A model of Atlantic heat content and sea level change in response to thermohaline forcing

Zhai, Xiaoming, Johnson, Helen L. and Marshall, David P. (2011) A model of Atlantic heat content and sea level change in response to thermohaline forcing. Journal of Climate, 24 (21). pp. 5619-5632. ISSN 1520-0442

Full text not available from this repository. (Request a copy)

Abstract

The response of ocean heat content in the Atlantic to variability in the meridional overturning circulation (MOC) at high latitudes is investigated using a reduced-gravity model and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) general circulation model (MITgcm). Consistent with theoretical predictions, the zonal-mean heat content anomalies are confined to low latitudes when the high-latitude MOC changes rapidly, but extends to mid- and high latitudes when the high-latitude MOC varies on decadal or multidecadal time scales. This low-pass-filtering effect of the mid- and high latitudes on zonal-mean heat content anomalies, termed here the “Rossby buffer,” is shown to be associated with the ratio of Rossby wave basin-crossing time to the forcing period at high northern latitudes. Experiments using the MITgcm also reveal the importance of advective spreading of cold water in the deep ocean, which is absent in the reduced-gravity model. Implications for monitoring ocean heat content and sea level changes are discussed in the context of both models. It is found that observing global sea level variability and sea level rise using tide gauges can substantially overestimate the global-mean values.

Item Type:	Article
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Science > School of Environmental Sciences
UEA Research Groups:	Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Centre for Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (former - to 2017) Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Meteorology, Oceanography and Climate Dynamics (former - to 2017) Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Climate, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences (former - to 2017)
Depositing User:	Users 2731 not found.
Date Deposited:	29 Feb 2012 13:24
Last Modified:	04 Jun 2024 16:30
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/37667
DOI:	10.1175/JCLI-D-10-05007.1

Actions (login required)

View Item