Articles | Volume 15, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-15-809-2019
© Author(s) 2019. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-15-809-2019
© Author(s) 2019. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
21 Jun 2019
Research article |
| 21 Jun 2019
| 21 Jun 2019
Surface predictor of overturning circulation and heat content change in the subpolar North Atlantic
Damien G. Desbruyères
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Ifremer, University of Brest, CNRS, IRD, Laboratoire d'Océanographie Physique et Spatiale, IUEM, Ifremer centre de Bretagne, Plouzané, 29280, France
Herlé Mercier
University of Brest, CNRS, Ifremer, IRD, Laboratoire d'Océanographie Physique et Spatiale, IUEM, Ifremer centre de Bretagne, Plouzané, 29280, France
Guillaume Maze
Ifremer, University of Brest, CNRS, IRD, Laboratoire d'Océanographie Physique et Spatiale, IUEM, Ifremer centre de Bretagne, Plouzané, 29280, France
Nathalie Daniault
University of Brest, CNRS, Ifremer, IRD, Laboratoire d'Océanographie Physique et Spatiale, IUEM, Ifremer centre de Bretagne, Plouzané, 29280, France
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The RAPID 26° N array has been measuring the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) since 2004. Since 2009 the AMOC has, compared with previous years, been in a low state. In 2013–2015, in the northern North Atlantic, strong cooling was observed in the ocean and anticipated to intensify the strength of the AMOC some years later. Here, we analyse the latest results from 26° N and conclude that while the AMOC has increased since 2009, this increase is not statistically significant.
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Here, we study the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) measured between Greenland and Portugal between 1993–2021. We identify changes in AMOC limb volume and velocity as two major drivers of AMOC variability at subpolar latitudes. Volume variations dominate on the seasonal time scale, while velocity variations are more important on the decadal time scale. This decomposition proves useful for understanding the origin of the differences between AMOC time series.
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Etienne Pauthenet, Loïc Bachelot, Kevin Balem, Guillaume Maze, Anne-Marie Tréguier, Fabien Roquet, Ronan Fablet, and Pierre Tandeo
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The RAPID 26° N array has been measuring the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) since 2004. Since 2009 the AMOC has, compared with previous years, been in a low state. In 2013–2015, in the northern North Atlantic, strong cooling was observed in the ocean and anticipated to intensify the strength of the AMOC some years later. Here, we analyse the latest results from 26° N and conclude that while the AMOC has increased since 2009, this increase is not statistically significant.
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Géraldine Sarthou, Pascale Lherminier, Eric P. Achterberg, Fernando Alonso-Pérez, Eva Bucciarelli, Julia Boutorh, Vincent Bouvier, Edward A. Boyle, Pierre Branellec, Lidia I. Carracedo, Nuria Casacuberta, Maxi Castrillejo, Marie Cheize, Leonardo Contreira Pereira, Daniel Cossa, Nathalie Daniault, Emmanuel De Saint-Léger, Frank Dehairs, Feifei Deng, Floriane Desprez de Gésincourt, Jérémy Devesa, Lorna Foliot, Debany Fonseca-Batista, Morgane Gallinari, Maribel I. García-Ibáñez, Arthur Gourain, Emilie Grossteffan, Michel Hamon, Lars Eric Heimbürger, Gideon M. Henderson, Catherine Jeandel, Catherine Kermabon, François Lacan, Philippe Le Bot, Manon Le Goff, Emilie Le Roy, Alison Lefèbvre, Stéphane Leizour, Nolwenn Lemaitre, Pere Masqué, Olivier Ménage, Jan-Lukas Menzel Barraqueta, Herlé Mercier, Fabien Perault, Fiz F. Pérez, Hélène F. Planquette, Frédéric Planchon, Arnout Roukaerts, Virginie Sanial, Raphaëlle Sauzède, Catherine Schmechtig, Rachel U. Shelley, Gillian Stewart, Jill N. Sutton, Yi Tang, Nadine Tisnérat-Laborde, Manon Tonnard, Paul Tréguer, Pieter van Beek, Cheryl M. Zurbrick, and Patricia Zunino
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Virginie Racapé, Patricia Zunino, Herlé Mercier, Pascale Lherminier, Laurent Bopp, Fiz F. Pérèz, and Marion Gehlen
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This study of a model–data comparison investigates the relationship between transport, air–sea flux and storage rate of Cant in the North Atlantic Subpolar Ocean over the past 53 years. It reveals the key role played by Central Water for storing Cant in the subtropical region and for supplying Cant into the deep ocean. The Cant transfer to the deep ocean occurred mainly north of the OVIDE section, and just a small fraction was exported to the subtropical gyre within the lower MOC.
Maribel I. García-Ibáñez, Fiz F. Pérez, Pascale Lherminier, Patricia Zunino, Herlé Mercier, and Paul Tréguer
Biogeosciences, 15, 2075–2090, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-2075-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-2075-2018, 2018
Patricia Zunino, Pascale Lherminier, Herlé Mercier, Nathalie Daniault, Maribel I. García-Ibáñez, and Fiz F. Pérez
Biogeosciences, 14, 5323–5342, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-5323-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-5323-2017, 2017
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The heat content in the subpolar North Atlantic is in a new phase of long-term decrease from the mid-2000s, which intensified in 2013–2014. We focus on the pronounced heat content drop. In summer 2014, the MOC intensity was higher than the mean (2002–2012) and the heat transport was also relatively high. We show that the air–sea heat flux is responsible for most of the intense cooling. Concurrently, we observed freshwater content increase mainly explained by the air–sea freshwater flux.
Maribel I. García-Ibáñez, Patricia Zunino, Friederike Fröb, Lidia I. Carracedo, Aida F. Ríos, Herlé Mercier, Are Olsen, and Fiz F. Pérez
Biogeosciences, 13, 3701–3715, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-3701-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-3701-2016, 2016
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We assessed the progressive acidification (pH decrease) of the North Atlantic waters from direct observations between 1991 and 2015. The greatest pH decreases were observed in surface and intermediate waters. We conclude that the observed pH decreases are a consequence of the oceanic uptake of anthropogenic CO2. In addition we find that they have been partially offset by alkalinity increases.
P. Zunino, M. I. Garcia-Ibañez, P. Lherminier, H. Mercier, A. F. Rios, and F. F. Pérez
Biogeosciences, 11, 2375–2389, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-11-2375-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-11-2375-2014, 2014
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Atlantic water flow through the Faroese Channels
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Compensation between meridional flow components of the Atlantic MOC at 26° N
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Atlantic transport variability at 25° N in six hydrographic sections
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Nadia Burgoa, Francisco Machín, Ángeles Marrero-Díaz, Ángel Rodríguez-Santana, Antonio Martínez-Marrero, Javier Arístegui, and Carlos Manuel Duarte
Ocean Sci., 16, 483–511, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-16-483-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-16-483-2020, 2020
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The main objective of the study is to analyze the export of carbon to the open ocean from the rich waters of the upwelling system of North Africa. South of the Canary Islands, permanent upwelling interacts with other physical processes impacting the main biogeochemical processes. Taking advantage of data from two cruises combined with the outputs of models, important conclusions from the differences observed between seasons are obtained, largely related to changes in the CVFZ in this area.
Svein Østerhus, Rebecca Woodgate, Héðinn Valdimarsson, Bill Turrell, Laura de Steur, Detlef Quadfasel, Steffen M. Olsen, Martin Moritz, Craig M. Lee, Karin Margretha H. Larsen, Steingrímur Jónsson, Clare Johnson, Kerstin Jochumsen, Bogi Hansen, Beth Curry, Stuart Cunningham, and Barbara Berx
Ocean Sci., 15, 379–399, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-15-379-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-15-379-2019, 2019
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Two decades of observations of the Arctic Mediterranean (AM) exchanges show that the exchanges have been stable in terms of volume transport during a period when many other components of the global climate system have changed. The total AM import is found to be 9.1 Sv and has a seasonal variation in amplitude close to 1 Sv, and maximum import in October. Roughly one-third of the imported water leaves the AM as surface outflow.
Yao Fu, Johannes Karstensen, and Peter Brandt
Ocean Sci., 14, 589–616, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-14-589-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-14-589-2018, 2018
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Hydrographic analysis in the Atlantic along 14.5° N and 24.5° N shows that between the periods of 1989/92 and 2013/15, the Antarctic Intermediate Water became warmer and saltier at 14.5° N, and that the Antarctic Bottom Water became lighter at both latitudes. By applying a box inverse model, the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) was determined. Comparison among the inverse solution, GECCO2, RAPID, and MOVE shows that the AMOC has not significantly changed in the past 20 years.
Bogi Hansen, Turið Poulsen, Karin Margretha Húsgarð Larsen, Hjálmar Hátún, Svein Østerhus, Elin Darelius, Barbara Berx, Detlef Quadfasel, and Kerstin Jochumsen
Ocean Sci., 13, 873–888, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-13-873-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-13-873-2017, 2017
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On its way towards the Arctic, an important branch of warm Atlantic water passes through the Faroese Channels, but, in spite of more than a century of investigations, the detailed flow pattern through this channel system has not been resolved. This has strong implications for estimates of oceanic heat transport towards the Arctic. Here, we combine observations from various sources, which together paint a coherent picture of the Atlantic water flow and heat transport through this channel system.
Bogi Hansen, Karin Margretha Húsgarð Larsen, Hjálmar Hátún, and Svein Østerhus
Ocean Sci., 12, 1205–1220, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-12-1205-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-12-1205-2016, 2016
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The Faroe Bank Channel is one of the main passages for the flow of cold dense water from the Arctic into the depths of the world ocean where it feeds the deep branch of the AMOC. Based on in situ measurements, we show that the volume transport of this flow has been stable from 1995 to 2015. The water has warmed, but salinity increase has maintained its high density. Thus, this branch of the AMOC did not weaken during the last 2 decades, but increased its heat transport into the deep ocean.
E. Frajka-Williams, C. S. Meinen, W. E. Johns, D. A. Smeed, A. Duchez, A. J. Lawrence, D. A. Cuthbertson, G. D. McCarthy, H. L. Bryden, M. O. Baringer, B. I. Moat, and D. Rayner
Ocean Sci., 12, 481–493, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-12-481-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-12-481-2016, 2016
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The ocean meridional overturning circulation (MOC) is predicted by climate models to slow down in this century, resulting in reduced transport of heat northward to mid-latitudes. At 26° N, the Atlantic MOC has been measured continuously for the past decade (2004–2014). In this paper, we discuss the 10-year record of variability, identify the origins of the continued weakening of the circulation, and discuss high-frequency (subannual) compensation between transport components.
T. J. Sherwin, D. Aleynik, E. Dumont, and M. E. Inall
Ocean Sci., 11, 343–359, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-11-343-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-11-343-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
The Rockall Trough feeds warm salty water to Polar regions and the European Shelf. Detailed observations from an underwater glider show that a) the meandering surface current field in the central trough is driven by deep eddies; b) chance circulations deflect the eastern slope current and warm the western side; c) and altimeter observations omit the mean flow in the narrow slope current. There are wider implications for satellite altimeter observations, ocean monitoring and ocean model results.
H. L. Bryden, B. A. King, G. D. McCarthy, and E. L. McDonagh
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Short summary
In the North Atlantic, ocean currents transport warm waters northward in the upper water column, and cold waters southwards at depth. This circulation is here reconstructed from surface data and thermodynamics theory. Its driving role in recent temperature changes (1993–2017) in the North Atlantic is evidenced, and predictions of near-future variability (5 years) are provided and discussed.
In the North Atlantic, ocean currents transport warm waters northward in the upper water column,...
