Open AccessRole of gyration in the oceanic general circulation: Atlantic Ocean
Author(s) -
Jiang Hua,
Huang Rui Xin,
Wang Hui
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: oceans
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.67
H-Index - 298
eISSN - 2156-2202
pISSN - 0148-0227
DOI - 10.1029/2007jc004134
Subject(s) - ocean gyre , data assimilation , climatology , ocean current , thermohaline circulation , environmental science , geology , heat flux , circulation (fluid dynamics) , shutdown of thermohaline circulation , zonal and meridional , oceanography , meteorology , north atlantic deep water , geography , heat transfer , mechanics , physics , subtropics , fishery , biology
Wind‐driven gyres transport volume and heat in the meridional direction, which is an important component of the climate system. The contribution of wind‐driven gyres to both poleward volume and heat fluxes can be clearly identified from numerical models by a simple diagnostic tool; thus the central location, strength, and dynamical roles of wind‐driven circulation in the climatological mean state and decadal variability of the oceanic circulation can be examined in detail. This diagnostic tool was applied to the Simple Ocean Data Assimilation data generated from a numerical model, with data assimilation. Our analysis indicates the important contribution due to wind‐driven gyres and the strong decadal variability in the volume flux, heat flux, and central location of the wind‐driven gyres in the Atlantic Ocean.