Time scales of the Greenland Freshwater Anomaly in the Subpolar North Atlantic

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-58
Author(s):  
D.S. Dukhovskoy ◽  
I. Yashayaev ◽  
E.P. Chassignet ◽  
P.G. Myers ◽  
G. Platov ◽  
...  

AbstractThe impact of increasing Greenland freshwater discharge on the subpolar North Atlantic (SPNA) remains unknown as there are uncertainties associated with the time scales of the Greenland freshwater anomaly (GFWA) in the SPNA. Results from numerical simulations tracking GFWA and an analytical approach are employed to estimate the response time suggesting a decadal time scale (13 years) required for the SPNA to adjust for increasing GFWA. Analytical solutions obtained for a long-lasting increase of freshwater discharge show a non-steady state response of the SPNA with increasing content of the GFWA. In contrast, solutions for a short-lived pulse of freshwater demonstrate different responses of the SPNA with a rapid increase of freshwater in the domain followed by an exponential decay after the pulse has passed. Derived theoretical relation between time scales show that residence time scales are time-dependent for a non-steady state case and asymptote the response time scale with time. Residence time of the GFWA deduced from Lagrangian experiments is close to and smaller than the response time, in agreement with the theory. The Lagrangian analysis shows dependence of the residence time on the entrance route of the GFWA and on the depth. The fraction of the GFWA exported through Davis Strait has limited impact on the interior basins, whereas the fraction entering the SPNA from the southwest Greenland shelf spreads into the interior regions. In both cases, the residence time of the GFWA increases with depth demonstrating long persistence of the freshwater anomaly in the subsurface layers.

2007 ◽  
Vol 20 (10) ◽  
pp. 1976-1990
Author(s):  
Martina M. Junge ◽  
Klaus Fraedrich

Abstract An adjoint ocean general circulation model of the North Atlantic is employed to calculate sensitivities of temperature in the northeastern North Atlantic with respect to atmospheric nonlocal fluxes and ocean state variables at prior times, up to 7 yr. Maximum sensitivities cross the Atlantic from east to west within 3 to 4 yr. On this interannual time scale, advection of temperature perturbations by the climatological flow is suggested as the prime mechanism responsible for SST perturbations in the northeastern North Atlantic. The pathway of sensitivities lies preferentially beneath the surface and can be understood in terms of the reemergence mechanism. This provides the link between local forcing, mainly by heat flux in winter, and resurfacing of perturbations at remote locations. On the multiannual to decadal time scale, the western subpolar gyre plays a key role: negative temperature sensitivities that evolve in parallel with positive salinity sensitivities in the Labrador and Irminger Seas give rise to pressure gradients and velocity perturbations that have effects on SST by modifying the oceanic heat transport into the northeastern North Atlantic. Together with additional influence from the Tropics and the subtropical gyre on time scales of 5 yr and beyond, these sensitivities combine to make a plethora of time scales that play a role in shaping SST perturbations in the North Atlantic.


GPS Solutions ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilaria Sesia ◽  
Giovanna Signorile ◽  
Tung Thanh Thai ◽  
Pascale Defraigne ◽  
Patrizia Tavella

AbstractWe present two different approaches to broadcasting information to retrieve the GNSS-to-GNSS time offsets needed by users of multi-GNSS signals. Both approaches rely on the broadcast of a single time offset of each GNSS time versus one common time scale instead of broadcasting the time offsets between each of the constellation pairs. The first common time scale is the average of the GNSS time scales, and the second time scale is the prediction of UTC already broadcast by the different systems. We show that the average GNSS time scale allows the estimation of the GNSS-to-GNSS time offset at the user level with the very low uncertainty of a few nanoseconds when the receivers at both the provider and user levels are fully calibrated. The use of broadcast UTC prediction as a common time scale has a slightly larger uncertainty, which depends on the broadcast UTC prediction quality, which could be improved in the future. This study focuses on the evaluation of two different common time scales, not considering the impact of receiver calibration, at the user and provider levels, which can nevertheless have an important impact on GNSS-to-GNSS time offset estimation.


2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (12) ◽  
pp. 5155-5172
Author(s):  
Quentin Jamet ◽  
William K. Dewar ◽  
Nicolas Wienders ◽  
Bruno Deremble ◽  
Sally Close ◽  
...  

AbstractMechanisms driving the North Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) variability at low frequency are of central interest for accurate climate predictions. Although the subpolar gyre region has been identified as a preferred place for generating climate time-scale signals, their southward propagation remains under consideration, complicating the interpretation of the observed time series provided by the Rapid Climate Change–Meridional Overturning Circulation and Heatflux Array–Western Boundary Time Series (RAPID–MOCHA–WBTS) program. In this study, we aim at disentangling the respective contribution of the local atmospheric forcing from signals of remote origin for the subtropical low-frequency AMOC variability. We analyze for this a set of four ensembles of a regional (20°S–55°N), eddy-resolving (1/12°) North Atlantic oceanic configuration, where surface forcing and open boundary conditions are alternatively permuted from fully varying (realistic) to yearly repeating signals. Their analysis reveals the predominance of local, atmospherically forced signal at interannual time scales (2–10 years), whereas signals imposed by the boundaries are responsible for the decadal (10–30 years) part of the spectrum. Due to this marked time-scale separation, we show that, although the intergyre region exhibits peculiarities, most of the subtropical AMOC variability can be understood as a linear superposition of these two signals. Finally, we find that the decadal-scale, boundary-forced AMOC variability has both northern and southern origins, although the former dominates over the latter, including at the site of the RAPID array (26.5°N).


2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 941-962 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas L. Delworth ◽  
Fanrong Zeng

Abstract The impact of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) on the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) and large-scale climate is assessed using simulations with three different climate models. Perturbation experiments are conducted in which a pattern of anomalous heat flux corresponding to the NAO is added to the model ocean. Differences between the perturbation experiments and a control illustrate how the model ocean and climate system respond to the NAO. A positive phase of the NAO strengthens the AMOC by extracting heat from the subpolar gyre, thereby increasing deep-water formation, horizontal density gradients, and the AMOC. The flux forcings have the spatial structure of the observed NAO, but the amplitude of the forcing varies in time with distinct periods varying from 2 to 100 yr. The response of the AMOC to NAO variations is small at short time scales but increases up to the dominant time scale of internal AMOC variability (20–30 yr for the models used). The amplitude of the AMOC response, as well as associated oceanic heat transport, is approximately constant as the time scale of the forcing is increased further. In contrast, the response of other properties, such as hemispheric temperature or Arctic sea ice, continues to increase as the time scale of the forcing becomes progressively longer. The larger response is associated with the time integral of the anomalous oceanic heat transport at longer time scales, combined with an increased impact of radiative feedback processes. It is shown that NAO fluctuations, similar in amplitude to those observed over the last century, can modulate hemispheric temperature by several tenths of a degree.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jing Zhao

<p>The elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration (CO<sub>2</sub>), as a key variable linking human activities and climate change, seriously affects the watershed hydrological processes. However, whether and how atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> influences the watershed water-energy balance dynamics at multiple time scales have not been revealed. Based on long-term hydrometeorological data, the variation of non-stationary parameter n series in the Choudhury's equation in the mainstream of the Wei River Basin (WRB), the Jing River Basin (JRB) and Beiluo River Basin (BLRB), three typical Loess Plateau regions in China, was examined. Subsequently, the Empirical Mode Decomposition method was applied to explore the impact of CO<sub>2</sub> on watershed water-energy balance dynamics at multiple time scales. Results indicate that (1) in the context of warming and drying condition, annual n series in the WRB displays a significantly increasing trend, while that in the JRB and BLRB presents non-significantly decreasing trends; (2) the non-stationary n series was divided into 3-, 7-, 18-, exceeding 18-year time scale oscillations and a trend residual. In the WRB and BLRB, the overall variation of n was dominated by the residual, whereas in the JRB it was dominated by the 7-year time scale oscillation; (3) the relationship between CO<sub>2 </sub>concentration and n series was significant in the WRB except for 3-year time scale. In the JRB, CO<sub>2 </sub>concentration and n series were significantly correlated on the 7- and exceeding 7-year time scales, while in the BLRB, such a significant relationship existed only on the 18- and exceeding 18-year time scales. (4) CO<sub>2</sub>-driven temperature rise and vegetation greening elevated the aridity index and evaporation ratio, thus impacting watershed water-energy balance dynamics. This study provided a deeper explanation for the possible impact of CO<sub>2</sub> concentration on the watershed hydrological processes.</p>


2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (22) ◽  
pp. 7663-7674 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hui Shi ◽  
Bin Wang ◽  
Jian Liu ◽  
Fei Liu

Abstract Features of decadal–multidecadal variations of the Asian summer rainfall are revealed by analysis of the reconstructed Asian summer precipitation (RAP) dataset from 1470 to 2013. Significant low-frequency periodicities of the all-Asian rainfall (AAR) index (AARI) are found on decadal (8–10 yr), quasi-bidecadal (22 yr), and multidecadal (50–54 yr) time scales, as well as centennial time scales. The decadal and multidecadal peaks are mainly from the “monsoon Asia” area and the Maritime Continent, while the 22-yr peak is from the “arid Asia” area. A remarkable change of leading frequency from multidecadal to decadal after AD 1700 is detected across the entire Asian landmass. The leading empirical orthogonal function (EOF) modes on the decadal and multidecadal time scales exhibit a uniform structure similar to that on the interannual time scale, suggesting a cross-time-scale, in-phase variation of the rainfall across continental Asia and the Maritime Continent. Enhanced AAR on a decadal time scale is found associated with the mega-La Niña sea surface temperature (SST) pattern over the Pacific. The AARI–mega-ENSO (El Niño–Southern Oscillation) relationship is persistently significant except from 1820 to around 1900. Enhanced decadal AAR is also found to be associated with extratropical North Atlantic warming. The AARI–AMO (Atlantic multidecadal oscillation) relationship, however, is nonstationary. On the multidecadal time scale, the AAR is significantly related to the AMO. Mechanisms associated with the decadal–multidecadal variability of AAR are also discussed.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dmitry Dukhovskoy

<p>Increasing Greenland discharge has contributed more than 5000 km<sup>3</sup> of surplus fresh water to the Subpolar North Atlantic since the early 1990s. The volume of this freshwater anomaly is projected to cause freshening in the North Atlantic leading to changes in the intensity of deep convection and thermohaline circulation in the subpolar North Atlantic. This is roughly half of the freshwater volume of the Great Salinity Anomaly of the 1970s that caused notable freshening in the Subpolar North Atlantic. In analogy with the Great Salinity Anomaly, it has been proposed that, over the years, this additional Greenland freshwater discharge might have a great impact on convection driving thermohaline circulation in the North Atlantic with consequent impact on climate. Previous numerical studies demonstrate that roughly half of this Greenland freshwater anomaly accumulates in the Subpolar Gyre. However, time scales over which the Greenland freshwater anomaly can accumulate in the subpolar basins is not known. This study estimates the residence time of the Greenland freshwater anomaly in the Subpolar Gyre by approximating the process of the anomaly accumulation in the study domain with a first order autonomous dynamical system forced by the Greenland freshwater anomaly discharge. General solutions are obtained for two types of the forcing function. First, the Greenland freshwater anomaly discharge is a constant function imposed as a step function. Second, the surplus discharge is a linearly increasing function. The solutions are deduced by utilizing results from the numerical experiments that tracked spreading of the Greenland fresh water with a passive tracer. The residence time of the freshwater anomaly is estimated to be about 10–15 years. The main differences in the solutions is that under the linearly increasing discharge rate, the volume of the accumulated Greenland freshwater anomaly in the Subpolar Gyre does not reach a steady state. By contrast, solution for the constant discharge rate reaches a steady state quickly asymptoting the new steady state value for time exceeding the residence time. Estimated residence time is compared with the numerical experiments and observations.</p>


2011 ◽  
Vol 24 (23) ◽  
pp. 6210-6226 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Zhang

Abstract A skillful decadal prediction that foretells varying regional climate conditions over seasonal–interannual to multidecadal time scales is of societal significance. However, predictions initialized from the climate-observing system tend to drift away from observed states toward the imperfect model climate because of the model biases arising from imperfect model equations, numeric schemes, and physical parameterizations, as well as the errors in the values of model parameters. Here, a simple coupled model that simulates the fundamental features of the real climate system and a “twin” experiment framework are designed to study the impact of initialization and parameter optimization on decadal predictions. One model simulation is treated as “truth” and sampled to produce “observations” that are assimilated into other simulations to produce observation-estimated states and parameters. The degree to which the model forecasts based on different estimates recover the truth is an assessment of the impact of coupled initial shocks and parameter optimization on climate predictions of interests. The results show that the coupled model initialization through coupled data assimilation in which all coupled model components are coherently adjusted by observations minimizes the initial coupling shocks that reduce the forecast errors on seasonal–interannual time scales. Model parameter optimization with observations effectively mitigates the model bias, thus constraining the model drift in long time-scale predictions. The coupled model state–parameter optimization greatly enhances the model predictability. While valid “atmospheric” forecasts are extended 5 times, the decadal predictability of the “deep ocean” is almost doubled. The coherence of optimized model parameters and states is critical to improve the long time-scale predictions.


2006 ◽  
Vol 977 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Drew ◽  
Suzanne Bosselman ◽  
David Ziegler

AbstractLenses and other transparent optical materials suffer rapid damage when subjected to blowing abrasive particulates. The time-scale of these impact event falls between typical scratch tests (less than 1m/s) and ballistic tests (100s of m/s) and has not been studied in depth to date. Polymeric lens materials like polycarbonate are usually treated with a scratch-resistant coating, which is commonly silica-based. The coating provides some protection, yet is not sufficient at resisting abrasion from blown sand in most commercial products. We demonstrate that silicone elastomeric coatings are superior to polycarbonate and silica glass at resisting damage by blown sand particles. Sand abrasion tests were conducted using a custom-built test apparatus that exposes the sample to 400 micron diameter quartz silica moving at 16.5 m/s (approx. 38 mph). Scanning electron microscopy revealed the presence of small cracks and pits in polycarbonate, coated polycarbonate, and silica glass after sand exposure. No such damage was observed in the silicone-coated samples after an identical exposure.We speculate that the elastic tensile strain at the surface is an important predictor of the material response at the time-scale of the impact. A simple mathematical model was developed using a momentum balance pre- and post-impact, and was used to approximate the maximum deformation and impact time-scale. A semispherical interaction volume was used in the model with a radius of 1.5x the particle diameter, determined through profilometry experiments. The material’s resistance to deformation was measured experimentally through a static mechanical test using a spherical indenter to represent the particle. Tensile tests were performed on both materials to identify the maximum elastic strain.Additionally, dynamic mechanical tests were performed to confirm that the mechanical behavior at long time-scales was valid at shorter time-scales of the impacts. DMA curves were shifted using the WLF equation. Profilometry and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging were used to confirm the presence or absence of blown-sand induced damage.


2011 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 624-640 ◽  
Author(s):  
Camille Marini ◽  
Claude Frankignoul ◽  
Juliette Mignot

Abstract The links between the atmospheric southern annular mode (SAM), the Southern Ocean, and the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) at interannual to multidecadal time scales are investigated in a 500-yr control integration of the L’Institut Pierre-Simon Laplace Coupled Model, version 4 (IPSL CM4) climate model. The Antarctic Circumpolar Current, as described by its transport through the Drake Passage, is well correlated with the SAM at the yearly time scale, reflecting that an intensification of the westerlies south of 45°S leads to its acceleration. Also in phase with a positive SAM, the global meridional overturning circulation is modified in the Southern Hemisphere, primarily reflecting a forced barotropic response. In the model, the AMOC and the SAM are linked at several time scales. An intensification of the AMOC lags a positive SAM by about 8 yr. This is due to a correlation between the SAM and the atmospheric circulation in the northern North Atlantic that reflects a symmetric ENSO influence on the two hemispheres, as well as an independent, delayed interhemispheric link driven by the SAM. Both effects lead to an intensification of the subpolar gyre and, by salinity advection, increased deep convection and a stronger AMOC. A slower oceanic link between the SAM and the AMOC is found at a multidecadal time scale. Salinity anomalies generated by the SAM enter the South Atlantic from the Drake Passage and, more importantly, the Indian Ocean; they propagate northward, eventually reaching the northern North Atlantic where, for a positive SAM, they decrease the vertical stratification and thus increase the AMOC.


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