The University of Southampton
University of Southampton Institutional Repository

Intra-seasonal variability of the DWBC in the western subpolar North Atlantic

Intra-seasonal variability of the DWBC in the western subpolar North Atlantic
Intra-seasonal variability of the DWBC in the western subpolar North Atlantic
The Deep Western Boundary Current (DWBC) along the western margin of the subpolar North Atlantic is an important component of the deep limb of the Meridional Overturning near its northern origins. A network of moored arrays from Denmark Strait to the tail of the Grand Banks has been installed for almost two decades to observe the boundary currents and transports of North Atlantic Deep Water as part of an internationally coordinated observatory for the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation.

The dominant variability in all of the moored velocity time series is in the week-to-month period range. While the temporal characteristics of this variability change only gradually between Denmark Strait and Flemish Cap, a broad band of longer term variability is present farther along the path of the DWBC at the Grand Banks and in the interior basins (Labrador and Irminger Seas). The vigorous intra-seasonal variability may well mask possible interannual to decadal variability that is typically an order of magnitude smaller than the high-frequency fluctuations. Here, the intra-seasonal variability is quantified at key positions along the DWBC path using both, observations and high resolution model data. The results are used to evaluate the model circulation, and in turn the model is used to relate the discrete measurements to the overall pattern of the subpolar circulation. Topographic waves are found to be trapped by the steep topography all around the western basins, the Labrador and Irminger Seas. In the Labrador Sea, the high intra-seasonal variability of the boundary current regime is separated by a region of extremely low variability in narrow recirculation cells from the basin interior. There, the variability is also on intra-seasonal timescales, but at much longer periods around 50 days.
0079-6611
233-249
Fischer, J.
dfc0e6e3-5b30-4940-9454-dee6381a0dcc
Karstensen, J.
3bc81c4c-e533-48b5-92ca-6b6976b2c899
Zantopp, R.
fd84bb02-7d7c-4450-97de-de304518ad97
Visbeck, M.
d0fb088d-6ef6-4772-99e9-8609e792a6e9
Biastoch, A.
fa7df768-2a47-4071-aafc-30f36910def8
Behrens, E.
15722640-03ae-4740-9583-3e979b9d3912
Böning, C.W.
be7665d8-9f23-4eab-97e8-751a96a78347
Quadfasel, D.
17d8aafb-6c8b-4137-8e9c-4bc7deb870e5
Jochumsen, K.
0ad679f2-a4b7-457d-b43f-ee32799a689e
Valdimarsson, H.
937642af-582d-40ad-b307-ba24d03e9f71
Jónsson, S.
c1c2cea7-8ea5-4e32-ac90-30a16455af0e
Bacon, S.
1e7aa6e3-4fb4-4230-8ba7-90837304a9a7
Holliday, N.P.
358b0b33-f30b-44fd-a193-88365bbf2c79
Dye, S.
c81d5e75-a62b-4c5b-b5ae-3698e8620d8a
Rhein, M.
b4e0a63d-8dee-4199-bb18-3455b3519a3e
Mertens, C.
7efcbcae-b7f9-4622-ae94-397c875d3a8b
Fischer, J.
dfc0e6e3-5b30-4940-9454-dee6381a0dcc
Karstensen, J.
3bc81c4c-e533-48b5-92ca-6b6976b2c899
Zantopp, R.
fd84bb02-7d7c-4450-97de-de304518ad97
Visbeck, M.
d0fb088d-6ef6-4772-99e9-8609e792a6e9
Biastoch, A.
fa7df768-2a47-4071-aafc-30f36910def8
Behrens, E.
15722640-03ae-4740-9583-3e979b9d3912
Böning, C.W.
be7665d8-9f23-4eab-97e8-751a96a78347
Quadfasel, D.
17d8aafb-6c8b-4137-8e9c-4bc7deb870e5
Jochumsen, K.
0ad679f2-a4b7-457d-b43f-ee32799a689e
Valdimarsson, H.
937642af-582d-40ad-b307-ba24d03e9f71
Jónsson, S.
c1c2cea7-8ea5-4e32-ac90-30a16455af0e
Bacon, S.
1e7aa6e3-4fb4-4230-8ba7-90837304a9a7
Holliday, N.P.
358b0b33-f30b-44fd-a193-88365bbf2c79
Dye, S.
c81d5e75-a62b-4c5b-b5ae-3698e8620d8a
Rhein, M.
b4e0a63d-8dee-4199-bb18-3455b3519a3e
Mertens, C.
7efcbcae-b7f9-4622-ae94-397c875d3a8b

Fischer, J., Karstensen, J., Zantopp, R., Visbeck, M., Biastoch, A., Behrens, E., Böning, C.W., Quadfasel, D., Jochumsen, K., Valdimarsson, H., Jónsson, S., Bacon, S., Holliday, N.P., Dye, S., Rhein, M. and Mertens, C. (2015) Intra-seasonal variability of the DWBC in the western subpolar North Atlantic. Progress in Oceanography, 132, 233-249. (doi:10.1016/j.pocean.2014.04.002).

Record type: Article

Abstract

The Deep Western Boundary Current (DWBC) along the western margin of the subpolar North Atlantic is an important component of the deep limb of the Meridional Overturning near its northern origins. A network of moored arrays from Denmark Strait to the tail of the Grand Banks has been installed for almost two decades to observe the boundary currents and transports of North Atlantic Deep Water as part of an internationally coordinated observatory for the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation.

The dominant variability in all of the moored velocity time series is in the week-to-month period range. While the temporal characteristics of this variability change only gradually between Denmark Strait and Flemish Cap, a broad band of longer term variability is present farther along the path of the DWBC at the Grand Banks and in the interior basins (Labrador and Irminger Seas). The vigorous intra-seasonal variability may well mask possible interannual to decadal variability that is typically an order of magnitude smaller than the high-frequency fluctuations. Here, the intra-seasonal variability is quantified at key positions along the DWBC path using both, observations and high resolution model data. The results are used to evaluate the model circulation, and in turn the model is used to relate the discrete measurements to the overall pattern of the subpolar circulation. Topographic waves are found to be trapped by the steep topography all around the western basins, the Labrador and Irminger Seas. In the Labrador Sea, the high intra-seasonal variability of the boundary current regime is separated by a region of extremely low variability in narrow recirculation cells from the basin interior. There, the variability is also on intra-seasonal timescales, but at much longer periods around 50 days.

This record has no associated files available for download.

More information

Accepted/In Press date: 13 April 2014
Published date: March 2015
Organisations: Marine Physics and Ocean Climate

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 364340
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/364340
ISSN: 0079-6611
PURE UUID: 4f2feeae-1568-4495-93da-46f07ea7c9a6

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 22 Apr 2014 14:29
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 16:33

Export record

Altmetrics

Contributors

Author: J. Fischer
Author: J. Karstensen
Author: R. Zantopp
Author: M. Visbeck
Author: A. Biastoch
Author: E. Behrens
Author: C.W. Böning
Author: D. Quadfasel
Author: K. Jochumsen
Author: H. Valdimarsson
Author: S. Jónsson
Author: S. Bacon
Author: N.P. Holliday
Author: S. Dye
Author: M. Rhein
Author: C. Mertens

Download statistics

Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.

View more statistics

Atom RSS 1.0 RSS 2.0

Contact ePrints Soton: eprints@soton.ac.uk

ePrints Soton supports OAI 2.0 with a base URL of http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/cgi/oai2

This repository has been built using EPrints software, developed at the University of Southampton, but available to everyone to use.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we will assume that you are happy to receive cookies on the University of Southampton website.

×