Impact of a 30% reduction in Atlantic meridional overturning during 2009-2010
Impact of a 30% reduction in Atlantic meridional overturning during 2009-2010
The Atlantic meridional overturning circulation comprises warm upper waters flowing northward, becoming colder and denser until they form deep water in the Labrador and Nordic Seas that then returns southward through the North and South Atlantic. The ocean heat transport associated with this circulation is 1.3 PW, accounting for 25% of the maximum combined atmosphere–ocean heat transport necessary to balance the Earth's radiation budget. We have been monitoring the circulation at 25° N since 2004. A 30% slowdown in the circulation for 14 months during 2009–2010 reduced northward ocean heat transport across 25° N by 0.4 PW and resulted in colder upper ocean waters north of 25° N and warmer waters south of 25° N. The spatial pattern of upper ocean temperature anomalies helped push the wintertime circulation 2010–2011 into record-low negative NAO (North Atlantic Oscillation) conditions with accompanying severe winter conditions over northwestern Europe. The warmer temperatures south of 25° N contributed to the high intensity hurricane season in summer 2010.
683-691
Bryden, H.L.
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King, B.A.
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McCarthy, G.D.
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McDonagh, E.L.
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6 August 2014
Bryden, H.L.
7f823946-34e8-48a3-8bd4-a72d2d749184
King, B.A.
960f44b4-cc9c-4f77-b3c8-775530ac0061
McCarthy, G.D.
99241bcb-5667-469d-b7ae-4d308d516bd6
McDonagh, E.L.
47e26eeb-b774-4068-af07-31847e42b977
Bryden, H.L., King, B.A., McCarthy, G.D. and McDonagh, E.L.
(2014)
Impact of a 30% reduction in Atlantic meridional overturning during 2009-2010.
Ocean Science, 10 (4), .
(doi:10.5194/os-10-683-2014).
Abstract
The Atlantic meridional overturning circulation comprises warm upper waters flowing northward, becoming colder and denser until they form deep water in the Labrador and Nordic Seas that then returns southward through the North and South Atlantic. The ocean heat transport associated with this circulation is 1.3 PW, accounting for 25% of the maximum combined atmosphere–ocean heat transport necessary to balance the Earth's radiation budget. We have been monitoring the circulation at 25° N since 2004. A 30% slowdown in the circulation for 14 months during 2009–2010 reduced northward ocean heat transport across 25° N by 0.4 PW and resulted in colder upper ocean waters north of 25° N and warmer waters south of 25° N. The spatial pattern of upper ocean temperature anomalies helped push the wintertime circulation 2010–2011 into record-low negative NAO (North Atlantic Oscillation) conditions with accompanying severe winter conditions over northwestern Europe. The warmer temperatures south of 25° N contributed to the high intensity hurricane season in summer 2010.
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Published date: 6 August 2014
Organisations:
Physical Oceanography, Marine Physics and Ocean Climate
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Local EPrints ID: 368492
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/368492
ISSN: 1812-0792
PURE UUID: 05813566-f309-419f-bfc2-3f7fb4dd4e8f
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Date deposited: 01 Sep 2014 10:27
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 02:52
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Author:
B.A. King
Author:
G.D. McCarthy
Author:
E.L. McDonagh
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