Journal Article

Temporal Variability of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation at 26.5°N

Johns, William E, Grant, Elizabeth M, Longworth, Hannah R, Cunningham, Stuart A, Marotzke, Jochem, Beal, Lisa M, Bryden, Harry L, Rayner, Darren, Meinen, Christopher S, Kanzow, Torsten, Hirschi, Joël J.-M, Baringer, Molly O

2007

Overview

The vigor of Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (MOC) is thought to be vulnerable to global warming, but its short-term temporal variability is unknown so changes inferred from sparse observations on the decadal time scale of recent climate change are uncertain. We combine continuous measurements of the MOC (beginning in 2004) using the purposefully designed transatlantic Rapid Climate Change array of moored instruments deployed along 26.5°N, with time series of Gulf Stream transport and surface-layer Ekman transport to quantify its intra-annual variability. The year-long average overturning is 18.7 ± 5.6 sverdrups (Sv) (range: 4.0 to 34.9 Sv, where 1 Sv = a flow of ocean water of 10⁶ cubic meters per second). Interannual changes in the overturning can be monitored with a resolution of 1.5 Sv.

• Publisher: American Association for the Advancement of Science,The American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Subject: Annual variations / Atmospheric circulation / Climate change / Climatology. Bioclimatology. Climate change / Cruises / Earth, ocean, space / Exact sciences and technology / External geophysics / Global warming / Gulf Stream / Gulfs / Meteorology / Moorings / Ocean circulation / Oceanography / Oceans / Physics of the oceans / Sea transportation / seawater / temporal variation / Thermoclines / Thermohaline structure and circulation. Turbulence and diffusion / Time series / time series analysis / vigor