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Tasman leakage: A new route in the global ocean conveyor belt
Author(s) -
Speich Sabrina,
Blanke Bruno,
de Vries Pedro,
Drijfhout Sybren,
Döös Kristofer,
Ganachaud Alexandre,
Marsh Robert
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2001gl014586
Subject(s) - throughflow , hydrography , oceanography , geology , outflow , ocean current , climatology , circulation (fluid dynamics) , leakage (economics) , engineering , aerospace engineering , economics , macroeconomics , soil science
The existence of a new route that draws relatively cold waters from the Pacific Ocean to the North Atlantic via the Tasman outflow is presented. The new route materialises with comparable magnitude and characteristics in three independent numerical realisations of the global ocean circulation. Its realism is supported by hydrographic data interpolated via an inverse model. The “Tasman leakage” constitutes a sizeable component of the upper branch of the global conveyor belt and represents an extension to the prevailing views that hitherto emphasised the routes via the Drake Passage and the Indonesian Throughflow [ Gordon , 1986].