Accession Number:

ADP007301

Title:

A Coupled, Zonally Averaged Atmosphere-Ocean Model: Variability of the Thermohaline Circulation,

Descriptive Note:

Corporate Author:

MCGILL UNIV MONTREAL (QUEBEC)

Personal Author(s):

• Stocker, Thomas F.
• Wright, Daniel G.
• Mysak, Lawrence A.

Report Date:

1992-03-01

Pagination or Media Count:

5.0

Abstract:

Two experiments with a recently developed zonally averaged climate model which includes the oceans thermohaline circulation are performed. The first experiment simulates a global thermohaline circulation in which deep water is formed in the North Atlantic, flows as a deep current into the Pacific basin and then upwells. The water is returned as a near-surface flow through the Indian Ocean into the South Atlantic Gordon, 1986. The present model reproduces a global deep circulation under present-day forcing and shows that the zonal atmospheric water vapor transport is of importance. The second experiment studies the effect of glacial meltwater runoff at different latitudes on the thermohaline circulation, meridional heat flux and surface air temperature. Depending on the strength and position of the forcing anomaly, severe cooling can be observed in high northern latitudes. The mechanism may provide further insight into the Younger Dryas climate event.

Descriptors:

• *CIRCULATION
• *OCEAN MODELS
• ANOMALIES
• ATMOSPHERICS
• CLIMATE
• DEEP WATER
• GLOBAL
• HEAT FLUX
• MODELS
• RUNOFF
• SURFACES
• TEMPERATURE
• TRANSPORT
• WATER VAPOR
• GREENHOUSE EFFECT
• ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

Subject Categories:

• Atmospheric Physics
• Physical and Dynamic Oceanography

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE