Articles | Volume 17, issue 5
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-17-1353-2021
© Author(s) 2021. 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-17-1353-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Role of air–sea fluxes and ocean surface density in the production of deep waters in the eastern subpolar gyre of the North Atlantic
Tillys Petit
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
M. Susan Lozier
School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
Simon A. Josey
National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, UK
Stuart A. Cunningham
Scottish Association for Marine Science, Oban, UK
Related authors
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Andreas Schiller, Simon A. Josey, John Siddorn, and Ibrahim Hoteit
State Planet Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-2024-13, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-2024-13, 2024
Preprint under review for SP
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The study illustrates the way atmospheric fields are used in ocean models as boundary conditions for the provisioning of the exchanges of heat, freshwater and momentum fluxes. Such fluxes can be based on remote-sensing instruments or provided directly by Numerical Weather Prediction systems. Air-sea flux datasets are defined by their spatial and temporal resolutions and are limited by associated biases. Air-sea flux data sets for ocean models should be chosen with the applications in mind.
Phoebe A. Hudson, Adrien C. H. Martin, Simon A. Josey, Alice Marzocchi, and Athanasios Angeloudis
Ocean Sci., 20, 341–367, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-341-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-341-2024, 2024
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Satellite salinity data are used for the first time to study variability in Arctic freshwater transport from the Lena River and are shown to be a valuable tool for studying this region. These data confirm east/westerly wind is the main control on fresh water and sea ice transport rather than the volume of river runoff. The strong role of the wind suggests understanding how wind patterns will change is key to predicting future Arctic circulation and sea ice concentration.
Marilena Oltmanns, N. Penny Holliday, James Screen, Ben I. Moat, Simon A. Josey, D. Gwyn Evans, and Sheldon Bacon
Weather Clim. Dynam., 5, 109–132, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-5-109-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-5-109-2024, 2024
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The melting of land ice and sea ice leads to freshwater input into the ocean. Based on observations, we show that stronger freshwater anomalies in the subpolar North Atlantic in winter are followed by warmer and drier weather over Europe in summer. The identified link indicates an enhanced predictability of European summer weather at least a winter in advance. It further suggests that warmer and drier summers over Europe can become more frequent under increased freshwater fluxes in the future.
Stefania A. Ciliberti, Enrique Alvarez Fanjul, Jay Pearlman, Kirsten Wilmer-Becker, Pierre Bahurel, Fabrice Ardhuin, Alain Arnaud, Mike Bell, Segolene Berthou, Laurent Bertino, Arthur Capet, Eric Chassignet, Stefano Ciavatta, Mauro Cirano, Emanuela Clementi, Gianpiero Cossarini, Gianpaolo Coro, Stuart Corney, Fraser Davidson, Marie Drevillon, Yann Drillet, Renaud Dussurget, Ghada El Serafy, Katja Fennel, Marcos Garcia Sotillo, Patrick Heimbach, Fabrice Hernandez, Patrick Hogan, Ibrahim Hoteit, Sudheer Joseph, Simon Josey, Pierre-Yves Le Traon, Simone Libralato, Marco Mancini, Pascal Matte, Angelique Melet, Yasumasa Miyazawa, Andrew M. Moore, Antonio Novellino, Andrew Porter, Heather Regan, Laia Romero, Andreas Schiller, John Siddorn, Joanna Staneva, Cecile Thomas-Courcoux, Marina Tonani, Jose Maria Garcia-Valdecasas, Jennifer Veitch, Karina von Schuckmann, Liying Wan, John Wilkin, and Romane Zufic
State Planet, 1-osr7, 2, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-1-osr7-2-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-1-osr7-2-2023, 2023
Sam C. Jones, Neil J. Fraser, Stuart A. Cunningham, Alan D. Fox, and Mark E. Inall
Ocean Sci., 19, 169–192, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-19-169-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-19-169-2023, 2023
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Warm water is transported from the tropical Atlantic towards western Europe and the Arctic. It loses heat to the atmosphere on the way, which strongly influences the climate. We construct a dataset encircling the North Atlantic basin north of 47° N. We calculate how and where heat enters and leaves the basin and how much cooling must happen in the interior. We find that cooling in the north-eastern Atlantic is a crucial step in controlling the conversion of water to higher densities.
Alan D. Fox, Patricia Handmann, Christina Schmidt, Neil Fraser, Siren Rühs, Alejandra Sanchez-Franks, Torge Martin, Marilena Oltmanns, Clare Johnson, Willi Rath, N. Penny Holliday, Arne Biastoch, Stuart A. Cunningham, and Igor Yashayaev
Ocean Sci., 18, 1507–1533, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-18-1507-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-18-1507-2022, 2022
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Observations of the eastern subpolar North Atlantic in the 2010s show exceptional freshening and cooling of the upper ocean, peaking in 2016 with the lowest salinities recorded for 120 years. Using results from a high-resolution ocean model, supported by observations, we propose that the leading cause is reduced surface cooling over the preceding decade in the Labrador Sea, leading to increased outflow of less dense water and so to freshening and cooling of the eastern subpolar North Atlantic.
Rachael N. C. Sanders, Daniel C. Jones, Simon A. Josey, Bablu Sinha, and Gael Forget
Ocean Sci., 18, 953–978, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-18-953-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-18-953-2022, 2022
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In 2015, record low temperatures were observed in the North Atlantic. Using an ocean model, we show that surface heat loss in December 2013 caused 75 % of the initial cooling before this "cold blob" was trapped below the surface. The following summer, the cold blob re-emerged due to a strong temperature difference between the surface ocean and below, driving vertical diffusion of heat. Lower than average surface warming then led to the coldest temperature anomalies in August 2015.
Marilena Oltmanns, N. Penny Holliday, James Screen, D. Gwyn Evans, Simon A. Josey, Sheldon Bacon, and Ben I. Moat
Weather Clim. Dynam. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-2021-79, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-2021-79, 2021
Revised manuscript not accepted
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The Arctic is currently warming twice as fast as the global average. This results in enhanced melting and thus freshwater releases into the North Atlantic. Using a combination of observations and models, we show that atmosphere-ocean feedbacks initiated by freshwater releases into the North Atlantic lead to warmer and drier weather over Europe in subsequent summers. The existence of this dynamical link suggests that European summer weather can potentially be predicted months to years in advance.
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.
Robert Marsh, Ivan D. Haigh, Stuart A. Cunningham, Mark E. Inall, Marie Porter, and Ben I. Moat
Ocean Sci., 13, 315–335, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-13-315-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-13-315-2017, 2017
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To the west of Britain and Ireland, a strong ocean current follows the steep slope that separates the deep Atlantic and the continental shelf. This “Slope Current” exerts an Atlantic influence on the North Sea and its ecosystems. Using a combination of computer modelling and archived data, we find that the Slope Current weakened over 1988–2007, reducing Atlantic influence on the North Sea, due to a combination of warming of the subpolar North Atlantic and weakening winds to the west of Scotland.
Simona Aracri, Katrin Schroeder, Jacopo Chiggiato, Harry Bryden, Elaine McDonagh, Simon Josey, Yann Hello, and Mireno Borghini
Ocean Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/os-2016-65, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-2016-65, 2016
Preprint withdrawn
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The abyssal velocity of the Northern Current, in the north-western Mediterranean has been estimated using for the first time MERMAIDs, i.e. submarine drifting instruments that record seismic waves. In this study the Northern Current shows an intense activity even in deep layers of the water column. Through pseudo-eulerian statistics different components of the observed variability are analysed and described, revealing the turbulent nature of the Liguro-Provençal basin abyssal circulation.
D. A. Smeed, G. D. McCarthy, S. A. Cunningham, E. Frajka-Williams, D. Rayner, W. E. Johns, C. S. Meinen, M. O. Baringer, B. I. Moat, A. Duchez, and H. L. Bryden
Ocean Sci., 10, 29–38, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-10-29-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-10-29-2014, 2014
Related subject area
Approach: In situ Observations | Properties and processes: Air-sea fluxes | Depth range: Surface | Geographical range: Deep Seas: North Atlantic | Challenges: Oceans and climate
Ocean bubbles under high wind conditions – Part 1: Bubble distribution and development
Ocean bubbles under high wind conditions – Part 2: Bubble size distributions and implications for models of bubble dynamics
Helen Czerski, Ian M. Brooks, Steve Gunn, Robin Pascal, Adrian Matei, and Byron Blomquist
Ocean Sci., 18, 565–586, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-18-565-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-18-565-2022, 2022
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The bubbles formed by breaking waves speed up the movement of gases like carbon dioxide and oxygen between the atmosphere and the ocean. Understanding where these gases go is an important part of understanding Earth's climate. In this paper we describe measurements of the bubbles close to the ocean surface during big storms in the North Atlantic. We observed small bubbles collecting in distinctive patterns which help us to understand the contribution they make to the ocean breathing.
Helen Czerski, Ian M. Brooks, Steve Gunn, Robin Pascal, Adrian Matei, and Byron Blomquist
Ocean Sci., 18, 587–608, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-18-587-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-18-587-2022, 2022
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The bubbles formed by breaking waves at the ocean surface are important because they are thought to speed up the movement of gases like carbon dioxide and oxygen between the atmosphere and ocean. We collected data on the bubbles in the top few metres of the ocean which were created by storms in the North Atlantic. The focus in this paper is the bubble sizes and their position in the water. We saw that there are very predictable patterns and set out what happens to bubbles after a wave breaks.
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Short summary
Recent work has highlighted the dominant role of the Irminger and Iceland basins in the production of North Atlantic Deep Water. From our analysis, we find that air–sea fluxes and the ocean surface density field are both key determinants of the buoyancy-driven transformation in the Iceland Basin. However, the spatial distribution of the subpolar mode water (SPMW) transformation is most sensitive to surface density changes as opposed to the direct influence of the air–sea fluxes.
Recent work has highlighted the dominant role of the Irminger and Iceland basins in the...