Influence of Extratropical Thermal and Wind Forcings on Equatorial Thermocline in an Ocean GCM

Abstract

The equatorial thermocline variability in the Pacific in response to the extratropical thermal and wind forcings is investigated with an ocean general circulation model [Modular Ocean Model, version 3 (MOM3)]. Sensitivity experiments show that the extratropical wind forcing and thermal forcing contribute equally to the equatorial variability. The wind-induced response is attributed to the off-equatorial wind within 30° of the equator; the thermal-induced response can be traced to higher latitudes. The thermal forcing affects the equator mainly through the equatorward transport of the perturbation temperature by mean subduction flow; the wind forcing affects the equator by changing the strength of meridional overturning circulations. It is also found that the Southern Hemisphere contributes more to the equatorial variability than the Northern Hemisphere under both external forcings.