The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation in High-Resolution Models

Type Article
Date 2020-04
Language English
Author(s) Hirschi Joel J. M.1, Barnier Bernard2, Boning Claus3, Biastoch ArneORCID3, Blaker Adam T.1, Coward Andrew1, Danilov SergeyORCID4, Drijfhout Sybren5, Getzlaff KlausORCID3, Griffies Steven M.6, Hasumi Hiroyasu7, Hewitt Helene8, Iovino Doroteaciro9, Kawasaki Takao7, Kiss Andrew E.10, Koldunov Nikolay4, Marzocchi Alice1, Mecking Jennifer, V1, Moat BenORCID1, Molines Jean-Marc2, Myers Paul G.11, Penduff Thierry2, Roberts Malcolm8, Treguier Anne-Marie12, Sein Dmitry, V4, Sidorenko Dimitry4, Small Justin13, Spence PaulORCID14, Thompson LuanneORCID15, Weijer Wilbert16, Xu Xiaobiao17
Affiliation(s) 1 : Natl Oceanog Ctr, Southampton, Hants, England.
2 : Univ Grenoble Alpes, IGE, Grenoble INP, CNRS,IRD, Grenoble, France.
3 : Geomar, Kiel, Germany.
4 : Alfred Wegener Inst Polar & Marine Res, Bremerhaven, Germany.
5 : Univ Southampton, Ocean & Earth Sci, Southampton, Hants, England.
6 : Princeton Univ, NOAA, Atmosphere & Ocean Sci Program, GFDL, Princeton, NJ 08544 USA.
7 : Univ Tokyo, Atmosphere & Ocean Res Inst, Tokyo, Japan.
8 : Met Off, Exeter, Devon, England.
9 : Ctr Euro Mediterraneo Cambiamenti Climat, Ocean Modeling & Data Assimilat Div, Lecce, Italy.
10 : Australian Natl Univ, Res Sch Earth Sci, ARC Ctr Excellence Climate Extremes, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
11 : Univ Alberta, Dept Earth & Atmospher Sci, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
12 : CNRS, Lab Oceanog Phys & Spatiale, Brest, France.
13 : NCAR UCAR, Boulder, CO USA.
14 : Univ New South Wales, Climate Change Res Ctr, ARC Ctr Excellence Climate Extremes, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
15 : Univ Washington, Sch Oceanog, Seattle, WA 98195 USA.
16 : Los Alamos Natl Lab, Los Alamos, NM USA.
17 : Florida State Univ, Ctr Ocean Atmospher Predict Studies, Tallahassee, FL 32306 USA.
Source Journal Of Geophysical Research-oceans (2169-9275) (Amer Geophysical Union), 2020-04 , Vol. 125 , N. 4 , P. e2019JC015522 (35p)
DOI 10.1029/2019JC015522
WOS© Times Cited 72
Note This article also appears in: Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation: Reviews of Observational and Modeling Advances
Keyword(s) Atlantic Meridional Overturning, high-resolution modeling, mesoscale
Abstract The Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) represents the zonally integrated stream function of meridional volume transport in the Atlantic Basin. The AMOC plays an important role in transporting heat meridionally in the climate system. Observations suggest a heat transport by the AMOC of 1.3 PW at 26 degrees N-a latitude which is close to where the Atlantic northward heat transport is thought to reach its maximum. This shapes the climate of the North Atlantic region as we know it today. In recent years there has been significant progress both in our ability to observe the AMOC in nature and to simulate it in numerical models. Most previous modeling investigations of the AMOC and its impact on climate have relied on models with horizontal resolution that does not resolve ocean mesoscale eddies and the dynamics of the Gulf Stream/North Atlantic Current system. As a result of recent increases in computing power, models are now being run that are able to represent mesoscale ocean dynamics and the circulation features that rely on them. The aim of this review is to describe new insights into the AMOC provided by high-resolution models. Furthermore, we will describe how high-resolution model simulations can help resolve outstanding challenges in our understanding of the AMOC.
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Hirschi Joel J. M., Barnier Bernard, Boning Claus, Biastoch Arne, Blaker Adam T., Coward Andrew, Danilov Sergey, Drijfhout Sybren, Getzlaff Klaus, Griffies Steven M., Hasumi Hiroyasu, Hewitt Helene, Iovino Doroteaciro, Kawasaki Takao, Kiss Andrew E., Koldunov Nikolay, Marzocchi Alice, Mecking Jennifer, V, Moat Ben, Molines Jean-Marc, Myers Paul G., Penduff Thierry, Roberts Malcolm, Treguier Anne-Marie, Sein Dmitry, V, Sidorenko Dimitry, Small Justin, Spence Paul, Thompson Luanne, Weijer Wilbert, Xu Xiaobiao (2020). The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation in High-Resolution Models. Journal Of Geophysical Research-oceans, 125(4), e2019JC015522 (35p). Publisher's official version : https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JC015522 , Open Access version : https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00657/76865/