Global Pattern Formation of Net Ocean Surface Heat Flux Response to Greenhouse Warming

2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (17) ◽  
pp. 7503-7522 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shineng Hu ◽  
Shang-Ping Xie ◽  
Wei Liu
Keyword(s):  
Heat Flux ◽  
North Atlantic ◽  
Surface Heat Flux ◽  
Surface Heat ◽  
Greenhouse Warming ◽  
Global Pattern ◽  
Passive Advection ◽  
The North ◽  
The North Atlantic ◽  
Circulation Changes

AbstractThis study examines global patterns of net ocean surface heat flux changes (ΔQnet) under greenhouse warming in an ocean–atmosphere coupled model based on a heat budget decomposition. The regional structure of ΔQnet is primarily shaped by ocean heat divergence changes (ΔOHD): excessive heat is absorbed by higher-latitude oceans (mainly over the North Atlantic and the Southern Ocean), transported equatorward, and stored in lower-latitude oceans with the rest being released to the tropical atmosphere. The overall global pattern of ΔOHD is primarily due to the circulation change and partially compensated by the passive advection effect, except for the Southern Ocean, which requires further investigations for a more definitive attribution. The mechanisms of North Atlantic surface heat uptake are further explored. In another set of global warming simulations, a perturbation of freshwater removal is imposed over the subpolar North Atlantic to largely offset the CO2-induced changes in the local ocean vertical stratification, barotropic gyre, and the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC). Results from the freshwater perturbation experiments suggest that a significant portion of the positive ΔQnet over the North Atlantic under greenhouse warming is caused by the Atlantic circulation changes, perhaps mainly by the slowdown of AMOC, while the passive advection effect can contribute to the regional variations of ΔQnet. Our results imply that ocean circulation changes are critical for shaping global warming pattern and thus hydrological cycle changes.

Ocean climate response to anomalous surface buoyancy and momentum fluxes

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rene Navarro-Labastida ◽  
Riccardo Farneti
Keyword(s):  
Heat Flux ◽  
North Atlantic ◽  
Surface Heat ◽  
High Latitudes ◽  
Temperature Changes ◽  
Ocean Climate ◽  
The North ◽  
Anomalous Surface ◽  
Low Latitudes ◽  
The North Atlantic

<p>The aim of the project is to evaluate the response of the global ocean climate to anomalous surface fluxes in terms of ocean heat uptake and circulation changes. All simulations have been performed with the NOAA-GFDL Modular Ocean Model (MOM) version 5. Ocean-only MOM has been integrated toward a near-equilibrium state using as multicentinal initial conditions derivated from a former CORE-I protocol implementation (Griffies et al., 2009). After equilibrium, a restored control simulation has been obtained by a further 70 years of integration while effective total air-sea heat fluxes and freshwater fluxes were stored at daily intervals. A second control simulation has been obtained by the prescription of these storage fluxes. Differences between the restored and prescribed fluxes controls are rather small. Explicit flux sensitivity experiments are proposed by the Flux-Anomaly-Forced Model Intercomparison Project (FAFMIP) in which prescribed surface flux perturbations are applied to the ocean in separated simulations (Gregory et al., 2016). Experiments are 70 years long and branch from piControl conditions. Both wind stress and freshwater anomalies implies nearly-to-zero temperature changes in volume mean temperature. Only the last implies a rather small cooling effect after year 50 of integration. In contrast, anomalous heat flux causes significant volume mean temperature changes. Observed total temperature changes are solely determined by the local addition of heat implying vanishing of the redistribution effect in the entire ocean by inter-basin exchanges and vertical mixing. So far, surface heat anomalies produce the most notable zonal-mean change in ocean temperature. Strong positive temperature change is observed along the top ocean while deepening of temperature anomalies occurs at high latitudes in both hemispheres. Both added and redistributed temperature tracers show maxima in the same area. In most cases, both processes are proportionally inverse. Except for the northern ocean, added temperature tracer is roughly limited to the first 1000 m deep. In contrast, redistributed temperature tracer shows the cooling of subtropical areas and the warming of both the tropical and southern ocean. Maximum at the North Atlantic is possibly due to atmosphere-sea feedbacks, while near-surface tropical and subtropical changes are due to redistribution processes. Heat is mainly taken as a passive tracer in the North Atlantic Ocean and along the entire Southern Ocean. Warming up of mid and low latitudes by redistribution processes is due to the weakening of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). In turn, changes in AMOC are dominated by surface heat flux changes. The reduction of northward heat transport cools down high latitudes near the surface causing low latitudes to warm up.</p><p> </p>

How does aerosol forcing drive a strengthening of the AMOC in CMIP6 historical simulations?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jon Robson ◽  
Matthew Menary ◽  
Jonathan Gregory ◽  
Colin Jones ◽  
Bablu Sinha ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heat Flux ◽  
Heat Loss ◽  
North Atlantic ◽  
Surface Heat ◽  
Meridional Overturning Circulation ◽  
Radiation Budget ◽  
Anthropogenic Aerosols ◽  
The North ◽  
Aerosol Forcing ◽  
The North Atlantic

<p>Previous work has shown that anthropogenic aerosol emissions drive a strengthening in the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) in CMIP6 historical simulations over ~1850-1985. However, the mechanisms driving the increase are not fully understood. Previously, forced AMOC changes have been linked to changes in surface heat fluxes, changes in salinity, and interhemispheric energy imbalances. Here we will show that across CMIP6 historical simulations there is a strong correlation between ocean heat loss from the subpolar North Atlantic and the forced change in the AMOC. Furthermore, the model spread in the surface heat flux change explains the spread of the AMOC response and is correlated with the strength of the models’ aerosol forcing.  However, the AMOC change is not strongly related to changes in downwelling surface shortwave radiation over the North Atlantic, showing that anthropogenic aerosols do not drive AMOC change through changes in the local surface radiation budget. Rather, by separating the models into those with ‘strong’ and ‘weak’ aerosol forcing, we show that aerosols appear to predominantly imprint their impact on the AMOC through changes in surface air temperature over the Northern Hemisphere and the consequent impact on latent and sensible heat flux. This thermodynamic driver (i.e. more heat loss from the North Atlantic) is enhanced both by the increase in the AMOC itself, which acts as a positive feedback, and by a response in atmospheric circulation. </p>

scholarly journals Extratropical-cyclone-induced sea surface temperature anomalies in the 2013–2014 winter

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen F. Dacre ◽  
Simon A. Josey ◽  
Alan L. M. Grant
Keyword(s):  
Heat Flux ◽  
North Atlantic ◽  
Cold Front ◽  
Environmental Flow ◽  
Surface Heat ◽  
Sea Surface ◽  
The North ◽  
Sst Cooling ◽  
The North Atlantic ◽  
Anomalous Heat

Abstract. The 2013–2014 winter averaged sea surface temperature (SST) was anomalously cool in the mid-North Atlantic region. This season was also unusually stormy, with extratropical cyclones passing over the mid-North Atlantic every 3 d. However, the processes by which cyclones contribute towards seasonal SST anomalies are not fully quantified. In this paper a cyclone identification and tracking method is combined with European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) atmosphere and ocean reanalysis fields to calculate cyclone-relative net surface heat flux anomalies and resulting SST changes. Anomalously large negative heat flux is located behind the cyclones' cold front, resulting in anomalous cooling up to 0.2 K d−1 when the cyclones are at maximum intensity. This extratropical-cyclone-induced “cold wake” extends along the cyclones' cold front but is small compared to climatological variability in the SSTs. To investigate the potential cumulative effect of the passage of multiple cyclone-induced SST cooling in the same location, we calculate Earth-relative net surface heat flux anomalies and resulting SST changes for the 2013–2014 winter period. Anomalously large winter averaged negative heat flux occurs in a zonally orientated band extending across the North Atlantic between 40 and 60∘ N. The 2013–2014 winter SST cooling anomaly associated with air–sea interactions (ASIs; anomalous heat flux, mixed layer depth and entrainment at the base of the ocean mixed layer) is estimated to be −0.67 K in the mid-North Atlantic (68 % of the total cooling anomaly). The role of cyclones is estimated using a cyclone-masking technique which encompasses each cyclone centre and its cold wake. The environmental flow anomaly in 2013–2014 sets the overall tripole pattern of heat flux anomalies over the North Atlantic. However, the presence of cyclones doubles the magnitude of the negative heat flux anomaly in the mid-North Atlantic. Similarly, the environmental flow anomaly determines the location of the SST cooling anomaly, but the presence of cyclones enhances the SST cooling anomaly. Thus air–sea interactions play a major part in determining the extreme 2013–2014 winter season SST cooling anomaly. The environmental flow anomaly determines where anomalous heat flux and associated SST changes occur, and the presence of cyclones influences the magnitude of those anomalies.

scholarly journals Extratropical cyclone induced sea surface temperature anomalies in the 2013/14 winter

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen Dacre ◽  
Simon Josey ◽  
Alan Grant
Keyword(s):  
Heat Flux ◽  
North Atlantic ◽  
Cold Front ◽  
Environmental Flow ◽  
Surface Heat ◽  
Sea Surface ◽  
The North ◽  
Sst Cooling ◽  
The North Atlantic ◽  
Anomalous Heat

<p>The 2013/14 winter averaged sea surface temperature (SST) was anomalously cool in the mid-North Atlantic region.  This season was also unusually stormy with extratropical cyclones passing over the mid-North Atlantic every 3 days.  However, the processes by which cyclones contribute towards seasonal SST anomalies are not fully quantified. In this paper a cyclone identification and tracking method is combined with ECMWF atmosphere and ocean reanalysis fields to calculate cyclone-relative net surface heat flux anomalies and resulting SST changes.  Anomalously large negative heat flux is located behind the cyclones cold front resulting in anomalous cooling up to 0.2K/day when the cyclones are at maximum intensity.  This extratropical cyclone induced 'cold wake' extends along the cyclones cold front but is small compared to climatological variability in the SST's.  To investigate the potential cumulative effect of the passage of multiple cyclone induced SST cooling in the same location we calculate Earth-relative net surface heat flux anomalies and resulting SST changes for the 2013/2014 winter period.  Anomalously large winter averaged negative heat flux occurs in a zonally orientated band extending across the North Atlantic between 40-60 <sup>o</sup>N. The 2013/2014 winter SST cooling anomaly associated with air-sea interactions (anomalous heat flux, mixed layer depth and entrainment at the base of the ocean mixed layer) is estimated to be -0.67 K in the mid-North Atlantic (68% of the total cooling anomaly).  The role of cyclones is estimated using a cyclone masking technique which encompasses each cyclone centre and its trailing cold front. The environmental flow anomaly in 2013/2014 sets the overall tripole pattern of heat flux anomalies over the North Atlantic.  However, the presence of cyclones doubles the magnitude of the negative heat flux anomaly in the mid-North Atlantic.  Similarly, the environmental flow anomaly determines the location of the SST cooling anomaly but the presence of cyclones enhances the SST cooling anomaly.  Thus air-sea interactions play a major part in determining the extreme 2013/2014 winter season SST cooling anomaly. The environmental flow anomaly determines where anomalous heat flux and associated SST changes occur and the presence of cyclones influences the magnitude of those anomalies.</p>

scholarly journals The Life Cycle of the North Atlantic Storm Track*

2015 ◽  
Vol 72 (2) ◽  
pp. 821-833 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lenka Novak ◽  
Maarten H. P. Ambaum ◽  
Rémi Tailleux
Keyword(s):  
Heat Flux ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
North Atlantic ◽  
Storm Track ◽  
High Heat ◽  
High Heat Flux ◽  
Dominant Type ◽  
The North ◽  
Eddy Heat Flux ◽  
The North Atlantic

Abstract The North Atlantic eddy-driven jet exhibits latitudinal variability with evidence of three preferred latitudinal locations: south, middle, and north. Here the authors examine the drivers of this variability and the variability of the associated storm track. The authors investigate the changes in the storm-track characteristics for the three jet locations and propose a mechanism by which enhanced storm-track activity, as measured by upstream heat flux, is responsible for cyclical downstream latitudinal shifts in the jet. This mechanism is based on a nonlinear oscillator relationship between the enhanced meridional temperature gradient (and thus baroclinicity) and the meridional high-frequency (periods of shorter than 10 days) eddy heat flux. Such oscillations in baroclinicity and heat flux induce variability in eddy anisotropy, which is associated with the changes in the dominant type of wave breaking and a different latitudinal deflection of the jet. The authors’ results suggest that high heat flux is conducive to a northward deflection of the jet, whereas low heat flux is conducive to a more zonal jet. This jet-deflecting effect was found to operate most prominently downstream of the storm-track maximum, while the storm track and the jet remain anchored at a fixed latitudinal location at the beginning of the storm track. These cyclical changes in storm-track characteristics can be viewed as different stages of the storm track’s spatiotemporal life cycle.

scholarly journals Spatiotemporal Characteristics of the Dominant Modes of Surface Air Temperature Interannual Variations over South China during the Spring-to-Summer Transition

Atmosphere ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 65
Author(s):  
Fen Wang ◽  
Yaokun Li ◽  
Jianping Li
Keyword(s):  
Heat Flux ◽  
Air Temperature ◽  
South China ◽  
Surface Heat Flux ◽  
Surface Air Temperature ◽  
Surface Heat ◽  
Shortwave Radiation ◽  
Northerly Wind ◽  
The North ◽  
Land Surfaces

The surface air temperature (SAT) interannual variability during the spring-to-summer transition over South China (SC) has been decomposed into two dominant modes by applying empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis. The first EOF mode (EOF1) is characterized by homogenous SAT anomalies over SC, whereas the second EOF mode (EOF2) features a dipole SAT anomaly pattern with opposite anomalies south and north of the Yangtze River. A regression analysis of surface heat flux and advection anomalies on the normalized principle component time series corresponding to EOF1 suggests that surface heat flux anomalies can explain SAT anomalies mainly by modulating cloud-shortwave radiation. Negative cloud anomalies result in positive downward shortwave radiation anomalies through the positive shortwave cloud radiation effect, which favor warm SAT anomalies over most of SC. For EOF2, the distribution of advection anomalies resembles the north–south dipole pattern of SAT anomalies. This suggests that wind-induced advection plays an important role in the SAT anomalies of EOF2. Negative SAT anomalies are favored by cold advection from northerly wind anomalies over land surfaces in high-latitude regions. Positive SAT anomalies are induced by warm advection from southerly wind anomalies over the ocean in low-latitude regions.

scholarly journals Observational Assessment of Nonlocal Heat Flux Feedback in the North Atlantic by GEFA

2013 ◽  
Vol 52 (3) ◽  
pp. 645-653 ◽  
Author(s):  
Na Wen ◽  
Zhengyu Liu ◽  
Qinyu Liu
Keyword(s):  
Heat Flux ◽  
North Atlantic ◽  
Surface Wind ◽  
Turbulent Heat ◽  
Observational Assessment ◽  
The North ◽  
The North Atlantic ◽  
Flux Response ◽  
Sst Anomalies ◽  
Heat Flux Feedback

AbstractMost previous studies have proven the local negative heat flux feedback (the surface heat flux response to SST anomalies) in the midlatitude areas. However, it is uncertain whether a nonlocal heat flux feedback can be observed. In this paper, the generalized equilibrium feedback assessment (GEFA) method is employed to examine the full surface turbulent heat flux response to SST in the North Atlantic Ocean using NCEP–NCAR reanalysis data. The results not only confirm the dominant local negative feedback, but also indicate a robust nonlocal positive feedback of the Gulf Stream Extension (GSE) SST to the downstream heat flux in the subpolar region. This nonlocal feedback presents a strong seasonality, with response magnitudes of in winter and in summer. Further study indicates that the nonlocal effect is initiated by the adjustments of the downstream surface wind to the GSE SST anomalies.

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