TY - JOUR
T1 - Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation:
T2 - Observed Transport and Variability
AU - Frajka-williams, Eleanor
AU - Ansorge, Isabelle J.
AU - Baehr, Johanna
AU - Bryden, Harry L.
AU - Chidichimo, Maria Paz
AU - Cunningham, Stuart A.
AU - Danabasoglu, Gokhan
AU - Dong, Shenfu
AU - Donohue, Kathleen A.
AU - Elipot, Shane
AU - Heimbach, Patrick
AU - Holliday, N. Penny
AU - Hummels, Rebecca
AU - Jackson, Laura C.
AU - Karstensen, Johannes
AU - Lankhorst, Matthias
AU - Le Bras, Isabela A.
AU - Lozier, M. Susan
AU - Mcdonagh, Elaine L.
AU - Meinen, Christopher S.
AU - Mercier, Herlé
AU - Moat, Bengamin I.
AU - Perez, Renellys C.
AU - Piecuch, Christopher G.
AU - Rhein, Monika
AU - Srokosz, Meric A.
AU - Trenberth, Kevin E.
AU - Bacon, Sheldon
AU - Forget, Gael
AU - Goni, Gustavo
AU - Kieke, Dagmar
AU - Koelling, Jannes
AU - Lamont, Tarron
AU - Mccarthy, Gerard D.
AU - Mertens, Christian
AU - Send, Uwe
AU - Smeed, David A.
AU - Speich, Sabrina
AU - Van Den Berg, Marcel
AU - Volkov, Denis
AU - Wilson, Chris
N1 - Copyright © 2019 Frajka-Williams, Ansorge, Baehr, Bryden, Chidichimo,
Cunningham, Danabasoglu, Dong, Donohue, Elipot, Heimbach, Holliday,
Hummels, Jackson, Karstensen, Lankhorst, Le Bras, Lozier, McDonagh, Meinen,
Mercier, Moat, Perez, Piecuch, Rhein, Srokosz, Trenberth, Bacon, Forget, Goni,
Kieke, Koelling, Lamont, McCarthy, Mertens, Send, Smeed, Speich, van den Berg,
Volkov and Wilson. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms
of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). T
PY - 2019/6/7
Y1 - 2019/6/7
N2 - The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) extends from the Southern Ocean to the northern North Atlantic, transporting heat northwards throughout the South and North Atlantic, and sinking carbon and nutrients into the deep ocean. Climate models indicate that changes to the AMOC both herald and drive climate shifts. Intensive trans-basin AMOC observational systems have been put in place to continuously monitor meridional volume transport variability, and in some cases, heat, freshwater and carbon transport. These observational programs have been used to diagnose the magnitude and origins of transport variability, and to investigate impacts of variability on essential climate variables such as sea surface temperature, ocean heat content and coastal sea level. AMOC observing approaches vary between the different systems, ranging from trans-basin arrays (OSNAP, RAPID 26°N, 11°S, SAMBA 34.5°S) to arrays concentrating on western boundaries (e.g., RAPID WAVE, MOVE 16°N). In this paper, we outline the different approaches (aims, strengths and limitations) and summarize the key results to date. We also discuss alternate approaches for capturing AMOC variability including direct estimates (e.g., using sea level, bottom pressure, and hydrography from autonomous profiling floats), indirect estimates applying budgetary approaches, state estimates or ocean reanalyses, and proxies. Based on the existing observations and their results, and the potential of new observational and formal synthesis approaches, we make suggestions as to how to evaluate a comprehensive, future-proof observational network of the AMOC to deepen our understanding of the AMOC and its role in global climate.
AB - The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) extends from the Southern Ocean to the northern North Atlantic, transporting heat northwards throughout the South and North Atlantic, and sinking carbon and nutrients into the deep ocean. Climate models indicate that changes to the AMOC both herald and drive climate shifts. Intensive trans-basin AMOC observational systems have been put in place to continuously monitor meridional volume transport variability, and in some cases, heat, freshwater and carbon transport. These observational programs have been used to diagnose the magnitude and origins of transport variability, and to investigate impacts of variability on essential climate variables such as sea surface temperature, ocean heat content and coastal sea level. AMOC observing approaches vary between the different systems, ranging from trans-basin arrays (OSNAP, RAPID 26°N, 11°S, SAMBA 34.5°S) to arrays concentrating on western boundaries (e.g., RAPID WAVE, MOVE 16°N). In this paper, we outline the different approaches (aims, strengths and limitations) and summarize the key results to date. We also discuss alternate approaches for capturing AMOC variability including direct estimates (e.g., using sea level, bottom pressure, and hydrography from autonomous profiling floats), indirect estimates applying budgetary approaches, state estimates or ocean reanalyses, and proxies. Based on the existing observations and their results, and the potential of new observational and formal synthesis approaches, we make suggestions as to how to evaluate a comprehensive, future-proof observational network of the AMOC to deepen our understanding of the AMOC and its role in global climate.
KW - meridional overturning circulation
KW - thermohaline circulation
KW - observing systems
KW - ocean heat transport
KW - carbon storage
KW - moorings
KW - circulation variability
U2 - 10.3389/fmars.2019.00260
DO - 10.3389/fmars.2019.00260
M3 - Article
SN - 2296-7745
VL - 6
JO - Frontiers in Marine Science
JF - Frontiers in Marine Science
M1 - 260
ER -