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Drake Passage and palaeoclimate
Author(s) -
Toggweiler J. R.,
Bjornsson H.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
journal of quaternary science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.142
H-Index - 94
eISSN - 1099-1417
pISSN - 0267-8179
DOI - 10.1002/1099-1417(200005)15:4<319::aid-jqs545>3.0.co;2-c
Subject(s) - geology , northern hemisphere , southern hemisphere , channel (broadcasting) , latitude , oceanography , climatology , geodesy , electrical engineering , engineering
The effect of Drake Passage on the Earth's climate is examined using an idealised coupled model. It is found that the opening of Drake Passage cools the high latitudes of the southern hemisphere by about 3°C and warms the high latitudes of the northern hemisphere by nearly the same amount. This study also attempts to determine whether the width and depth of the Drake Passage channel is likely to be an important factor in the thermal response. A deeper channel is shown to produce more southern cooling but the magnitude of the effect is not large. Channel geometry is relatively unimportant in the model because of a haline response that develops when the channel is first opened up. Published in 2000 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.