examined by using simulated results from 34 ocean-atmosphere coupled general circulation models (CGCMs) including those from the phase five of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5). Among the current set of the 34 CGCMs, 12 models erroneously produce the upwelling dome in the eastern half of the basin while the observed Seychelles Dome is located in the southwestern tropical Indian Ocean (Figure 1). The annual mean Ekman pumping velocity is almost zero in the southern off-equatorial region in these models. This is in contrast with the observations that show Ekman upwelling as the cause of the Seychelles Dome. In the models that produce the dome in the eastern basin, the easterly biases are prominent along the equator in boreal summer and fall that cause shallow thermocline biases along the Java and Sumatra coasts via Kelvin wave dynamics and result in a spurious upwelling dome there. In addition, these models tend to overestimate (underestimate) the magnitude of annual (semiannual) cycle of thermocline depth variability in the dome region, which is another consequence of the easterly wind biases in boreal summer-fall. Compared to the CMIP3 models (Yokoi et al. 2009), the CMIP5 models are even worse in simulating the dome longitudes and magnitudes of annual and semiannual cycles of thermocline depth variability in the dome region. Considering the increasing need to understand regional impacts of climate modes, these results may give serious caveats to interpretation of model results and help in further model developments.; Figure 1: The longitudes of the shallowest annual-mean D20 in 5°S-12°S. The open and filled circles are for the observations and the CGCMs, respectively.

Quantifying predictability variations in a low-order ocean-atmosphere model - A dynamical systems approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nese, Jon M.; Dutton, John A.

1993-01-01

The predictability of the weather and climatic states of a low-order moist general circulation model is quantified using a dynamic systems approach, and the effect of incorporating a simple oceanic circulation on predictability is evaluated. The predictability and the structure of the model attractors are compared using Liapunov exponents, local divergence rates, and the correlation and Liapunov dimensions. It was found that the activation of oceanic circulation increases the average error doubling time of the atmosphere and the coupled ocean-atmosphere system by 10 percent and decreases the variance of the largest local divergence rate by 20 percent. When an oceanic circulation develops, the average predictability of annually averaged states is improved by 25 percent and the variance of the largest local divergence rate decreases by 25 percent.

High-temperature hydrothermal circulation in the lower oceanic crust at fast spreading ridges: Reconciling geophysical and geochemical constraints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilcock, W.

2003-04-01

Hydrothermal circulation is the dominant mechanism for cooling young oceanic crust and knowledge of its depth, extent and timing is critical for our understanding of crustal accretion. At fast-spreading ridges there is considerable controversy regarding the importance of this process in the lower crust. Geochemical data indicate that high-temperature hydrothermal fluids react with the lower crust but they also suggest that the reactions are limited to a narrow temperature interval and involve relatively small volumes of fluid. As a result many geochemical studies conclude that high-temperature hydrothermal circulation plays a relatively small role in heat transport in the lower crust and occurs in a closed system that is isolated from upper crustal hydrothermal cells. In contrast, seismic observations on the fast spreading East Pacific Rise show that the mid-crustal axial magma chamber is underlain by a low velocity zone which is no more than 5-8 km wide throughout the lower crust and is interpreted as a region of elevated temperatures containing relatively low average melt fractions. Irrespective of the style of lower crustal accretion, simple physical considerations suggest that this structure is only thermally feasible if the lower crust cools by extensive hydrothermal circulation. Modeling studies indicate that this requires the permeability of the lower crust to temporarily reach at least ~10-13 m2. In order to reconcile the geochemical and geophysical data it is important to recognize that the thermal constraints do not require pervasive seawater circulation in the lower crust and can be satisfied by focused flow through narrow permeable zones spaced as far as about 1 km apart. Widely spaced regions of flow might be difficult to find in the field especially if the sampling strategies focus on the freshest outcrops. There is a tendency to overestimate the volume of fluid that must circulate through an open single-pass system. The fluid-rock ratios (0.2 - 1

Heat flow evidence for hydrothermal circulation in the volcanic basement of subducting plates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harris, R. N.; Spinelli, G. A.; Fisher, A. T.

2017-12-01

We summarize and interpret evidence for hydrothermal circulation in subducting oceanic basement from the Nankai, Costa Rica, south central Chile, Haida Gwaii, and Cascadia margins and explore the influence of hydrothermal circulation on plate boundary temperatures in these settings. Heat flow evidence for hydrothermal circulation in the volcanic basement of incoming plates includes: (a) values that are well below conductive (lithospheric) predictions due to advective heat loss, and (b) variability about conductive predictions that cannot be explained by variations in seafloor relief or thermal conductivity. We construct thermal models of these systems that include an aquifer in the upper oceanic crust that enhances heat transport via a high Nusselt number proxy for hydrothermal circulation. At the subduction zones examined, patterns of seafloor heat flow are not well fit by purely conductive simulations, and are better explained by simulations that include the influence of hydrothermal circulation. This result is consistent with the young basement ages (8-35 Ma) of the incoming igneous crust at these sites as well as results from global heat flow analyses showing a significant conductive heat flow deficit for crustal ages less than 65 Ma. Hydrothermal circulation within subducting oceanic basement can have a profound influence on temperatures close to the plate boundary and, in general, leads to plate boundary temperatures that are cooler than those where fluid flow does not occur. The magnitude of cooling depends on the permeability structure of the incoming plate and the evolution of permeability with depth and time. Resolving complex relationships between subduction processes, the permeability structure in the ocean crust, and the dynamics of hydrothermal circulation remains an interdisciplinary frontier.

Evolution of ocean-induced ice melt beneath Zachariæ Isstrøm, Northeast Greenland combining observations and an ocean general circulation model from 1978 to present

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, C.; Rignot, E. J.; Menemenlis, D.; Millan, R.; Bjørk, A. A.; Khan, S. A.; Charolais, A.

2017-12-01

Zachariæ Isstrøm, a major ice stream in northeast Greenland, lost a large fraction of its ice shelf during the last decade. We study the evolution of subaqueous melting of its floating section from 1978 to present. The ice shelf melt rate depends on thermal forcing from warm, salty, subsurface ocean waters of Atlantic origin (AW), the mixing of AW with fresh, buoyant subglacial discharge at the calving margin, and the shape of the sub-ice-shelf cavity. Subglacial discharge doubled as a result of enhanced ice sheet runoff caused by warmer air temperatures. Ocean thermal forcing has increased due to enhanced advection of AW. Using an Eulerian method, MEaSUREs ice velocity, Operation IceBridge (OIB) ice thickness, and RACMO2.3 surface balance data, we evaluate the ice shelf melt rate in 1978, 1999 and 2010. The melt rate doubled from 1999 to 2010. Using a Lagrangian method with World View imagery, we map the melt rate in detail from 2011 to 2016. We compare the results with 2D simulations from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology general circulation model (MITgcm), at a high spatial resolution (20-m horizontal and 40-m vertical grid spacing), using OIB ice thickness and sub-ice-shelf cavity for years 1978, 1996, 2010 and 2011, combined with in-situ ocean temperature/salinity data from Ocean Melting Greenland (OMG) 2017. We find that winter melt rates are 2 3 times smaller than summer rates and melt rates increase by one order magnitude during the transition from ice shelf termination to near-vertical calving wall termination. As the last remaining bits of floating ice shelf disappear, ice-ocean interaction will therefore play an increasing role in driving the glacier retreat into its marine-based basin. This work was performed under a contract with NASA Cryosphere Program at UC Irvine and Caltech's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Investigation of land ice-ocean interaction with a fully coupled ice-ocean model: 1. Model description and behavior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldberg, D. N.; Little, C. M.; Sergienko, O. V.; Gnanadesikan, A.; Hallberg, R.; Oppenheimer, M.

2012-06-01

Antarctic ice shelves interact closely with the ocean cavities beneath them, with ice shelf geometry influencing ocean cavity circulation, and heat from the ocean driving changes in the ice shelves, as well as the grounded ice streams that feed them. We present a new coupled model of an ice stream-ice shelf-ocean system that is used to study this interaction. The model is capable of representing a moving grounding line and dynamically responding ocean circulation within the ice shelf cavity. Idealized experiments designed to investigate the response of the coupled system to instantaneous increases in ocean temperature show ice-ocean system responses on multiple timescales. Melt rates and ice shelf basal slopes near the grounding line adjust in 1-2 years, and downstream advection of the resulting ice shelf thinning takes place on decadal timescales. Retreat of the grounding line and adjustment of grounded ice takes place on a much longer timescale, and the system takes several centuries to reach a new steady state. During this slow retreat, and in the absence of either an upward-or downward-sloping bed or long-term trends in ocean heat content, the ice shelf and melt rates maintain a characteristic pattern relative to the grounding line.

Mechanisms of Ocean Heat Uptake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garuba, Oluwayemi

An important parameter for the climate response to increased greenhouse gases or other radiative forcing is the speed at which heat anomalies propagate downward in the ocean. Ocean heat uptake occurs through passive advection/diffusion of surface heat anomalies and through the redistribution of existing temperature gradients due to circulation changes. Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) weakens in a warming climate and this should slow the downward heat advection (compared to a case in which the circulation is unchanged). However, weakening AMOC also causes a deep warming through the redistributive effect, thus increasing the downward rate of heat propagation compared to unchanging circulation. Total heat uptake depends on the combined effect of these two mechanisms. Passive tracers in a perturbed CO2 quadrupling experiments are used to investigate the effect of passive advection and redistribution of temperature anomalies. A new passive tracer formulation is used to separate ocean heat uptake into contributions due to redistribution and passive advection-diffusion of surface heating during an ocean model experiment with abrupt increase in surface temperature. The spatial pattern and mechanisms of each component are examined. With further experiments, the effects of surface wind, salinity and temperature changes in changing circulation and the resulting effect on redistribution in the individual basins are isolated. Analysis of the passive advection and propagation path of the tracer show that the Southern ocean dominates heat uptake, largely through vertical and horizontal diffusion. Vertical diffusion transports the tracer across isopycnals down to about 1000m in 100 years in the Southern ocean. Advection is more important in the subtropical cells and in the Atlantic high latitudes, both with a short time scale of about 20 years. The shallow subtropical cells transport the tracer down to about 500m along isopycnal surfaces, below this vertical

Multimillennium changes in dissolved oxygen under global warming: results from an AOGCM and offline ocean biogeochemical model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamamoto, A.; Abe-Ouchi, A.; Shigemitsu, M.; Oka, A.; Takahashi, K.; Ohgaito, R.; Yamanaka, Y.

2016-12-01

Long-term oceanic oxygen change due to global warming is still unclear; most future projections (such as CMIP5) are only performed until 2100. Indeed, few previous studies using conceptual models project oxygen change in the next thousands of years, showing persistent global oxygen reduction by about 30% in the next 2000 years, even after atmospheric carbon dioxide stops rising. Yet, these models cannot sufficiently represent the ocean circulation change: the key driver of oxygen change. Moreover, considering serious effect oxygen reduction has on marine life and biogeochemical cycling, long-term oxygen change should be projected for higher validity. Therefore, we used a coupled atmosphere-ocean general circulation model (AOGCM) and an offline ocean biogeochemical model, investigating realistic long-term changes in oceanic oxygen concentration and ocean circulation. We integrated these models for 2000 years under atmospheric CO2 doubling and quadrupling. After global oxygen reduction in the first 500 years, oxygen concentration in deep ocean globally recovers and overshoots, despite surface oxygen decrease and weaker Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation. Deep ocean convection in the Weddell Sea recovers and overshoots, after initial cessation. Thus, enhanced deep convection and associated Antarctic Bottom Water supply oxygen-rich surface waters to deep ocean, resulting global deep ocean oxygenation. We conclude that the change in ocean circulation in the Southern Ocean potentially drives millennial-scale oxygenation in the deep ocean; contrary to past reported long-term oxygen reduction and general expectation. In presentation, we will discuss the mechanism of response of deep ocean convection in the Weddell Sea and show the volume changes of hypoxic waters.

Indian-Southern Ocean Latitudinal Transect (ISOLAT): A proposal for the recovery of high-resolution sedimentary records in the western Indian Ocean sector of the Southern Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mackensen, A.; Zahn, R.; Hall, I.; Kuhn, G.; Koc, N.; Francois, R.; Hemming, S.; Goldstein, S.; Rogers, J.; Ehrmann, W.

2003-04-01

Quantifying oceanic variability at timescales of oceanic, atmospheric, and cryospheric processes are the fundamental objectives of the international IMAGES program. In this context the Southern Ocean plays a leading role in that it is involved, through its influence on global ocean circulation and carbon budget, with the development and maintenance of the Earth's climate system. The seas surrounding Antarctica contain the world's only zonal circum-global current system that entrains water masses from the three main ocean basins, and maintains the thermal isolation of Antarctica from warmer surface waters to the north. Furthermore, the Southern Ocean is a major site of bottom and intermediate water formation and thus actively impacts the global thermohaline circulation (THC). This proposal is an outcome of the IMAGES Southern Ocean Working Group and constitutes one component of a suite of new IMAGES/IODP initiatives that aim at resolving past variability of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) on orbital and sub-orbital timescales and its involvement with rapid global ocean variability and climate instability. The primary aim of this proposal is to determine millennial- to sub-centennial scale variability of the ACC and the ensuing Atlantic-Indian water transports, including surface transports and deep-water flow. We will focus on periods of rapid ocean and climate change and assess the role of the Southern Ocean in these changes, both in terms of its thermohaline circulation and biogeochemical inventories. We propose a suite of 11 sites that form a latitudinal transect across the ACC in the westernmost Indian Ocean sector of the Southern Ocean. The transect is designed to allow the reconstruction of ACC variability across a range of latitudes in conjunction with meridional shifts of the surface ocean fronts. The northernmost reaches of the transect extend into the Agulhas Current and its retroflection system which is a key component of the THC warm water return

Inter comparison of Tropical Indian Ocean features in different ocean reanalysis products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karmakar, Ananya; Parekh, Anant; Chowdary, J. S.; Gnanaseelan, C.

2017-09-01

This study makes an inter comparison of ocean state of the Tropical Indian Ocean (TIO) in different ocean reanalyses such as global ocean data assimilation system (GODAS), ensemble coupled data assimilation (ECDA), ocean reanalysis system 4 (ORAS4) and simple ocean data assimilation (SODA) with reference to the in-situ buoy observations, satellite observed sea surface temperature (SST), EN4 analysis and ocean surface current analysis real time (OSCAR). Analysis of mean state of SST and sea surface salinity (SSS) reveals that ORAS4 is better comparable with satellite observations as well as EN4 analysis, and is followed by SODA, ECDA and GODAS. The surface circulation in ORAS4 is closer to OSCAR compared to the other reanalyses. However mixed layer depth (MLD) is better simulated by SODA, followed by ECDA, ORAS4 and GODAS. Seasonal evolution of error indicates that the highest deviation in SST and MLD over the TIO exists during spring and summer in GODAS. Statistical analysis with concurrent data of EN4 for the period of 1980-2010 supports that the difference and standard deviation (variability strength) ratio for SSS and MLD is mostly greater than one. In general the strength of variability is overestimated by all the reanalyses. Further comparison with in-situ buoy observations supports that MLD errors over the equatorial Indian Ocean (EIO) and the Bay of Bengal are higher than with EN4 analysis. Overall ORAS4 displays higher correlation and lower error among all reanalyses with respect to both EN4 analysis and buoy observations. Major issues in the reanalyses are the underestimation of upper ocean stability in the TIO, underestimation of surface current in the EIO, overestimation of vertical shear of current and improper variability in different oceanic variables. To improve the skill of reanalyses over the TIO, salinity vertical structure and upper ocean circulation need to be better represented in reanalyses.

The Global Ocean Observing System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kester, Dana

1992-01-01

A Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) should be established now with international coordination (1) to address issues of global change, (2) to implement operational ENSO forecasts, (3) to provide the data required to apply global ocean circulation models, and (4) to extract the greatest value from the one billion dollar investment over the next ten years in ocean remote sensing by the world's space agencies. The objectives of GOOS will focus on climatic and oceanic predictions, on assessing coastal pollution, and in determining the sustainability of living marine resources and ecosystems. GOOS will be a complete system including satellite observations, in situ observations, numerical modeling of ocean processes, and data exchange and management. A series of practical and economic benefits will be derived from the information generated by GOOS. In addition to the marine science community, these benefits will be realized by the energy industries of the world, and by the world's fisheries. The basic oceanic variables that are required to meet the oceanic and predictability objectives of GOOS include wind velocity over the ocean, sea surface temperature and salinity, oceanic profiles of temperature and salinity, surface current, sea level, the extent and thickness of sea ice, the partial pressure of CO2 in surface waters, and the chlorophyll concentration of surface waters. Ocean circulation models and coupled ocean-atmosphere models can be used to evaluate observing system design, to assimilate diverse data sets from in situ and remotely sensed observations, and ultimately to predict future states of the system. The volume of ocean data will increase enormously over the next decade as new satellite systems are launched and as complementary in situ measuring systems are deployed. These data must be transmitted, quality controlled, exchanged, analyzed, and archived with the best state-of-the-art computational methods.

High-latitude ocean ventilation and its role in Earth's climate transitions

PubMed Central

MacGilchrist, Graeme A. ; Brown, Peter J.; Evans, D. Gwyn; Meijers, Andrew J. S.; Zika, Jan D.

2017-01-01

The processes regulating ocean ventilation at high latitudes are re-examined based on a range of observations spanning all scales of ocean circulation, from the centimetre scales of turbulence to the basin scales of gyres. It is argued that high-latitude ocean ventilation is controlled by mechanisms that differ in fundamental ways from those that set the overturning circulation. This is contrary to the assumption of broad equivalence between the two that is commonly adopted in interpreting the role of the high-latitude oceans in Earth's climate transitions. Illustrations of how recognizing this distinction may change our view of the ocean's role in the climate system are offered. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Ocean ventilation and deoxygenation in a warming world’. PMID:28784714

Atmospheric Blocking and Atlantic Multi-Decadal Ocean Variability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hakkinen, Sirpa; Rhines, Peter B.; Worthen, Denise L.

2011-01-01

Atmospheric blocking over the northern North Atlantic involves isolation of large regions of air from the westerly circulation for 5-14 days or more. From a recent 20th century atmospheric reanalysis (1,2) winters with more frequent blocking persist over several decades and correspond to a warm North Atlantic Ocean, in-phase with Atlantic multi-decadal ocean variability (AMV). Ocean circulation is forced by wind-stress curl and related air/sea heat exchange, and we find that their space-time structure is associated with dominant blocking patterns: weaker ocean gyres and weaker heat exchange contribute to the warm phase of AMV. Increased blocking activity extending from Greenland to British Isles is evident when winter blocking days of the cold years (1900-1929) are subtracted from those of the warm years (1939-1968).

The future of spaceborne altimetry. Oceans and climate change: A long-term strategy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koblinsky, C. J. (Editor); Gaspar, P. (Editor); Lagerloef, G. (Editor)

1992-01-01

The ocean circulation and polar ice sheet volumes provide important memory and control functions in the global climate. Their long term variations are unknown and need to be understood before meaningful appraisals of climate change can be made. Satellite altimetry is the only method for providing global information on the ocean circulation and ice sheet volume. A robust altimeter measurement program is planned which will initiate global observations of the ocean circulation and polar ice sheets. In order to provide useful data about the climate, these measurements must be continued with unbroken coverage into the next century. Herein, past results of the role of the ocean in the climate system is summarized, near term goals are outlined, and requirements and options are presented for future altimeter missions. There are three basic scientific objectives for the program: ocean circulation; polar ice sheets; and mean sea level change. The greatest scientific benefit will be achieved with a series of dedicated high precision altimeter spacecraft, for which the choice of orbit parameters and system accuracy are unencumbered by requirements of companion instruments.

An oxygen isotope profile in a section of Cretaceous oceanic crust, Samail Ophiolite, Oman: Evidence for δ18O buffering of the oceans by deep (>5 km) seawater-hydrothermal circulation at mid-ocean ridges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gregory, Robert T.; Taylor, Hugh P., Jr.

1981-04-01

Isotopic analyses of 75 samples from the Samail ophiolite indicate that pervasive subsolidus hydrothermal exchange with seawater occurred throughout the upper 75% of this 8-km-thick oceanic crustal section; locally, the H2O even penetrated down into the tectonized peridotite. Pillow lavas (δ18O = 10.7 to 12.7) and sheeted dikes (4.9 to 11.3) are typically enriched in 18O, and the gabbros (3.7 to 5.9) are depleted in 18O. In the latter rocks, water/rock ≤ 0.3, and δ18Ocpx ≈ 2.9 + 0.44 δ18Ofeld, indicating pronounced isotopic disequilibrium. The mineral δ18O values approximately follow an exchange (mixing) trajectory which requires that plagioclase must exchange with H2O about 3 to 5 times faster than clinopyroxene. The minimum δ18Ofeld value (3.6) occurs about 2.5 km below the diabase-gabbro contact. Although the gabbro plagioclase appears to be generally petrographically unaltered, its oxygen has been thoroughly exchanged; the absence of hydrous alteration minerals, except for minor talc and/or amphibole, suggests that this exchange occurred at T > 400°-500°C. Plagioclase δ18O values increase up section from their minimum values, becoming coincident with primary magmatic values near the gabbro-sheeted diabase contact and reaching 11.8 in the diabase dikes. These 18O enrichments in greenschist facies diabases are in part due to exchange with strongly 18O-shifted fluids, in addition to retrograde exchange at much lower temperatures. The δ18O data and the geometry of the mid-ocean ridge (MOR) magma chamber require that two decoupled hydrothermal systems must be present during much of the early spreading history of the oceanic crust (approximately the first 106 years); one system is centered over the ridge axis and probably involves several convective cells that circulate downward to the roof of the magma chamber, while the other system operates underneath the wings of the chamber, in the layered gabbros. Upward discharge of 18O-shifted water into the

ENSO Bred Vectors in Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere General Circulation Models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yang, S. C.; Cai, Ming; Kalnay, E.; Rienecker, M.; Yuan, G.; Toth, ZA.

2004-01-01

The breeding method has been implemented in the NASA Seasonal-to-Interannual Prediction Project (NSIPP) Coupled General Circulation Model (CGCM) with the goal of improving operational seasonal to interannual climate predictions through ensemble forecasting and data assimilation. The coupled instability as cap'tured by the breeding method is the first attempt to isolate the evolving ENSO instability and its corresponding global atmospheric response in a fully coupled ocean-atmosphere GCM. Our results show that the growth rate of the coupled bred vectors (BV) peaks at about 3 months before a background ENSO event. The dominant growing BV modes are reminiscent of the background ENSO anomalies and show a strong tropical response with wind/SST/thermocline interrelated in a manner similar to the background ENSO mode. They exhibit larger amplitudes in the eastern tropical Pacific, reflecting the natural dynamical sensitivity associated with the presence of the shallow thermocline. Moreover, the extratropical perturbations associated with these coupled BV modes reveal the variations related to the atmospheric teleconnection patterns associated with background ENSO variability, e.g. over the North Pacific and North America. A similar experiment was carried out with the NCEP/CFS03 CGCM. Comparisons between bred vectors from the NSIPP CGCM and NCEP/CFS03 CGCM demonstrate the robustness of the results. Our results strongly suggest that the breeding method can serve as a natural filter to identify the slowly varying, coupled instabilities in a coupled GCM, which can be used to construct ensemble perturbations for ensemble forecasts and to estimate the coupled background error covariance for coupled data assimilation.

Ocean forces Greenland and Greenland forces the ocean: a two-way exchange at Greenland's marine margins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Straneo, F.

2017-12-01

The widespread speed up of Greenland's glaciers, over the last two decades, was unpredicted, revealing major gaps in our understanding of how ice sheets respond to a changing climate. Increased submarine melting at the edge of glaciers has emerged as a key trigger - indicating that glacier/ocean exchanges must be accounted for in ice sheet variability reconstructions and predictions. In parallel, the increasing freshwater discharge into the ocean, associated with Greenland's ice loss, has the potential to impact the North Atlantic's circulation and climate. Thus glacier/ocean exchanges are also relevant to understanding drivers of past and future changes in the North Atlantic Ocean's circulation. Here, I present recent findings from observations collected at the edge of several Greenland glaciers that reveal how melting is caused by intrusions of warm, subtropical waters into the fjords and enhanced by the release of surface melt hundreds of meters below sea level. Similarly, hydrographic and tracer data collected at the glaciers' margins, and within the glacial fjords, reveal how Greenland meltwater are exported in the form of highly diluted glacially modified waters, often subsurface, and temporally lagged with respect to the meltwater release. These findings underline the need for improved representation of ice/ocean exchanges in models in order understand and predict the ice sheet's impact on the ocean and the ocean's impact on the ice sheet.

Ocean forces Greenland and Greenland forces the ocean: a two-way exchange at Greenland's marine margins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stanley, V.; Schoephoester, P.; Lodge, R. W. D.

2016-12-01

The widespread speed up of Greenland's glaciers, over the last two decades, was unpredicted, revealing major gaps in our understanding of how ice sheets respond to a changing climate. Increased submarine melting at the edge of glaciers has emerged as a key trigger - indicating that glacier/ocean exchanges must be accounted for in ice sheet variability reconstructions and predictions. In parallel, the increasing freshwater discharge into the ocean, associated with Greenland's ice loss, has the potential to impact the North Atlantic's circulation and climate. Thus glacier/ocean exchanges are also relevant to understanding drivers of past and future changes in the North Atlantic Ocean's circulation. Here, I present recent findings from observations collected at the edge of several Greenland glaciers that reveal how melting is caused by intrusions of warm, subtropical waters into the fjords and enhanced by the release of surface melt hundreds of meters below sea level. Similarly, hydrographic and tracer data collected at the glaciers' margins, and within the glacial fjords, reveal how Greenland meltwater are exported in the form of highly diluted glacially modified waters, often subsurface, and temporally lagged with respect to the meltwater release. These findings underline the need for improved representation of ice/ocean exchanges in models in order understand and predict the ice sheet's impact on the ocean and the ocean's impact on the ice sheet.

Coherent Multidecadal Atmospheric and Oceanic Variability in the North Atlantic: Blocking Corresponds with Warm Subpolar Ocean

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hakkinen, Sirpa M.; Rhines, P. B.; Worthen, D. L.

2012-01-01

Winters with frequent atmospheric blocking, in a band of latitudes from Greenland to Western Europe, are found to persist over several decades and correspond to a warm North Atlantic Ocean. This is evident in atmospheric reanalysis data, both modern and for the full 20th century. Blocking is approximately in phase with Atlantic multidecadal ocean variability (AMV). Wintertime atmospheric blocking involves a highly distorted jetstream, isolating large regions of air from the westerly circulation. It influences the ocean through windstress-curl and associated air/sea heat flux. While blocking is a relatively high-frequency phenomenon, it is strongly modulated over decadal timescales. The blocked regime (weaker ocean gyres, weaker air-sea heat flux, paradoxically increased transport of warm subtropical waters poleward) contributes to the warm phase of AMV. Atmospheric blocking better describes the early 20thC warming and 1996-2010 warm period than does the NAO index. It has roots in the hemispheric circulation and jet stream dynamics. Subpolar Atlantic variability covaries with distant AMOC fields: both these connections may express the global influence of the subpolar North Atlantic ocean on the global climate system.

Paleoclimate of Quaternary Costa Rica: Analysis of Sediment from ODP Site 1242 in the Eastern Tropical Pacific to Explore the Behavior of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and Oceanic Circulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buczek, C. R.; Joseph, L. H.

2017-12-01

Studies of grain size, magnetic fabric, and terrigenous mass accumulation rates (MAR) on oceanic sediment can provide insights into climatic conditions present at or near the time of deposition by helping to delineate changes in rainfall and oceanic circulation intensities. The fairly homogenous hemipelagic nannofossil clays and clayey nannofossil oozes collected in the upper portion of Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 1242 provide a 1.4 million year sediment record from the Cocos Ridge, in relatively shallow waters of the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, off the coast of present day Central and South America. Information about shifts in rainfall and oceanic circulation provided by this study may be helpful in understanding changes in the location and behavior of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), and/or other climatic factors, in this area during the Pleistocene and Holocene Epochs. Approximately 130 paired side-by-side samples were selected at approximately evenly spaced intervals throughout the uppermost 190 mcd of the core. To obtain terrigenous grain size and MARs, one set of sediment samples was subject to a five-step chemical extraction process to dissolve any oxy-hydroxy coatings, remove the biogenic carbonate and silicate components, and sieve out grains larger than 63 µm. The pre- and post-extraction weights were compared to calculate a terrigenous weight percent (%) from which the terrigenous MAR values were then calculated, with the use of linear sediment rates and dry bulk density measurements determined from shipboard ODP 1242 analyses. Magnetic fabric, or anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS), was analyzed on a KLY4S-Kappabridge using the second set of samples taken in pmag cubes. Terrigenous MAR values range between 3.1 and 10.9 g/cm2/kyr, while P' (AMS) values range between 1.004 and 1.04 SI. A distinctive trend is noted in both factors, with both exhibiting relatively high initial values that then decrease from the beginning of the

The importance of altimeter and scatterometer data for ocean prediction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hurlburt, H. E.

1984-01-01

The prediction of ocean circulation using satellite altimeter data is discussed. Three classes of oceanic response to atmospheric forcing are outlined and examined. Storms, surface waves, eddies, and ocean currents were evaluated in terms of forecasting time requirements. Scatterometer and radiometer applications to ocean prediction are briefly reviewed.

Practical global oceanic state estimation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wunsch, Carl; Heimbach, Patrick

2007-06-01

The problem of oceanographic state estimation, by means of an ocean general circulation model (GCM) and a multitude of observations, is described and contrasted with the meteorological process of data assimilation. In practice, all such methods reduce, on the computer, to forms of least-squares. The global oceanographic problem is at the present time focussed primarily on smoothing, rather than forecasting, and the data types are unlike meteorological ones. As formulated in the consortium Estimating the Circulation and Climate of the Ocean (ECCO), an automatic differentiation tool is used to calculate the so-called adjoint code of the GCM, and the method of Lagrange multipliers used to render the problem one of unconstrained least-squares minimization. Major problems today lie less with the numerical algorithms (least-squares problems can be solved by many means) than with the issues of data and model error. Results of ongoing calculations covering the period of the World Ocean Circulation Experiment, and including among other data, satellite altimetry from TOPEX/POSEIDON, Jason-1, ERS- 1/2, ENVISAT, and GFO, a global array of profiling floats from the Argo program, and satellite gravity data from the GRACE mission, suggest that the solutions are now useful for scientific purposes. Both methodology and applications are developing in a number of different directions.

Ocean Cooling Pattern at the Last Glacial Maximum

DOE PAGES

Zhuang, Kelin; Giardino, John R.

2012-01-01

Ocean temperature and ocean heat content change are analyzed based on four PMIP3 model results at the Last Glacial Maximum relative to the prehistorical run. Ocean cooling mostly occurs in the upper 1000 m depth and varies spatially in the tropical and temperate zones. The Atlantic Ocean experiences greater cooling than the rest of the ocean basins. Ocean cooling is closely related to the weakening of meridional overturning circulation and enhanced intrusion of Antarctic Bottom Water into the North Atlantic.

Demonstrating the Alaska Ocean Observing System in Prince William Sound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schoch, G. Carl; McCammon, Molly

2013-07-01

The Alaska Ocean Observing System and the Oil Spill Recovery Institute developed a demonstration project over a 5 year period in Prince William Sound. The primary goal was to develop a quasi-operational system that delivers weather and ocean information in near real time to diverse user communities. This observing system now consists of atmospheric and oceanic sensors, and a new generation of computer models to numerically simulate and forecast weather, waves, and ocean circulation. A state of the art data management system provides access to these products from one internet portal at http://www.aoos.org. The project culminated in a 2009 field experiment that evaluated the observing system and performance of the model forecasts. Observations from terrestrial weather stations and weather buoys validated atmospheric circulation forecasts. Observations from wave gages on weather buoys validated forecasts of significant wave heights and periods. There was an emphasis on validation of surface currents forecasted by the ocean circulation model for oil spill response and search and rescue applications. During the 18 day field experiment a radar array mapped surface currents and drifting buoys were deployed. Hydrographic profiles at fixed stations, and by autonomous vehicles along transects, were made to acquire measurements through the water column. Terrestrial weather stations were the most reliable and least costly to operate, and in situ ocean sensors were more costly and considerably less reliable. The radar surface current mappers were the least reliable and most costly but provided the assimilation and validation data that most improved ocean circulation forecasts. We describe the setting of Prince William Sound and the various observational platforms and forecast models of the observing system, and discuss recommendations for future development.

On the glacial and inter-glacial thermohaline circulation and the associated transports of heat and freshwater

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ballarotta, M.; Falahat, S.; Brodeau, L.; Döös, K.

2014-03-01

The change of the thermohaline circulation (THC) between the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM, ≈ 21 kyr ago) and the present day climate are explored using an Ocean General Circulation Model and stream functions projected in various coordinates. Compared to the present day period, the LGM circulation is reorganised in the Atlantic Ocean, in the Southern Ocean and particularly in the abyssal ocean, mainly due to the different haline stratification. Due to stronger wind stress, the LGM tropical circulation is more vigorous than under modern conditions. Consequently, the maximum tropical transport of heat is slightly larger during the LGM. In the North Atlantic basin, the large sea-ice extent during the LGM constrains the Gulf Stream to propagate in a more zonal direction, reducing the transport of heat towards high latitudes and reorganising the freshwater transport. The LGM circulation is represented as a large intrusion of saline Antarctic Bottom Water into the Northern Hemisphere basins. As a result, the North Atlantic Deep Water is shallower in the LGM simulation. The stream functions in latitude-salinity coordinates and thermohaline coordinates point out the different haline regimes between the glacial and interglacial period, as well as a LGM Conveyor Belt circulation largely driven by enhanced salinity contrast between the Atlantic and the Pacific basin. The thermohaline structure in the LGM simulation is the result of an abyssal circulation that lifts and deviates the Conveyor Belt cell from the area of maximum volumetric distribution, resulting in a ventilated upper layer above a deep stagnant layer, and an Atlantic circulation more isolated from the Pacific. An estimation of the turnover times reveal a deep circulation almost sluggish during the LGM, and a Conveyor Belt cell more vigorous due to the combination of stronger wind stress and shortened circulation route.

An Isopycnal Box Model with predictive deep-ocean structure for biogeochemical cycling applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goodwin, Philip

2012-07-01

To simulate global ocean biogeochemical tracer budgets a model must accurately determine both the volume and surface origins of each water-mass. Water-mass volumes are dynamically linked to the ocean circulation in General Circulation Models, but at the cost of high computational load. In computationally efficient Box Models the water-mass volumes are simply prescribed and do not vary when the circulation transport rates or water mass densities are perturbed. A new computationally efficient Isopycnal Box Model is presented in which the sub-surface box volumes are internally calculated from the prescribed circulation using a diffusive conceptual model of the thermocline, in which upwelling of cold dense water is balanced by a downward diffusion of heat. The volumes of the sub-surface boxes are set so that the density stratification satisfies an assumed link between diapycnal diffusivity, κd, and buoyancy frequency, N: κd = c/(Nα), where c and α are user prescribed parameters. In contrast to conventional Box Models, the volumes of the sub-surface ocean boxes in the Isopycnal Box Model are dynamically linked to circulation, and automatically respond to circulation perturbations. This dynamical link allows an important facet of ocean biogeochemical cycling to be simulated in a highly computationally efficient model framework.

Global Modeling of Internal Tides Within an Eddying Ocean General Circulation Model

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-06-01

atmosphere and ocean (Yu and Weller, 2007 ). Salinities in the upper ocean are set by the difference between evaporation and precipitation at the ocean...surface (Yu, 2007 ; Schmitt, 2008). Because the buoyancy (density) of seawater at the ocean surface is con- trolled by temperature and salinity, the...days, these currents mean- der and generate highly energetic meso- scale eddies (Schmitz, 1996a,b; Stammer , 1997), the spinning oceanic dynamical

Barium-isotopic fractionation in seawater mediated by barite cycling and oceanic circulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horner, Tristan J.; Kinsley, Christopher W.; Nielsen, Sune G.

2015-11-01

The marine biogeochemical cycle of Ba is thought to be controlled by particulate BaSO4 (barite) precipitation associated with the microbial oxidation of organic carbon and its subsequent dissolution in the BaSO4-undersaturated water column. Despite many of these processes being largely unique to Ba cycling, concentrations of Ba and Si in seawater exhibit a strong linear correlation. The reasons for this correlation are ambiguous, as are the depth ranges corresponding to the most active BaSO4 cycling and the intermediate sources of Ba to particulate BaSO4. Stable isotopic analyses of dissolved Ba in seawater should help address these issues, as Ba-isotopic compositions are predicted to be sensitive to the physical and biogeochemical process that cycle Ba. We report a new methodology for the determination of dissolved Ba-isotopic compositions in seawater and results from a 4500 m depth profile in the South Atlantic at 39.99° S, 0.92° E that exhibit oceanographically-consistent variation with depth. These data reveal that water masses obtain their [Ba] and Ba-isotopic signatures when at or near the surface, which relates to the cycling of marine BaSO4. The shallow origin of these signatures requires that the substantial Ba-isotopic variations in the bathypelagic zone were inherited from when those deep waters were last ventilated. Indeed, the water column below 600 m is well explained by conservative mixing of water masses with distinct [Ba] and Ba-isotopic compositions. This leads us to conclude that large scale oceanic circulation is important for sustaining the similar oceanographic distributions of Ba and Si in the South Atlantic, and possibly elsewhere. These data demonstrate that the processes of organic carbon oxidation, BaSO4 cycling, and Ba-isotopic fractionation in seawater are closely coupled, such that Ba-isotopic analyses harbor great potential as a tracer of the carbon cycle in the modern and paleo-oceans.

High-latitude ocean ventilation and its role in Earth's climate transitions.

PubMed

Naveira Garabato, Alberto C; MacGilchrist, Graeme A; Brown, Peter J; Evans, D Gwyn; Meijers, Andrew J S; Zika, Jan D

2017-09-13

The processes regulating ocean ventilation at high latitudes are re-examined based on a range of observations spanning all scales of ocean circulation, from the centimetre scales of turbulence to the basin scales of gyres. It is argued that high-latitude ocean ventilation is controlled by mechanisms that differ in fundamental ways from those that set the overturning circulation. This is contrary to the assumption of broad equivalence between the two that is commonly adopted in interpreting the role of the high-latitude oceans in Earth's climate transitions. Illustrations of how recognizing this distinction may change our view of the ocean's role in the climate system are offered.This article is part of the themed issue 'Ocean ventilation and deoxygenation in a warming world'. © 2017 The Authors.

Role of the ocean in climate changes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gulev, Sergey K.

1992-01-01

The present program aimed at the study of ocean climate change is prepared by a group of scientists from State Oceanographic Institute, Academy of Science of Russia, Academy of Science of Ukraine and Moscow State University. It appears to be a natural evolution of ideas and achievements that have been developed under national and international ocean research projects such as SECTIONS, WOCE, TOGA, JGOFS and others. The two primary goals are set in the program ROCC. (1) Quantitative description of the global interoceanic 'conveyor' and it's role in formation of the large scale anomalies in the North Atlantic. The objectives on the way to this goal are: to get the reliable estimates of year-to-year variations of heat and water exchange between the Atlantic Ocean and the atmosphere; to establish and understand the physics of long period variations in meridianal heat and fresh water transport (MHT and MFWT) in the Atlantic Ocean; to analyze the general mechanisms, that form the MHT and MFWT in low latitudes (Ekman flux), middle latitudes (western boundary currents) and high latitudes (deep convection) of the North Atlantic; to establish and to give quantitative description of the realization of global changes in SST, surface salinity, sea level and sea ice data. (2) Development of the observational system pointed at tracing the climate changes in the North Atlantic. This goal merges the following objectives: to find the proper sites that form the inter annual variations of MHT; to study the deep circulation in the 'key' points; to develop the circulation models reflecting the principle features of interoceanic circulation; and to define global and local response of the atmosphere circulation to large scale processes in the Atlantic Ocean.

The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation and Abrupt Climate Change.

PubMed

Lynch-Stieglitz, Jean

2017-01-03

Abrupt changes in climate have occurred in many locations around the globe over the last glacial cycle, with pronounced temperature swings on timescales of decades or less in the North Atlantic. The global pattern of these changes suggests that they reflect variability in the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC). This review examines the evidence from ocean sediments for ocean circulation change over these abrupt events. The evidence for changes in the strength and structure of the AMOC associated with the Younger Dryas and many of the Heinrich events is strong. Although it has been difficult to directly document changes in the AMOC over the relatively short Dansgaard-Oeschger events, there is recent evidence supporting AMOC changes over most of these oscillations as well. The lack of direct evidence for circulation changes over the shortest events leaves open the possibility of other driving mechanisms for millennial-scale climate variability.

Radionuclide and biomarker proxies of past ocean circulation and productivity in the Arabian Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pourmand, A.; Marcantonio, F.; Bianchi, T. S.; Canuel, E. A.; Waterson, E. J.

2005-05-01

We present new excess 231Pa/230Th activity ratios and lipid biomarker results from northeastern Arabian Sea sediments (core 93KL) spanning the past 50 ka in an effort to constrain further the relationship between climate at low and high latitudes. 231Pa/230Th activity ratios are maintained at values significantly higher than the water-column production ratio of 0.093. Average 231Pa/230Th activity ratios are lower during the last glacial period than during the Holocene. The lowest 231Pa/230Th activity ratios coincide with the timing of Heinrich Events 1-5. Profiles of lipid biomarker fluxes and 231Pa/230Th activity ratios from 32 to 12 ka show similar patterns, suggesting that 231Pa is more efficiently scavenged relative to 230Th at times when diatoms make up a proportionally larger part of the primary biomass signal. In the Holocene, high 231Pa/230Th activity ratios may indicate enhanced 231Pa export from the southern to the northern Indian Ocean via intensified thermohaline circulation.

Atlantic meridional overturning circulation during the Last Glacial Maximum.

PubMed

Lynch-Stieglitz, Jean; Adkins, Jess F; Curry, William B; Dokken, Trond; Hall, Ian R; Herguera, Juan Carlos; Hirschi, Joël J-M; Ivanova, Elena V; Kissel, Catherine; Marchal, Olivier; Marchitto, Thomas M; McCave, I Nicholas; McManus, Jerry F; Mulitza, Stefan; Ninnemann, Ulysses; Peeters, Frank; Yu, Ein-Fen; Zahn, Rainer

2007-04-06

The circulation of the deep Atlantic Ocean during the height of the last ice age appears to have been quite different from today. We review observations implying that Atlantic meridional overturning circulation during the Last Glacial Maximum was neither extremely sluggish nor an enhanced version of present-day circulation. The distribution of the decay products of uranium in sediments is consistent with a residence time for deep waters in the Atlantic only slightly greater than today. However, evidence from multiple water-mass tracers supports a different distribution of deep-water properties, including density, which is dynamically linked to circulation.

Eddy Resolving Global Ocean Prediction including Tides

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-30

atlantic meridional overturning circulation in the subpolar North Atlantic . Journal of Geophysical Research vol 118, doi:10.1002/jgrc,20065. [published, refereed] ...global ocean circulation model was examined using results from years 2005-2009 of a seven and a half year 1/12.5° global simulation that resolves...internal tides, along with barotropic tides and the eddying general circulation . We examined tidal amplitudes computed using 18 183-day windows that

Interactions Between the Thermohaline Circulation and Tropical Atlantic SST in a Coupled General Circulation Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, Ron; Jiang, Xing-Jian; Travis, Larry (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Tropical Atlantic SST shows a (statistically well-defined) decadal time scale in a 104-year simulation of unforced variability by a coupled general circulation model (CGCM). The SST anomalies superficially resemble observed Tropical Atlantic variability (TAV), and are associated with changes in the atmospheric circulation. Brazilian rainfall is modulated with a decadal time scale, along with the strength of the Atlantic trade winds, which are associated with variations in evaporation and the net surface heat flux. However, in contrast to observed tropical Atlantic variability, the trade winds damp the associated anomalies in ocean temperature, indicating a negative feedback. Tropical SST anomalies in the CGCM, though opposed by the surface heat flux, are advected in from the Southern Hemisphere mid-latitudes. These variations modulate the strength of the thermohaline circulation (THC): warm, salty anomalies at the equator sink drawing cold, fresh mid-latitude water. Upon reaching the equator, the latter inhibit vertical overturning and advection from higher latitudes, which allows warm, salty anomalies to reform, returning the cycle to its original state. Thus, the cycle results from advection of density anomalies and the effect of these anomalies upon the rate of vertical overturning and surface advection. This decadal modulation of Tropical Atlantic SST and the thermohaline circulation is correlated with ocean heat transport to the Northern Hemisphere high latitudes and Norwegian Sea SST. Because of the central role of equatorial convection, we question whether this mechanism is present in the current climate, although we speculate that it may have operated in palaeo times, depending upon the stability of the tropical water column.

The freshwater export from the Arctic Ocean and the circulation of liquid freshwater around Greenland - constraints, interactions & consequences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rudels, Bert

2010-05-01

The freshwater added to the Arctic Ocean is stored as sea ice and as liquid freshwater residing primarily in the upper layers. This allows for simple zero order estimates of the liquid freshwater content and export based on rotationally controlled baroclinic flow. At present the freshwater outflow occurs on both sides of Greenland. In Fram Strait the sea ice export in the East Greenland Current is significantly larger than the liquid freshwater outflow, while the liquid freshwater export dominates in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Although the outflow in the upper layer and the freshwater export respond to short periodic wind events and longer periodic atmospheric circulation patterns, the long-term trend is controlled by the net freshwater supply - the freshwater input minus the ice export. As the ice formation and ice export are expected to diminish in a warmer climate the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, comprising several passages, should gradually carry more of the total Arctic Ocean freshwater outflow. However, the channels in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago discharge into the restricted Baffin, which also receives a part of the Fram Strait freshwater export via the West Greenland Current. In a situation with increased glacial melting and freshwater discharge from Greenland the density of the upper layer in Baffin Bay may decrease considerably. This would reduce the sea level difference between the Arctic Ocean and Baffin Bay and thus weaken the outflow through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, in extreme cases perhaps even reverse the flow. This would shift the main Arctic Ocean liquid freshwater export from The Canadian Arctic Archipelago to Fram Strait. The zero order dynamics of the exchanges through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and Baffin Bay are described and the possibility for a weakening of the outflow is examined.

Amino Acid Stability in the Early Oceans

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parker, E. T.; Brinton, K. L.; Burton, A. S.; Glavin, D. P.; Dworkin, J. P.; Bada, J. L.

2015-01-01

It is likely that a variety of amino acids existed in the early oceans of the Earth at the time of the origin and early evolution of life. "Primordial soup", hydrothermal vent, and meteorite based processes could have contributed to such an inventory. Several "protein" amino acids were likely present, however, based on prebiotic synthesis experiments and carbonaceous meteorite studies, non-protein amino acids, which are rare on Earth today, were likely the most abundant. An important uncertainty is the length of time these amino acids could have persisted before their destruction by abiotic and biotic processes. Prior to life, amino acid concentrations in the oceans were likely regulated by circulation through hydro-thermal vents. Today, the entire ocean circulates through vent systems every 10(exp 7) years. On the early Earth, this value was likely smaller due to higher heat flow and thus marine amino acid life-time would have been shorter. After life, amino acids in the oceans could have been assimilated by primitive organisms.

Modeling tabular icebergs submerged in the ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stern, A. A.; Adcroft, A.; Sergienko, O.; Marques, G.

2017-08-01

Large tabular icebergs calved from Antarctic ice shelves have long lifetimes (due to their large size), during which they drift across large distances, altering ambient ocean circulation, bottom-water formation, sea-ice formation, and biological primary productivity in the icebergs' vicinity. However, despite their importance, the current generation of ocean circulation models usually do not represent large tabular icebergs. In this study, we develop a novel framework to model large tabular icebergs submerged in the ocean. In this framework, tabular icebergs are represented by pressure-exerting Lagrangian elements that drift in the ocean. The elements are held together and interact with each other via bonds. A breaking of these bonds allows the model to emulate calving events (i.e., detachment of a tabular iceberg from an ice shelf) and tabular icebergs breaking up into smaller pieces. Idealized simulations of a calving tabular iceberg, its drift, and its breakup demonstrate capabilities of the developed framework.

Microbial decomposition of marine dissolved organic matter in cool oceanic crust

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shah Walter, Sunita R.; Jaekel, Ulrike; Osterholz, Helena; Fisher, Andrew T.; Huber, Julie A.; Pearson, Ann; Dittmar, Thorsten; Girguis, Peter R.

2018-05-01

Marine dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is one of the largest active reservoirs of reduced carbon on Earth. In the deep ocean, DOC has been described as biologically recalcitrant and has a radiocarbon age of 4,000 to 6,000 years, which far exceeds the timescale of ocean overturning. However, abiotic removal mechanisms cannot account for the full magnitude of deep-ocean DOC loss. Deep-ocean water circulates at low temperatures through volcanic crust on ridge flanks, but little is known about the associated biogeochemical processes and carbon cycling. Here we present analyses of DOC in fluids from two borehole observatories installed in crustal rocks west of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, and show that deep-ocean DOC is removed from these cool circulating fluids. The removal mechanism is isotopically selective and causes a shift in specific features of molecular composition, consistent with microbe-mediated oxidation. We suggest organic molecules with an average radiocarbon age of 3,200 years are bioavailable to crustal microbes, and that this removal mechanism may account for at least 5% of the global loss of DOC in the deep ocean. Cool crustal circulation probably contributes to maintaining the deep ocean as a reservoir of `aged' and refractory DOC by discharging the surviving organic carbon constituents that are molecularly degraded and depleted in 14C and 13C into the deep ocean.

Variability of sea surface height and circulation in the North Atlantic: Forcing mechanisms and linkages

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zeliang; Lu, Youyu; Dupont, Frederic; W. Loder, John; Hannah, Charles; G. Wright, Daniel

2015-03-01

Simulations with a coarse-resolution global ocean model during 1958-2004 are analyzed to understand the inter-annual and decadal variability of the North Atlantic. Analyses of Empirical Orthogonal Functions (EOFs) suggest relationships among basin-scale variations of sea surface height (SSH) and depth-integrated circulation, and the winter North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) or the East Atlantic Pattern (EAP) indices. The linkages between the atmospheric indices and ocean variables are shown to be related to the different roles played by surface momentum and heat fluxes in driving ocean variability. In the subpolar region, variations of the gyre strength, SSH in the central Labrador Sea and the NAO index are highly correlated. Surface heat flux is important in driving variations of SSH and circulation in the upper ocean and decadal variations of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). Surface momentum flux drives a significant barotropic component of flow and makes a noticeable contribution to the AMOC. In the subtropical region, momentum flux plays a dominant role in driving variations of the gyre circulation and AMOC; there is a strong correlation between gyre strength and SSH at Bermuda.

The Closure History of the Central American Seaway and its Relationship to Ocean Circulation and Climate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waite, A. J.; Martin, E. E.; Lawrence, K. T.; Ladlow, C. G.; Newkirk, D.

2014-12-01

Paleoceanographic and ecologic studies suggest that gradual shoaling of the Central American Seaway (CAS) as the Isthmus of Panama rose between ~13 to 2 Ma caused a stepwise shutdown of deep, intermediate, and shallow Pacific water flow through the seaway into the Caribbean. This diminishing communication is thought to have significantly influenced surface currents, ocean circulation at depth, and ultimately regional and global climate. However, new studies of Panama's volcanic/tectonic history suggest the isthmus rose much earlier than previous estimates, calling into question many of our accepted implications for this gateway event under the 'Panama Hypothesis,' including strengthened thermohaline circulation, North Atlantic Deep Water production, increased North Atlantic temperature, and ties to Northern Hemisphere glaciation. Despite considerable research, few paleoceanographic studies have directly examined the possibility of earlier events in the closure history of the CAS and thus the precise linkages and timing are not well defined. To investigate early restricted CAS flow related to sill formation or pulsed exhumation events, we examine two sets of independent paleoceanographic reconstructions from Ocean Drilling Program sediment cores from the region. We assess the presence of Pacific waters within the Caribbean over the last 30 Ma via the Nd-isotopic composition of fish teeth from several Caribbean sites; these records point to sustained transport of Pacific waters into the Caribbean from at least 30 to 10 Ma. Further, alkenone-derived sea surface temperature (SST) reconstructions from the Eastern Equatorial Pacific (EEP) indicate the presence of consistently warm (>27 °C) waters in the EEP from ~12 to ~5 Ma, after which time SSTs at sites within the modern cold tongue begin to cool appreciably. The SST data imply that the EEP cold tongue, which some studies suggest is linked in part to the rise of the Panamanian isthmus, did not develop until after 5

Baroclinic stabilization effect of the Atlantic-Arctic water exchange simulated by the eddy-permitting ocean model and global atmosphere-ocean model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moshonkin, Sergey; Bagno, Alexey; Gritsun, Andrey; Gusev, Anatoly

2017-04-01

Numerical experiments were performed with the global atmosphere-ocean model INMCM5 (for version of the international project CMIP6, resolution for atmosphere is 2°x1.5°, 21 level) and with the three-dimensional, free surface, sigma coordinate eddy-permitting ocean circulation model for Atlantic (from 30°S) - Arctic and Bering sea domain (0.25 degrees resolution, Institute of Numerical Mathematics Ocean Model or INMOM). Spatial resolution of the INMCM5 oceanic component is 0.5°x0.25°. Both models have 40 s-levels in ocean. Previously, the simulations were carried out for INMCM5 to generate climatic system stable state. Then model was run for 180 years. In the experiment with INMOM, CORE-II data for 1948-2009 were used. As the goal for comparing results of two these numerical models, we selected evolution of the density and velocity anomalies in the 0-300m active ocean layer near Fram Strait in the Greenland Sea, where oceanic cyclonic circulation influences Atlantic-Arctic water exchange. Anomalies were count without climatic seasonal cycle for time scales smaller than 30 years. We use Singular Value Decomposition analysis (SVD) for density-velocity anomalies with time lag from minus one to six months. Both models perform identical stable physical result. They reveal that changes of heat and salt transports by West Spitsbergen and East Greenland currents, caused by atmospheric forcing, produce the baroclinic modes of velocity anomalies in 0-300m layer, thereby stabilizing ocean response on the atmospheric forcing, which stimulates keeping water exchange between the North Atlantic and Arctic Ocean at the certain climatological level. The first SVD-mode of density-velocity anomalies is responsible for the cyclonic circulation variability. The second and third SVD-modes stabilize existing ocean circulation by the anticyclonic vorticity generation. The second and third SVD-modes give 35% of the input to the total dispersion of density anomalies and 16-18% of the

Competing influences of greenhouse warming and aerosols on Asian summer monsoon circulation and rainfall

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lau, William Ka-Ming; Kim, Kyu-Myong

2017-05-01

In this paper, we have compared and contrasted competing influences of greenhouse gases (GHG) warming and aerosol forcing on Asian summer monsoon circulation and rainfall based on CMIP5 historical simulations. Under GHG-only forcing, the land warms much faster than the ocean, magnifying the pre-industrial climatological land-ocean thermal contrast and hemispheric asymmetry, i.e., warmer northern than southern hemisphere. A steady increasing warm-ocean-warmer-land (WOWL) trend has been in effect since the 1950's substantially increasing moisture transport from adjacent oceans, and enhancing rainfall over the Asian monsoon regions. However, under GHG warming, increased atmospheric stability due to strong reduction in mid-tropospheric and near surface relative humidity coupled to an expanding subsidence areas, associated with the Deep Tropical Squeeze (DTS, Lau and Kim, 2015b) strongly suppress monsoon convection and rainfall over subtropical and extratropical land, leading to a weakening of the Asian monsoon meridional circulation. Increased anthropogenic aerosol emission strongly masks WOWL, by over 60% over the northern hemisphere, negating to a large extent the rainfall increase due to GHG warming, and leading to a further weakening of the monsoon circulation, through increasing atmospheric stability, most likely associated with aerosol solar dimming and semi-direct effects. Overall, we find that GHG exerts stronger positive rainfall sensitivity, but less negative circulation sensitivity in SASM compared to EASM. In contrast, aerosols exert stronger negative impacts on rainfall, but less negative impacts on circulation in EASM compared to SASM.

The Dynamics of Eddy Fluxes and Jet-Scale Overturning Circulations and its Impact on the Mixed Layer Formation in the Indo-Western Pacific Southern Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

LI, Q.; Lee, S.

2016-12-01

The relationship between Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) jets and eddy fluxes in the Indo-western Pacific Southern Ocean (90°E-145°E) is investigated using an eddy-resolving model. In this region, transient eddy momentum flux convergence occurs at the latitude of the primary jet core, whereas eddy buoyancy flux is located over a broader region that encompasses the jet and the inter-jet minimum. In a small sector (120°E-144°E) where jets are especially zonal, a spatial and temporal decomposition of the eddy fluxes further reveals that fast eddies act to accelerate the jet with the maximum eddy momentum flux convergence at the jet center, while slow eddies tend to decelerate the zonal current at the inter-jet minimum. Transformed Eulerian mean (TEM) diagnostics reveals that the eddy momentum contribution accelerates the jets at all model depths, whereas the buoyancy flux contribution decelerates the jets at depths below 600 m. In ocean sectors where the jets are relatively well defined, there exist jet-scale overturning circulations (JSOC) with sinking motion on the equatorward flank, and rising motion on the poleward flank of the jets. The location and structure of these thermally indirect circulations suggest that they are driven by the eddy momentum flux convergence, much like the Ferrel cell in the atmosphere. This study also found that the JSOC plays a significant role in the oceanic heat transport and that it also contributes to the formation of a thin band of mixed layer that exists on the equatorward flank of the Indo-western Pacific ACC jets.

Interannual Variation of Surface Circulation in the Japan/East Sea due to External Forcings and Intrinsic Variability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Byoung-Ju; Cho, Seong Hun; Jung, Hee Seok; Lee, Sang-Ho; Byun, Do-Seong; Kwon, Kyungman

2018-03-01

The interannual variation of surface ocean currents can be as large as seasonal variation in the Japan/East Sea (JES). To identify the major factors that cause such interannual variability of surface ocean circulation in the JES, surface circulation was simulated from 1998 to 2009 using a three-dimensional model. Contributions of atmospheric forcing (ATM), open boundary data (OBC), and intrinsic variability (ITV) of the surface flow in the JES on the interannual variability of surface ocean circulation were separately examined using numerical simulations. Variability in surface circulation was quantified in terms of variance in sea surface height, 100-m depth water temperature, and surface currents. ITV was found to be the dominant factor that induced interannual variabilities of surface circulation, the main path of the East Korea Warm Current (EKWC), and surface kinetic energy on a time scale of 2-4 years. OBC and ATM were secondary factors contributing to the interannual variation of surface circulation. Interannual variation of ATM changed the separation latitude of EKWC and increased the variability of surface circulation in the Ulleung Basin. Interannual variation of OBC enhanced low-frequency changes in surface circulation and eddies in the Yamato Basin. It also modulated basin-wide uniform oscillations of sea level. This study suggests that precise estimation of initial conditions using data assimilation is essential for long-term prediction of surface circulation in the JES.

Links between fluid circulation, temperature, and metamorphism in subducting slabs

USGS Publications Warehouse

Spinelli, G.A.; Wang, K.

2009-01-01

The location and timing of metamorphic reactions in subducting lithosph??re are influenced by thermal effects of fluid circulation in the ocean crust aquifer. Fluid circulation in subducting crust extracts heat from the Nankai subduction zone, causing the crust to pass through cooler metamorphic faci??s than if no fluid circulation occurs. This fluid circulation shifts the basalt-to-eclogite transition and the associated slab dehydration 14 km deeper (35 km farther landward) than would be predicted with no fluid flow. For most subduction zones, hydrothermal cooling of the subducting slab will delay eclogitization relative to estimates made without considering fluid circulation. Copyright 2009 by the American Geophysical Union.

Mesoscale atmosphere ocean coupling enhances the transfer of wind energy into the ocean

PubMed Central

Byrne, D.; Münnich, M.; Frenger, I.; Gruber, N.

2016-01-01

Although it is well established that the large-scale wind drives much of the world's ocean circulation, the contribution of the wind energy input at mesoscales (10–200 km) remains poorly known. Here we use regional simulations with a coupled high-resolution atmosphere–ocean model of the South Atlantic, to show that mesoscale ocean features and, in particular, eddies can be energized by their thermodynamic interactions with the atmosphere. Owing to their sea-surface temperature anomalies affecting the wind field above them, the oceanic eddies in the presence of a large-scale wind gradient provide a mesoscale conduit for the transfer of energy into the ocean. Our simulations show that this pathway is responsible for up to 10% of the kinetic energy of the oceanic mesoscale eddy field in the South Atlantic. The conditions for this pathway to inject energy directly into the mesoscale prevail over much of the Southern Ocean north of the Polar Front. PMID:27292447

Wind Forcing of the Pacific Ocean Using Scatterometer Wind Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kelly, Kathryn A.

1999-01-01

The long-term objective of this research was an understanding of the wind-forced ocean circulation, particularly for the Pacific Ocean. To determine the ocean's response to the winds, we first needed to generate accurate maps of wind stress. For the ocean's response to wind stress we examined the sea surface height (SSH) both from altimeters and from numerical models for the Pacific Ocean.

A simple predictive model for the structure of the oceanic pycnocline

PubMed

Gnanadesikan

1999-03-26

A simple theory for the large-scale oceanic circulation is developed, relating pycnocline depth, Northern Hemisphere sinking, and low-latitude upwelling to pycnocline diffusivity and Southern Ocean winds and eddies. The results show that Southern Ocean processes help maintain the global ocean structure and that pycnocline diffusion controls low-latitude upwelling.

Low-frequency western Pacific Ocean sea level and circulation changes due to the connectivity of the Philippine Archipelago

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhuang, Wei; Qiu, Bo; Du, Yan

2013-12-01

Interannual-to-decadal sea level and circulation changes associated with the oceanic connectivity around the Philippine Archipelago are studied using satellite altimeter sea surface height (SSH) data and a reduced gravity ocean model. SSHs in the tropical North Pacific, the Sulu Sea and the eastern South China Sea (ESCS) display very similar low-frequency oscillations that are highly correlated with El Niño and Southern Oscillation. Model experiments reveal that these variations are mainly forced by the low-frequency winds over the North Pacific tropical gyre and affected little by the winds over the marginal seas and the North Pacific subtropical gyre. The wind-driven baroclinic Rossby waves impinge on the eastern Philippine coast and excite coastal Kelvin waves, conveying the SSH signals through the Sibutu Passage-Mindoro Strait pathway into the Sulu Sea and the ESCS. Closures of the Luzon Strait, Karimata Strait, and ITF passages have little impacts on the low-frequency sea level changes in the Sulu Sea and the ESCS. The oceanic pathway west of the Philippine Archipelago modulates the western boundary current system in the tropical North Pacific. Opening of this pathway weakens the time-varying amplitudes of the North Equatorial Current bifurcation latitude and Kuroshio transport. Changes of the amplitudes can be explained by the conceptual framework of island rule that allows for baroclinic adjustment. Although it fails to capture the interannual changes in the strongly nonlinear Mindanao Current, the time-dependent island rule is nevertheless helpful in clarifying the role of the archipelago in regulating its multidecadal variations.

The Gulf Stream Pathway and the Impacts of the Eddy-Driven Abyssal Circulation and the Deep Western Boundary Current

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-07-06

bathymetry, wind forcing, and a meridional overturning circulation (MOC), the latter specified via ports in the northern and southern boundaries. The...small values below the sill depth in all of the simulations. e The upper ocean northward flow of the meridional overturning circulation (MOC) is...plus the northward upper ocean flow (14 Sv) of the meridional overturning circulation (MOC). The mean Gulf Stream IR northwall pathway ±lrr from

Southern Hemisphere anticyclonic circulation drives oceanic and climatic conditions in late Holocene southernmost Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hahn, Annette; Schefuß, Enno; Andò, Sergio; Cawthra, Hayley C.; Frenzel, Peter; Kugel, Martin; Meschner, Stephanie; Mollenhauer, Gesine; Zabel, Matthias

2017-06-01

Due to the high sensitivity of southern Africa to climate change, a reliable understanding of its hydrological system is crucial. Recent studies of the regional climatic system have revealed a highly complex interplay of forcing factors on precipitation regimes. This includes the influence of the tropical easterlies, the strength of the southern hemispheric westerlies as well as sea surface temperatures along the coast of the subcontinent. However, very few marine records have been available in order to study the coupling of marine and atmospheric circulation systems. Here we present results from a marine sediment core, recovered in shallow waters off the Gouritz River mouth on the south coast of South Africa. Core GeoB18308-1 allows a closer view of the last ˜ 4 kyr. Climate sensitive organic proxies, like the distribution and isotopic composition of plant-wax lipids as well as indicators for sea surface temperatures and soil input, give information on oceanographic and hydrologic changes during the recorded time period. Moreover, the micropaleontology, mineralogical and elemental composition of the sediments reflect the variability of the terrigenous input to the core site. The combination of down-core sediment signatures and a catchment-wide provenance study indicate that the Little Ice Age ( ˜ 300-650 cal yr BP) was characterized by climatic conditions favorable to torrential flood events. The Medieval Climate Anomaly ( ˜ 950-650 cal yr BP) is expressed by lower sea surface temperatures in the Mossel Bay area and humid conditions in the Gouritz River catchment. These new results suggest that the coincidence of humid conditions and cooler sea surface temperatures along the south coast of South Africa resulted from a strengthened and more southerly anticyclonic circulation. Most probably, the transport of moisture from the Indian Ocean by strong subtropical easterlies was coupled with Agulhas Bank upwelling pulses, which were initiated by an increase in

Impact of CO2 and continental configuration on Late Cretaceous ocean dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puceat, Emmanuelle; Donnadieu, Yannick; Moiroud, Mathieu; Guillocheau, François; Deconinck, Jean-François

2014-05-01

The Late Cretaceous period is characterized by a long-term climatic cooling (Huber et al., 1995; Pucéat et al., 2003; Friedrich et al., 2012) and by major changes in continental configuration with the widening of the Atlantic Ocean, the initiation of the Tethyan ocean closure, and the deepening of the Central Atlantic Gateway. The Late Cretaceous also marks the end of the occurrence of Oceanic Anoxic Events (OAEs), that are associated to enhanced organic carbon burial, to major crises of calcifying organisms, and to possible ocean acidification (Jenkyns, 2010). It has been suggested that the evolution in continental configuration and climate occurring during the Late Cretaceous could have induced a reorganization in the oceanic circulation, that may have impacted the oxygenation state of the oceanic basins and contributed to the disappearance of OAEs (Robinson et al., 2010; Robinson and Vance, 2012). Yet there is no consensus existing on the oceanic circulation modes and on their possible evolution during the Late Cretaceous, despite recent improvement of the spatial and temporal coverage of neodymium isotopic data (ɛNd), a proxy of oceanic circulation (MacLeod et al., 2008; Robinson et al., 2010; Murphy and Thomas, 2012; Robinson and Vance, 2012; Martin et al., 2012; Moiroud et al., 2012). Using the fully coupled ocean-atmosphere General Circulation Model FOAM, we explore in this work the impact on oceanic circulation of changes in continental configuration between the mid- and latest Cretaceous. Two paleogeography published by Sewall et al. (2007) were used, for the Cenomanian/Turonian boundary and for the Maastrichtian. For each paleogeography, 3 simulations have been realized, at 2x, 4x, and 8x the pre-industrial atmospheric CO2 level, in order to test the sensitivity of the modelled circulation to CO2. Our results show for both continental configurations a bipolar mode for the oceanic circulation displayed by FOAM. Using the Cenomanian/Turonian land-sea mask

Global Modeling of Internal Tides Within an Eddying Ocean General Circulation Model

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-05-31

heat between the atmosphere and ocean (Yu and Weller, 2007 ). Salinities in the upper ocean are set by the difference between evaporation and...precipitation at the ocean surface (Yu, 2007 ; Schmitt, 2008). Because the buoyancy (density) of seawater at the ocean surface is con- trolled by...timescales of about 10–200 days, these currents mean- der and generate highly energetic meso- scale eddies (Schmitz, 1996a,b; Stammer , 1997), the spinning

Tropical Cyclone Footprint in the Ocean Mixed Layer Observed by Argo in the Northwest Pacific

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-25

668. Hu, A., and G. A. Meehl (2009), Effect of the Atlantic hurricanes on the oceanic meridional overturning circulation and heat transport, Geo...atmospheric circulation [Hart et al., 2007]. Several studies, based on observations and modeling, suggest that TC-induced energy input and mixing may play...an important role in climate variability through regulating the oceanic general circulation and its variability [e.g., Emanuel, 2001; Sriver and Huber

Coastal Ocean Circulation Experiment off Senegal (COCES - II)

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-30

II) Pierre-Marie Poulain Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale Borgo Grotta Gigante , 42/c 34010 Sgonico (Trieste), Italy...region strongly dominated by coastal upwelling. Specific goals are: 1. to construct unbiased statistics of near surface circulation; 2. to describe...Geophysics,Borgo Grotta Gigante , 42/c,34010 Sgonico (Trieste), Italy, 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER 9. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S

The influence of vegetation-atmosphere-ocean interaction on climate during the mid-holocene

PubMed

Ganopolski; Kubatzki; Claussen; Brovkin; Petoukhov

1998-06-19

Simulations with a synchronously coupled atmosphere-ocean-vegetation model show that changes in vegetation cover during the mid-Holocene, some 6000 years ago, modify and amplify the climate system response to an enhanced seasonal cycle of solar insolation in the Northern Hemisphere both directly (primarily through the changes in surface albedo) and indirectly (through changes in oceanic temperature, sea-ice cover, and oceanic circulation). The model results indicate strong synergistic effects of changes in vegetation cover, ocean temperature, and sea ice at boreal latitudes, but in the subtropics, the atmosphere-vegetation feedback is most important. Moreover, a reduction of the thermohaline circulation in the Atlantic Ocean leads to a warming of the Southern Hemisphere.

Climate and vegetation changes around the Atlantic Ocean resulting from changes in the meridional overturning circulation during deglaciation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Handiani, D.; Paul, A.; Dupont, L.

2012-07-01

The Bølling-Allerød (BA, starting ~ 14.5 ka BP) is one of the most pronounced abrupt warming periods recorded in ice and pollen proxies. The leading explanation of the cause of this warming is a sudden increase in the rate of deepwater formation in the North Atlantic Ocean and the resulting effect on the heat transport by the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). In this study, we used the University of Victoria (UVic) Earth System-Climate Model (ESCM) to run simulations, in which a freshwater perturbation initiated a BA-like warming period. We found that under present climate conditions, the AMOC intensified when freshwater was added to the Southern Ocean. However, under Heinrich event 1 (HE1, ~ 16 ka BP) climate conditions, the AMOC only intensified when freshwater was extracted from the North Atlantic Ocean, possibly corresponding to an increase in evaporation or a decrease in precipitation in this region. The intensified AMOC led to a warming in the North Atlantic Ocean and a cooling in the South Atlantic Ocean, resembling the bipolar seesaw pattern typical of the last glacial period. In addition to the physical response, we also studied the simulated vegetation response around the Atlantic Ocean region. Corresponding with the bipolar seesaw hypothesis, the rainbelt associated with the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) shifted northward and affected the vegetation pattern in the tropics. The most sensitive vegetation area was found in tropical Africa, where grass cover increased and tree cover decreased under dry climate conditions. An equal but opposite response to the collapse and recovery of the AMOC implied that the change in vegetation cover was transient and robust to an abrupt climate change such as during the BA period, which is also supported by paleovegetation data. The results are in agreement with paleovegetation records from Western tropical Africa, which also show a reduction in forest cover during this time period. Further

An out of phase coupling between the atmosphere and the ocean over the North Atlantic Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ribera, Pedro; Ordoñez, Paulina; Gallego, David; Peña-Ortiz, Cristina

2017-04-01

An oscillation band, with a period ranging between 40 and 60 years, has been identified as the most intense signal over the North Atlantic Ocean using several oceanic and atmospheric reanalyses between 1856 and the present. This signal represents the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation, an oscillation between warmer and colder than normal conditions in SST. Simultaneously, those changes in SST are accompanied by changes in atmospheric conditions represented by surface pressure, temperature and circulation. In fact, the evolution of the surface pressure pattern along this oscillation shows a North Atlantic Oscillation-like pattern, suggesting the existence of an out of phase coupling between atmospheric and oceanic conditions. Further analysis shows that the evolution of the oceanic SST distribution modifies atmospheric baroclinic conditions in the mid to high latitudes of the North Atlantic and leads the atmospheric variability by 6-7 years. If AMO represents the oceanic conditons and NAO represents the atmospheric variability then it could be said that AMO of one sign leads NAO of the opposite sign with a lag of 6-7 years. On the other hand, the evolution of atmospheric conditions, represented by pressure distribution patterns, favors atmospheric circulation anomalies and induces a heat advection which tends to change the sign of the existing SST distribution and oceanic conditions with a lag of 16-17 years. In this case, NAO of one sign leads AMO of the same sign with a lag of 16-17 years.

Low helium flux from the mantle inferred from simulations of oceanic helium isotope data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bianchi, Daniele; Sarmiento, Jorge L.; Gnanadesikan, Anand; Key, Robert M.; Schlosser, Peter; Newton, Robert

2010-09-01

The high 3He/ 4He isotopic ratio of oceanic helium relative to the atmosphere has long been recognized as the signature of mantle 3He outgassing from the Earth's interior. The outgassing flux of helium is frequently used to normalize estimates of chemical fluxes of elements from the solid Earth, and provides a strong constraint to models of mantle degassing. Here we use a suite of ocean general circulation models and helium isotope data obtained by the World Ocean Circulation Experiment to constrain the flux of helium from the mantle to the oceans. Our results suggest that the currently accepted flux is overestimated by a factor of 2. We show that a flux of 527 ± 102 mol year - 1 is required for ocean general circulation models that produce distributions of ocean ventilation tracers such as radiocarbon and chlorofluorocarbons that match observations. This new estimate calls for a reevaluation of the degassing fluxes of elements that are currently tied to the helium fluxes, including noble gases and carbon dioxide.

Assessing Atmospheric Water Injection from Oceanic Impacts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pierazzo, E.

2005-01-01

Collisions of asteroids and comets with the Earth s surface are rare events that punctuate the geologic record. Due to the vastness of Earth s oceans, oceanic impacts of asteroids or comets are expected to be about 4 times more frequent than land impacts. The resulting injections of oceanic water into the upper atmosphere can have important repercussions on Earth s climate and atmospheric circulation. However, the duration and overall effect of these large injections are still unconstrained. This work addresses atmospheric injections of large amounts of water in oceanic impacts.

Mixing parametrizations for ocean climate modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gusev, Anatoly; Moshonkin, Sergey; Diansky, Nikolay; Zalesny, Vladimir

2016-04-01

The algorithm is presented of splitting the total evolutionary equations for the turbulence kinetic energy (TKE) and turbulence dissipation frequency (TDF), which is used to parameterize the viscosity and diffusion coefficients in ocean circulation models. The turbulence model equations are split into the stages of transport-diffusion and generation-dissipation. For the generation-dissipation stage, the following schemes are implemented: the explicit-implicit numerical scheme, analytical solution and the asymptotic behavior of the analytical solutions. The experiments were performed with different mixing parameterizations for the modelling of Arctic and the Atlantic climate decadal variability with the eddy-permitting circulation model INMOM (Institute of Numerical Mathematics Ocean Model) using vertical grid refinement in the zone of fully developed turbulence. The proposed model with the split equations for turbulence characteristics is similar to the contemporary differential turbulence models, concerning the physical formulations. At the same time, its algorithm has high enough computational efficiency. Parameterizations with using the split turbulence model make it possible to obtain more adequate structure of temperature and salinity at decadal timescales, compared to the simpler Pacanowski-Philander (PP) turbulence parameterization. Parameterizations with using analytical solution or numerical scheme at the generation-dissipation step of the turbulence model leads to better representation of ocean climate than the faster parameterization using the asymptotic behavior of the analytical solution. At the same time, the computational efficiency left almost unchanged relative to the simple PP parameterization. Usage of PP parametrization in the circulation model leads to realistic simulation of density and circulation with violation of T,S-relationships. This error is majorly avoided with using the proposed parameterizations containing the split turbulence model

The absolute dynamic ocean topography (ADOT)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bosch, Wolfgang; Savcenko, Roman

The sea surface slopes relative to the geoid (an equipotential surface) basically carry the in-formation on the absolute velocity field of the surface circulation. Pure oceanographic models may remain unspecific with respect to the absolute level of the ocean topography. In contrast, the geodetic approach to estimate the ocean topography as difference between sea level and the geoid gives by definition an absolute dynamic ocean topography (ADOT). This approach requires, however, a consistent treatment of geoid and sea surface heights, the first being usually derived from a band limited spherical harmonic series of the Earth gravity field and the second observed with much higher spectral resolution by satellite altimetry. The present contribution shows a procedure for estimating the ADOT along the altimeter profiles, preserving as much sea surface height details as the consistency w.r.t. the geoid heights will allow. The consistent treatment at data gaps and the coast is particular demanding and solved by a filter correction. The ADOT profiles are inspected for their innocent properties towards the coast and compared to external estimates of the ocean topography or the velocity field of the surface circulation as derived, for example, by ARGO floats.

Decoupling of Iron and Phosphate in the Global Ocean

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parekh, Payal

2003-01-01

Iron is an essential micronutrient for marine phytoplankton, limiting their growth in high nutrient, low chlorophyll regions of the ocean. I use a hierarchy of ocean circulation and biogeochemistry models to understand controls on global iron distribution. I formulate a mechanistic model of iron cycling which includes scavenging onto sinking particles and complexation with an organic ligand. The iron cycle is coupled to a phosphorus cycling model. Iron's aeolian source is prescribed. In the context of a highly idealized multi-box model scheme, the model can be brought into consistency with the relatively sparse ocean observations of iron in the oceans. This biogeochemical scheme is also implemented in a coarse resolution ocean general circulation model. This model also successfully reproduces the broad regional patterns of iron and phosphorus. In particular, the high macronutrient concentrations of the Southern Ocean result from iron limitation in the model. Due to the potential ability of iron to change the efficiency of the carbon pump in the remote Southern Ocean, I study Southern Ocean surface phosphate response to increased aeolian dust flux. My box model and GCM results suggest that a global ten fold increase in dust flux can support a phosphate drawdown of 0.25-0.5 micromolar.

Aspects of oceanic forcing of drought over Southwest Asia and the United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoell, Andrew

An exceptionally severe drought affected much of the Northern Hemisphere mid-latitudes during 1998 -- 2002, with maxima over Southwest Asia and the United States. Previous research has suggested that the oceans played an important role in the hemispheric drought, with oceanic links to tropical Indo-west Pacific Ocean convection highlighted as important for Southwest Asia, and several additional ocean regions suggested as important for the United States. Here, the regional and hemispheric circulation response to tropical Indo-west Pacific Ocean convection is examined for both Southwest Asia and the United States, and the relative importance of individual sea surface temperature areas are explored for United States precipitation. For Southwest Asia, the regional thermodynamic forcing of precipitation and the Northern Hemisphere circulation are related to the leading pattern of Indian Ocean precipitation and its intraseasonal and interannual contributions. Both intraseasonal and interannual timescales are associated with baroclinic Gill-Matsuno-like circulation responses extending over southern Asia, but the interannual component also has a strong equivalent-barotropic circulation. A stationary barotropic Rossby wave extending over North America is associated with interannual tropical Indo-west Pacific Ocean convection and is supported by barotropic ray tracing. For United States regions, historical SST and precipitation links are identified for 1948 -- 1997, and the importance of these links are assessed during the 1998 -- 2002 drought using a linear regression model. The reconstructed precipitation has good correspondence for the Southwest and Southeast United States, but is not able to reproduce precipitation variability over the Northwest and Central United States, especially Texas.

On the assimilation of absolute geodetic dynamic topography in a global ocean model: impact on the deep ocean state

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Androsov, Alexey; Nerger, Lars; Schnur, Reiner; Schröter, Jens; Albertella, Alberta; Rummel, Reiner; Savcenko, Roman; Bosch, Wolfgang; Skachko, Sergey; Danilov, Sergey

2018-05-01

General ocean circulation models are not perfect. Forced with observed atmospheric fluxes they gradually drift away from measured distributions of temperature and salinity. We suggest data assimilation of absolute dynamical ocean topography (DOT) observed from space geodetic missions as an option to reduce these differences. Sea surface information of DOT is transferred into the deep ocean by defining the analysed ocean state as a weighted average of an ensemble of fully consistent model solutions using an error-subspace ensemble Kalman filter technique. Success of the technique is demonstrated by assimilation into a global configuration of the ocean circulation model FESOM over 1 year. The dynamic ocean topography data are obtained from a combination of multi-satellite altimetry and geoid measurements. The assimilation result is assessed using independent temperature and salinity analysis derived from profiling buoys of the AGRO float data set. The largest impact of the assimilation occurs at the first few analysis steps where both the model ocean topography and the steric height (i.e. temperature and salinity) are improved. The continued data assimilation over 1 year further improves the model state gradually. Deep ocean fields quickly adjust in a sustained manner: A model forecast initialized from the model state estimated by the data assimilation after only 1 month shows that improvements induced by the data assimilation remain in the model state for a long time. Even after 11 months, the modelled ocean topography and temperature fields show smaller errors than the model forecast without any data assimilation.

North Pacific Mesoscale Coupled Air-Ocean Simulations Compared with Observations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cerovecki, Ivana; McClean, Julie; Koracin, Darko

2014-11-14

The overall objective of this study was to improve the representation of regional ocean circulation in the North Pacific by using high resolution atmospheric forcing that accurately represents mesoscale processes in ocean-atmosphere regional (North Pacific) model configuration. The goal was to assess the importance of accurate representation of mesoscale processes in the atmosphere and the ocean on large scale circulation. This is an important question, as mesoscale processes in the atmosphere which are resolved by the high resolution mesoscale atmospheric models such as Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF), are absent in commonly used atmospheric forcing such as CORE forcing, employedmore » in e.g. the Community Climate System Model (CCSM).« less

Collapse and rapid resumption of Atlantic meridional circulation linked to deglacial climate changes.

PubMed

McManus, J F; Francois, R; Gherardi, J-M; Keigwin, L D; Brown-Leger, S

2004-04-22

The Atlantic meridional overturning circulation is widely believed to affect climate. Changes in ocean circulation have been inferred from records of the deep water chemical composition derived from sedimentary nutrient proxies, but their impact on climate is difficult to assess because such reconstructions provide insufficient constraints on the rate of overturning. Here we report measurements of 231Pa/230Th, a kinematic proxy for the meridional overturning circulation, in a sediment core from the subtropical North Atlantic Ocean. We find that the meridional overturning was nearly, or completely, eliminated during the coldest deglacial interval in the North Atlantic region, beginning with the catastrophic iceberg discharge Heinrich event H1, 17,500 yr ago, and declined sharply but briefly into the Younger Dryas cold event, about 12,700 yr ago. Following these cold events, the 231Pa/230Th record indicates that rapid accelerations of the meridional overturning circulation were concurrent with the two strongest regional warming events during deglaciation. These results confirm the significance of variations in the rate of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation for abrupt climate changes.