Zonal overturning circulation and heat flux induced by heaving modes in the world oceans

TAN Wei; HUANG Ruixin; WANG Weiqiang; WANG Xin

doi:10.1007/s13131-015-0751-3

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Article Navigation > Acta Oceanologica Sinica > 2015 > 34(11): 80-91

TAN Wei, HUANG Ruixin, WANG Weiqiang, WANG Xin. Zonal overturning circulation and heat flux induced by heaving modes in the world oceans[J]. Acta Oceanologica Sinica, 2015, 34(11): 80-91. doi: 10.1007/s13131-015-0751-3

Citation:

TAN Wei, HUANG Ruixin, WANG Weiqiang, WANG Xin. Zonal overturning circulation and heat flux induced by heaving modes in the world oceans[J]. Acta Oceanologica Sinica, 2015, 34(11): 80-91. doi: 10.1007/s13131-015-0751-3

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Zonal overturning circulation and heat flux induced by heaving modes in the world oceans

doi: 10.1007/s13131-015-0751-3

1.
Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
2.
State Key Laboratory of Tropical Oceanography, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China;Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
3.
State Key Laboratory of Tropical Oceanography, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China

Received Date: 2015-05-08
Rev Recd Date: 2015-07-14

Abstract

Abstract

Zonal overturning circulation (ZOC) and its associated zonal heat flux (ZHF) are important components of the oceanic circulation and climate system, although these conceptions have not received adequate attentions. Heaving induced by inter-annual and decadal wind stress perturbations can give rise to anomalous ZOC and ZHF. Based on a simple reduced gravity model, the anomalous ZOC and ZHF induced by idealized heaving modes in the world oceans are studied. For example, in a Pacific-like model basin intensified equatorial easterly on decadal time scales can lead to a negative ZOC with a non-negligible magnitude (-0.3×10⁶ m³/s) and a considerable westward ZHF with an amplitude of -11.2 TW. Thus, anomalous ZOC and ZHF may consist of a major part of climate signals on decadal time scales and thus play an important role in the oceanic circulation and climate change.
- adiabatic motions,
- heaving,
- wind-driven circulation,
- zonal overturning circulation

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