Impact of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation on the decadal variability of the Gulf Stream path and regional chlorophyll and nutrient concentrations
Impact of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation on the decadal variability of the Gulf Stream path and regional chlorophyll and nutrient concentrations
In this study, we show that the underlying physical driver for the decadal variability in the Gulf Stream (GS) path and the regional biogeochemical cycling is linked to the low frequency variability in the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC). There is a significant anticorrelation between AMOC variations and the meridional shifts of the GS path at decadal time scale in both observations and two Earth system models (ESMs). The chlorophyll and nutrient concentrations in the GS region are found significantly correlated with the AMOC fingerprint and anticorrelated with the GS path at decadal time scale through coherent isopycnal changes in the GS front in the ESMs. Our results illustrate how changes in the large-scale ocean circulation, such as AMOC, are teleconnected with regional decadal physical and biogeochemical variations near the North American east coast. Such linkages are useful for predicting future physical and biogeochemical variations in this region.
Gulf Stream, AMOC, biogeochemical cycle
9889-9887
Sanchez-Franks, A.
d43599b6-75ee-4618-be53-cbad86dcb22e
Zhang, R.
0db08a43-0be0-46fc-bb29-e28a9d0e3243
28 November 2015
Sanchez-Franks, A.
d43599b6-75ee-4618-be53-cbad86dcb22e
Zhang, R.
0db08a43-0be0-46fc-bb29-e28a9d0e3243
Sanchez-Franks, A. and Zhang, R.
(2015)
Impact of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation on the decadal variability of the Gulf Stream path and regional chlorophyll and nutrient concentrations.
Geophysical Research Letters, 42 (22), .
(doi:10.1002/2015GL066262).
Abstract
In this study, we show that the underlying physical driver for the decadal variability in the Gulf Stream (GS) path and the regional biogeochemical cycling is linked to the low frequency variability in the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC). There is a significant anticorrelation between AMOC variations and the meridional shifts of the GS path at decadal time scale in both observations and two Earth system models (ESMs). The chlorophyll and nutrient concentrations in the GS region are found significantly correlated with the AMOC fingerprint and anticorrelated with the GS path at decadal time scale through coherent isopycnal changes in the GS front in the ESMs. Our results illustrate how changes in the large-scale ocean circulation, such as AMOC, are teleconnected with regional decadal physical and biogeochemical variations near the North American east coast. Such linkages are useful for predicting future physical and biogeochemical variations in this region.
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Published date: 28 November 2015
Keywords:
Gulf Stream, AMOC, biogeochemical cycle
Organisations:
Marine Physics and Ocean Climate
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 386551
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/386551
ISSN: 0094-8276
PURE UUID: 5bfeff43-fbd3-424f-8a41-6b5ad9cd03d4
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Date deposited: 28 Jan 2016 11:30
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 22:33
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Author:
A. Sanchez-Franks
Author:
R. Zhang
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