Physics
Scientific paper
Apr 2003
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2003georl..30h..16s&link_type=abstract
Geophysical Research Letters, Volume 30, Issue 8, pp. 16-1, CiteID 1433, DOI 10.1029/2002GL016516
Physics
Oceanography: General: Arctic And Antarctic Oceanography, Oceanography: General: Water Masses, Oceanography: Physical: Air/Sea Interactions (0312), Oceanography: Physical: General Circulation
Scientific paper
We investigate the role of atmospheric moisture advection in determining Southern Ocean water-mass properties in a coupled climate model. Two sensitivity experiments are presented in which the winds advecting moisture are either reduced or enhanced south of 45°S. It is shown that a variation in meridional winds in the Southern Ocean can generate large anomalies of subsurface potential temperature (T) and salinity (S). A reduction (increase) in southward atmospheric moisture advection tends to be balanced by a corresponding reduction (increase) in northward freshwater transport in Antarctic Intermediate Water. The response of both T and S is larger in the case of reduced southward moisture advection, as this corresponds to an overall reduction of Southern Ocean stratification. The interior ocean T-S response is not always density-compensating, particularly in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. This is unlike zonal wind variations which have a tendency to change T-S in a density-conserving manner. Our study suggests that variability in meridional winds over the Southern Ocean can alter local water-mass formation rates significantly.
England Matthew H.
Saenko Oleg A.
No associations
LandOfFree
On the response of Southern Ocean water-masses to atmospheric meridional moisture advection does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with On the response of Southern Ocean water-masses to atmospheric meridional moisture advection, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and On the response of Southern Ocean water-masses to atmospheric meridional moisture advection will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-847619