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Ocean circulation and climate in an idealised Pangean OAGCM
Author(s) -
Smith R. S.,
Dubois C.,
Marotzke J.
Publication year - 2004
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 - 10.1029/2004gl020643
Subject(s) - equator , zonal and meridional , circulation (fluid dynamics) , albedo (alchemy) , atmosphere (unit) , atmospheric sciences , climatology , latitude , ocean current , environmental science , temperature gradient , geology , water vapor , atmospheric circulation , thermohaline circulation , meteorology , mechanics , physics , geodesy , art , performance art , art history
An idealised Pangean configuration is integrated in a coupled ocean atmosphere general circulation model to investigate the form of the ocean circulation and its impacts on the large scale climate system. A vigorous, hemispherically symmetric overturning is found, driven by deep water formation at high latitudes. Whilst the peak mass transport is around 100 Sv, a low vertical temperature gradient in the ocean means that the maximum heat transport is only 1.2 PW. The geographical change in the coupled model is found to produce a global average warming of 2°C, despite an increase in global surface albedo. This occurs through changes in the atmospheric water vapour and cloud distributions. There is also reduction in the equator‐pole temperature gradient, largely attributable to the same causes, avoiding the paradox of low meridional temperature gradients without increased polar heat transport.