Temporal variability of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation at 26.5 degrees N

Stuart A. Cunningham; Torsten Kanzow; Darren Rayner; Molly O. Baringer; William E. Johns; Jochem Marotzke; Hannah R. Longworth; Elizabeth M. Grant; Joel J. -M. Hirschi; Lisa M. Beal; Christopher S. Meinen; Harry L. Bryden

doi:10.1126/science.1141304

Temporal variability of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation at 26.5 degrees N

Stuart A. Cunningham, Torsten Kanzow, Darren Rayner, Molly O. Baringer, William E. Johns, Jochem Marotzke, Hannah R. Longworth, Elizabeth M. Grant, Joel J. -M. Hirschi, Lisa M. Beal, Christopher S. Meinen, Harry L. Bryden

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Abstract

The vigor of Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (MOC) is thought to be vulnerable to global warming, but its short-term temporal variability is unknown so changes inferred from sparse observations on the decadal time scale of recent climate change are uncertain. We combine continuous measurements of the MOC (beginning in 2004) using the purposefully designed transatlantic Rapid Climate Change array of moored instruments deployed along 26.5 degrees N, with time series of Gulf Stream transport and surface-layer Ekman transport to quantify its intra-annual variability. The year-long average overturning is 18.7 +/- 5.6 sverdrups (Sv) (range: 4.0 to 34.9 Sv, where 1 Sv = a flow of ocean water of 10(6) cubic meters per second). Interannual changes in the overturning can be monitored with a resolution of 1.5 Sv.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	935-938
Number of pages	4
Journal	Science
Volume	317
Issue number	5840
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1141304
Publication status	Published - 17 Aug 2007

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title = "Temporal variability of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation at 26.5 degrees N",

abstract = "The vigor of Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (MOC) is thought to be vulnerable to global warming, but its short-term temporal variability is unknown so changes inferred from sparse observations on the decadal time scale of recent climate change are uncertain. We combine continuous measurements of the MOC (beginning in 2004) using the purposefully designed transatlantic Rapid Climate Change array of moored instruments deployed along 26.5 degrees N, with time series of Gulf Stream transport and surface-layer Ekman transport to quantify its intra-annual variability. The year-long average overturning is 18.7 +/- 5.6 sverdrups (Sv) (range: 4.0 to 34.9 Sv, where 1 Sv = a flow of ocean water of 10(6) cubic meters per second). Interannual changes in the overturning can be monitored with a resolution of 1.5 Sv.",

author = "Cunningham, {Stuart A.} and Torsten Kanzow and Darren Rayner and Baringer, {Molly O.} and Johns, {William E.} and Jochem Marotzke and Longworth, {Hannah R.} and Grant, {Elizabeth M.} and Hirschi, {Joel J. -M.} and Beal, {Lisa M.} and Meinen, {Christopher S.} and Bryden, {Harry L.}",

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doi = "10.1126/science.1141304",

language = "English",

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T1 - Temporal variability of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation at 26.5 degrees N

AU - Cunningham, Stuart A.

AU - Kanzow, Torsten

AU - Rayner, Darren

AU - Baringer, Molly O.

AU - Johns, William E.

AU - Marotzke, Jochem

AU - Longworth, Hannah R.

AU - Grant, Elizabeth M.

AU - Hirschi, Joel J. -M.

AU - Beal, Lisa M.

AU - Meinen, Christopher S.

AU - Bryden, Harry L.

PY - 2007/8/17

Y1 - 2007/8/17

N2 - The vigor of Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (MOC) is thought to be vulnerable to global warming, but its short-term temporal variability is unknown so changes inferred from sparse observations on the decadal time scale of recent climate change are uncertain. We combine continuous measurements of the MOC (beginning in 2004) using the purposefully designed transatlantic Rapid Climate Change array of moored instruments deployed along 26.5 degrees N, with time series of Gulf Stream transport and surface-layer Ekman transport to quantify its intra-annual variability. The year-long average overturning is 18.7 +/- 5.6 sverdrups (Sv) (range: 4.0 to 34.9 Sv, where 1 Sv = a flow of ocean water of 10(6) cubic meters per second). Interannual changes in the overturning can be monitored with a resolution of 1.5 Sv.

AB - The vigor of Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (MOC) is thought to be vulnerable to global warming, but its short-term temporal variability is unknown so changes inferred from sparse observations on the decadal time scale of recent climate change are uncertain. We combine continuous measurements of the MOC (beginning in 2004) using the purposefully designed transatlantic Rapid Climate Change array of moored instruments deployed along 26.5 degrees N, with time series of Gulf Stream transport and surface-layer Ekman transport to quantify its intra-annual variability. The year-long average overturning is 18.7 +/- 5.6 sverdrups (Sv) (range: 4.0 to 34.9 Sv, where 1 Sv = a flow of ocean water of 10(6) cubic meters per second). Interannual changes in the overturning can be monitored with a resolution of 1.5 Sv.

U2 - 10.1126/science.1141304

DO - 10.1126/science.1141304

M3 - Article

SN - 0036-8075

VL - 317

SP - 935

EP - 938

JO - Science

JF - Science

IS - 5840

ER -

Temporal variability of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation at 26.5 degrees N

Abstract

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