North Atlantic Subtropical Mode Water: A history of ocean-atmosphere interaction 1961–2000

Abstract. Numerous studies have focused on the local and regional climate effects of irrigated agriculture and other land cover and land use change (LCLUC) phenomena, but there are few studies on the role of ocean-atmosphere interaction in modulating irrigation climate impacts. Here, we compare simulations of the equilibrium effect of contemporary irrigation geographic extent and intensity on climate with and without interactive sea surface temperatures. We find that ocean-atmosphere interaction does impact the magnitude of global-mean and spatially varying climate impacts, greatly increasing their global reach. The interaction amplifies irrigation-driven standing wave patterns in the tropics and midlatitudes in our simulations, approximately doubling the global mean amplitude of surface temperature changes due to irrigation. Subject to confirmation with other models, these findings imply that LCLUC is an important contributor to climate change even in remote areas such as the Southern Ocean. Attribution studies should include interactive oceans and need to consider LCLUC, including irrigation, as a truly global forcing that affects climate and the water cycle over ocean as well as land areas.

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Multi-decadal uptake of carbon dioxide into subtropical mode water of the North Atlantic Ocean

Biogeosciences Discussions ◽

10.5194/bgd-8-12451-2011 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 8 (6) ◽

pp. 12451-12476 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

N. R. Bates

Keyword(s):

Carbon Dioxide ◽

Atlantic Ocean ◽

North Atlantic ◽

North Atlantic Ocean ◽

Dissolved Inorganic Carbon ◽

Mode Water ◽

Subtropical Mode Water ◽

The North ◽

The North Atlantic ◽

The North Atlantic Oscillation

Abstract. Natural climate variability impacts the multi-decadal uptake of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (Cant) into the North Atlantic Ocean subpolar and subtropical gyres. Previous studies have shown that there is significant uptake of CO2 into the subtropical mode water (STMW) that forms south of the Gulf Stream in winter and constitutes the dominant upper-ocean water mass in the subtropical gyre of the North Atlantic Ocean. Observations at the Bermuda Atlantic Time-series Study (BATS) site near Bermuda show an increase in dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) of +1.51 ± 0.08 μmol kg−1 yr−1 between 1988 and 2011. It is estimated that the sink of CO2 into STMW was 0.985 ± 0.018 Pg C (Pg = 1015 g C) between 1988 and 2011 (~70 % of which is due to uptake of Cant). However, the STMW sink of CO2 was strongly coupled to the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) with large uptake of CO2 into STMW during the 1990s (NAO positive phase). In contrast, uptake of CO2 into STMW was much reduced in the 2000s during the NAO neutral/negative phase. Thus, NAO induced variability of the STMW CO2 sink is important when evaluating multi-decadal changes in North Atlantic Ocean CO2 sinks.

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Potential and perspectives of remote sensing of the ocean - Atmosphere interaction parameters

Geofísica Internacional ◽

10.22201/igeof.00167169p.1979.18.1.1091 ◽

1979 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

pp. 1-20

Author(s):

K. YA Roundratyev ◽

YU. I. Rabinovich ◽

F. M. Shulgina

Keyword(s):

Remote Sensing ◽

Interaction Parameters ◽

Ocean Atmosphere ◽

El Sistema ◽

Ocean Atmosphere Interaction ◽

Atmosphere Interaction

En la formación del clima intervienen una serie de procesosos muy complejos que interaccionan en el sistema "atmósfera-océano-continentes-criósfera". el problema de clima y sus cambios originados naturalmente y por factores antropogénicos exige el seguimiento de un amplio conjunto de parámetros que caractericen no sólo al clima sino los rasgos propios de la atmósfera, océano, superficie terrestre y cubierta de hielo.La determinación del conjunto de parámetros requerido debe obtenerse a partir del modelado numérico dirigido a la planeación del sistema global para monitoreo del clima. Las restricciones sobre los datos observacionales son muy variables y fuertemente dependientes del modelo del clima utilizado. en base a estas consideraciones se presenta una estimación de los parámetros requeridos que integran el conjunto, se incluye precisión y resolución espacio-temporal. Se analizan las posibilidades de medición por los sistemas actuales, los ya diseñados y lo que se desarrollarán en los años ochentas. Finalmente, se evalúan los errores que se cometen utilizando microondas en la determinación de la temperatura de la cubierta de hielo y de la superficie del mar.

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