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On the role of inter‐basin surface salinity contrasts in global ocean circulation
Author(s) -
Seidov D.,
Haupt B. J.
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 - 10.1029/2002gl014813
Subject(s) - thermohaline circulation , structural basin , salinity , ocean current , geology , oceanography , shutdown of thermohaline circulation , climatology , sea surface temperature , climate change , oceanic basin , environmental science , north atlantic deep water , paleontology
The role of sea surface salinity (SSS) contrasts in maintaining vigorous global ocean thermohaline circulation (TOC) is revisited. Relative importance of different generalizations of sea surface conditions in climate studies is explored. Ocean‐wide inter‐basin SSS contrasts serve as the major controlling element in global TOC. These contrasts are shown to be at least as important as high‐latitudinal freshwater impacts. It is also shown that intra‐basin longitudinal distribution of sea surface salinity, as well as intra‐ and inter‐basin longitudinal distribution of sea surface temperature, is not crucial to conveyor functionality if only inter‐basin contrasts in sea surface salinity are retained. This is especially important for paleoclimate and future climate simulations.