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contributor authorAbernathey, Ryan
contributor authorMarshall, John
contributor authorFerreira, David
date accessioned2017-06-09T17:19:14Z
date available2017-06-09T17:19:14Z
date copyright2011/12/01
date issued2011
identifier issn0022-3670
identifier otherams-83115.pdf
identifier urihttp://onlinelibrary.yabesh.ir/handle/yetl/4226305
description abstractn eddy-resolving numerical model of a zonal flow, meant to resemble the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, is described and analyzed using the framework of J. Marshall and T. Radko. In addition to wind and buoyancy forcing at the surface, the model contains a sponge layer at the northern boundary that permits a residual meridional overturning circulation (MOC) to exist at depth. The strength of the residual MOC is diagnosed for different strengths of surface wind stress. It is found that the eddy circulation largely compensates for the changes in Ekman circulation. The extent of the compensation and thus the sensitivity of the MOC to the winds depend on the surface boundary condition. A fixed-heat-flux surface boundary severely limits the ability of the MOC to change. An interactive heat flux leads to greater sensitivity. To explain the MOC sensitivity to the wind strength under the interactive heat flux, transformed Eulerian-mean theory is applied, in which the eddy diffusivity plays a central role in determining the eddy response. A scaling theory for the eddy diffusivity, based on the mechanical energy balance, is developed and tested; the average magnitude of the diffusivity is found to be proportional to the square root of the wind stress. The MOC sensitivity to the winds based on this scaling is compared with the true sensitivity diagnosed from the experiments.
publisherAmerican Meteorological Society
titleThe Dependence of Southern Ocean Meridional Overturning on Wind Stress
typeJournal Paper
journal volume41
journal issue12
journal titleJournal of Physical Oceanography
identifier doi10.1175/JPO-D-11-023.1
journal fristpage2261
journal lastpage2278
treeJournal of Physical Oceanography:;2011:;Volume( 041 ):;issue: 012
contenttypeFulltext


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