A Lagrangian Method to Isolate the Impacts of Mixed Layer Subduction on the Meridional Overturning Circulation in a Numerical Model

Matthew D. Thomas (1) , Anne-Marie Tréguier (1) , Bruno Blanke (1) , Julie Deshayes (1) , Aurore Voldoire (2)

1 LPO - Laboratoire de physique des océans
2 CNRM - Centre national de recherches météorologiques

Large differences in the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) exhibited between the available ocean models pose problems as to how they can be interpreted for climate policy. A novel Lagrangian methodology has been developed for use with ocean models that enables a decomposition of the AMOC according to its source waters of subduction from the mixed layer of different geographical regions. The method is described here and used to decompose the AMOC of the Centre National de Recherches Météorologiques (CNRM) ocean model, which is approximately 4.5 Sv (1 Sv = 10⁶ m³ s⁻¹) too weak at 26°N, compared to observations. Contributions from mixed layer subduction to the peak AMOC at 26°N in the model are dominated by the Labrador Sea, which contributes 7.51 Sv; but contributions from the Nordic seas, the Irminger Sea, and the Rockall basin are also important. These waters mostly originate where deep mixed layers border the topographic slopes of the Subpolar Gyre and Nordic seas. The too-weak model AMOC can be explained by weak model representations of the overflow and of Irminger Sea subduction. These are offset by the large Labrador Sea component, which is likely to be too strong as a result of unrealistically distributed and too-deep mixed layers near the shelf.

Mots clés: Circulation/ Dynamics; Convection; Lagrangian circulation/transport; Meridional overturning circulation; Atm/Ocean Structure/ Phenomena; Oceanic mixed layer; Models and modeling; General circulation models

Domaines: Géophysique [physics.geo-ph]

Matthew D. Thomas, Anne-Marie Tréguier, Bruno Blanke, Julie Deshayes, Aurore Voldoire. A Lagrangian Method to Isolate the Impacts of Mixed Layer Subduction on the Meridional Overturning Circulation in a Numerical Model. Journal of Climate, 2015, 28 (19), pp.7503-7517. ⟨10.1175/JCLI-D-14-00631.1⟩. ⟨hal-01233751⟩