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Observational evidence for a cross frontal heat pump in the Southern Ocean
Author(s) -
Ansorge I. J.,
Lutjeharms J. R. E.,
Swart N. C.,
Durgadoo J. V.
Publication year - 2006
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 - 10.1029/2006gl026174
Subject(s) - eddy , thermohaline circulation , climatology , geology , oceanography , ridge , mesoscale meteorology , ocean heat content , zonal and meridional , ocean current , turbulence , atmospheric sciences , meteorology , geography , paleontology
Transient eddies in the Southern Ocean play a central role in the global thermohaline circulation. Meridional exchange of heat and salt is not geographically uniformly distributed, but may be concentrated in a number of specific regions where high levels of mesoscale turbulence are generated. We have identified a powerful example of such a region at the South‐West Indian Ridge in which cross‐ACC heat transport is dependent on eddy shedding. We show that Antarctic eddies are shed across the APF into the Subantarctic at an average of 3 a year and that they have a longevity of 11 months. Furthermore, we calculate the meridional heat and salt deficit of −5.6 ± 1.5 × 10 19 J and −8.1 ± 1.5 × 10 11 kg relative to the surrounding Subantarctic waters of one such eddy. Despite the importance of this process, eddy heat transport remains one of the most poorly observed quantities in the Southern Ocean.