Estimates of Meridional Atmosphere and Ocean Heat Transports

Trenberth, Kevin E.; Caron, Julie M.

doi:10.1175/1520-0442(2001)014<3433:eomaao>2.0.co;2

Cited by 733 publications

(603 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…In the first calibration step we considered the atmosphere module only with atmospheric pCH 4 and pN 2 O set at pre-industrial values of 0.72 µatm and 0.27 µatm, respectively, and with atmospheric pCO 2 set at its pre-industrial value of 278 µatm or at twice that value, 556 µatm (Etheridge et al, 1998a, b;Meure et al, 2006). We adjusted the four free parameters of this module (Table 1) to give a global mean atmospheric temperature of 15 • C and a climate sensitivity of 3 • C per doubling of atmospheric pCO 2 and poleward heat and water vapor transports in the atmosphere across the sector boundary consistent with observations (Trenberth and Caron, 2001;Dai and Trenberth, 2002). In the second calibration step, we considered the ocean and land biosphere modules coupled to the preliminarilycalibrated, atmosphere module, with pre-industrial atmospheric δ 13 C of −6.4‰, observed atmospheric pO 2 of 0.2095 atm and observed ocean mean PO 4 , DIC and ALK of 2.12×10 −3 , 2.32 and 2.44 mol m −3 (Francey, 1999;Keeling et al, 1998;Shaffer, 1993Shaffer, , 1996.…”

Section: Calibration Proceduresmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Presentation, calibration and validation of the low-order, DCESS Earth System Model (Version 1)

2008

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Abstract.A new, low-order Earth System Model is described, calibrated and tested against Earth system data. The model features modules for the atmosphere, ocean, ocean sediment, land biosphere and lithosphere and has been designed to simulate global change on time scales of years to millions of years. The atmosphere module considers radiation balance, meridional transport of heat and water vapor between low-mid latitude and high latitude zones, heat and gas exchange with the ocean and sea ice and snow cover. Gases considered are carbon dioxide and methane for all three carbon isotopes, nitrous oxide and oxygen. The ocean module has 100 m vertical resolution, carbonate chemistry and prescribed circulation and mixing. Ocean biogeochemical tracers are phosphate, dissolved oxygen, dissolved inorganic carbon for all three carbon isotopes and alkalinity. Biogenic production of particulate organic matter in the ocean surface layer depends on phosphate availability but with lower efficiency in the high latitude zone, as determined by model fit to ocean data. The calcite to organic carbon rain ratio depends on surface layer temperature. The semi-analytical, ocean sediment module considers calcium carbonate dissolution and oxic and anoxic organic matter remineralisation. The sediment is composed of calcite, non-calcite mineral and reactive organic matter. Sediment porosity profiles are related to sediment composition and a bioturbated layer of 0.1 m thickness is assumed. A sediment segment is ascribed to each ocean layer and segment area stems from observed ocean depth distributions. Sediment burial is calculated from Correspondence to: G. Shaffer (gs@dcess.ku.dk) sedimentation velocities at the base of the bioturbated layer. Bioturbation rates and oxic and anoxic remineralisation rates depend on organic carbon rain rates and dissolved oxygen concentrations. The land biosphere module considers leaves, wood, litter and soil. Net primary production depends on atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration and remineralization rates in the litter and soil are related to mean atmospheric temperatures. Methane production is a small fraction of the soil remineralization. The lithosphere module considers outgassing, weathering of carbonate and silicate rocks and weathering of rocks containing old organic carbon and phosphorus. Weathering rates are related to mean atmospheric temperatures.A pre-industrial, steady state calibration to Earth system data is carried out. Ocean observations of temperature, carbon 14, phosphate, dissolved oxygen, dissolved inorganic carbon and alkalinity constrain air-sea exchange and ocean circulation, mixing and biogeochemical parameters. Observed calcite and organic carbon distributions and inventories in the ocean sediment help constrain sediment module parameters. Carbon isotopic data and carbonate vs. silicate weathering fractions are used to estimate initial lithosphere outgassing and rock weathering rates. Model performance is tested by simulating atmospheric greenhouse gas increases, global warming ...

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Section: Calibration Proceduresmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As outlined in Sect. 2.7, we also calculated weathering rates and lithosphere outgassing from the tracer burial fluxes and the convenient assumption of a (Trenberth and Caron, 2001;Dai and Trenberth, 2002). The atmospheric heat transport is divided between sensible and latent heat as 3.44 PW and 0.80 PW, respectively.…”

Section: Calibration Proceduresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Presentation, calibration and validation of the low-order, DCESS Earth System Model (Version 1)

2008

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“…Indeed, the mean meridional heat transport is predominantly atmospherically driven in the Northern Hemisphere, with a much smaller contribution by ocean currents (Trenberth and Caron, 2001;Serreze et al, 2007;Rhines et al, 2008). Rhines et al (2008) point out, however, that as the air moves northward, it receives heat and moisture from the oceans through air-sea fluxes and thus, at least part of the meridional atmospheric transport is coupled with ocean heat transport.…”

Section: Atmospheric Conditions and Circulation In The Arcticmentioning

confidence: 99%

Advection in polar and sub-polar environments: Impacts on high latitude marine ecosystems

Hunt

Drinkwater

Arrigo

et al. 2016

Progress in Oceanography

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a b s t r a c tWe compare and contrast the ecological impacts of atmospheric and oceanic circulation patterns on polar and sub-polar marine ecosystems. Circulation patterns differ strikingly between the north and south. Meridional circulation in the north provides connections between the sub-Arctic and Arctic despite the presence of encircling continental landmasses, whereas annular circulation patterns in the south tend to isolate Antarctic surface waters from those in the north. These differences influence fundamental aspects of the polar ecosystems from the amount, thickness and duration of sea ice, to the types of organisms, and the ecology of zooplankton, fish, seabirds and marine mammals. Meridional flows in both the North Pacific and the North Atlantic oceans transport heat, nutrients, and plankton northward into the Chukchi Sea, the Barents Sea, and the seas off the west coast of Greenland. In the North Atlantic, the advected heat warms the waters of the southern Barents Sea and, with advected nutrients and plankton, supports immense biomasses of fish, seabirds and marine mammals. On the Pacific side of the Arctic, cold waters flowing northward across the northern Bering and Chukchi seas during winter and spring limit the ability of boreal fish species to take advantage of high seasonal production there. Southward flow of cold Arctic waters into sub-Arctic regions of the North Atlantic occurs mainly through Fram Strait with less through the Barents Sea and the Canadian Archipelago. In the Pacific, the transport of Arctic waters and plankton southward through Bering Strait is minimal.In the Southern Ocean, the Antarctic Circumpolar Current and its associated fronts are barriers to the southward dispersal of plankton and pelagic fishes from sub-Antarctic waters, with the consequent evolution of Antarctic zooplankton and fish species largely occurring in isolation from those to the north. The Antarctic Circumpolar Current also disperses biota throughout the Southern Ocean, and as a result, the biota tends to be similar within a given broad latitudinal band. South of the Southern Boundary of the ACC, there is a large-scale divergence that brings nutrient-rich water to the surface. This divergence, along with more localized upwelling regions and deep vertical convection in winter, generates elevated nutrient levels throughout the Antarctic at the end of austral winter. However, such elevated nutrient levels do not support elevated phytoplankton productivity through the entire Southern Ocean, as iron concentrations are rapidly removed to limiting levels by spring blooms in deep waters. However, coastal http://dx

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“…[9] Meridional profiles of zonal averages of the net radiation fluxes at TOA determine the total poleward energy transports by the atmosphere and oceans [e.g., Trenberth and Caron, 2001]. The incoming solar radiation is one component.…”

Section: Zonal Meansmentioning

confidence: 99%