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Remote forcing of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current by diapycnal mixing
Author(s) -
Munday D. R.,
Allison L. C.,
Johnson H. L.,
Marshall D. P.
Publication year - 2011
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 - 10.1029/2011gl046849
Subject(s) - circumpolar star , forcing (mathematics) , current (fluid) , climatology , mixing (physics) , geology , oceanography , environmental science , atmospheric sciences , meteorology , geography , physics , quantum mechanics
We show that diapycnal mixing can drive a significant Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) volume transport, even when the mixing is located remotely in northern‐hemisphere ocean basins. In the case of remote forcing, the globally‐averaged diapycnal mixing coefficient is the important parameter. This result is anticipated from theoretical arguments and demonstrated in a global ocean circulation model. The impact of enhanced diapycnal mixing on the ACC during glacial periods is discussed.