TY  - JOUR
A1  - Mengel, Matthias
A1  - Levermann, Anders
A1  - Schleussner, Carl-Friedrich
A1  - Born, Andreas
T1  - Enhanced Atlantic subpolar gyre variability through baroclinic threshold in a coarse resolution model
T2  - Earth system dynamics
N2  - Direct observations, satellite measurements and paleo records reveal strong variability in the Atlantic subpolar gyre on various time scales. Here we show that variations of comparable amplitude can only be simulated in a coupled climate model in the proximity of a dynamical threshold. The threshold and the associated dynamic response is due to a positive feedback involving increased salt transport in the subpolar gyre and enhanced deep convection in its centre. A series of sensitivity experiments is performed with a coarse resolution ocean general circulation model coupled to a statistical-dynamical atmosphere model which in itself does not produce atmospheric variability. To simulate the impact of atmospheric variability, the model system is perturbed with freshwater forcing of varying, but small amplitude and multi-decadal to centennial periodicities and observational variations in wind stress. While both freshwater and wind-stress-forcing have a small direct effect on the strength of the subpolar gyre, the magnitude of the gyre's response is strongly increased in the vicinity of the threshold. Our results indicate that baroclinic self-amplification in the North Atlantic ocean can play an important role in presently observed SPG variability and thereby North Atlantic climate variability on multi-decadal scales.
Y1  - 2012
UR  - https://publishup.uni-potsdam.de/frontdoor/index/index/docId/36403
SN  - 2190-4979
SN  - 2190-4987
VL  - 3
IS  - 2
SP  - 189
EP  - 197
PB  - Copernicus
CY  - Göttingen
ER  -