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AMOC Recovery in a Multicentennial Scenario Using a Coupled Atmosphere‐Ocean‐Ice Sheet Model
Author(s) -
Ackermann L.,
Danek C.,
Gierz P.,
Lohmann G.
Publication year - 2020
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 - 10.1029/2019gl086810
Subject(s) - climatology , climate model , ice sheet , environmental science , ocean current , ice sheet model , greenland ice sheet , surface runoff , general circulation model , atmosphere (unit) , oceanography , climate change , geology , sea ice , cryosphere , ice shelf , meteorology , ecology , biology , physics
We simulate the two Coupled Model Intercomparison Project scenarios RCP4.5 and RCP8.5, to assess the effects of melt‐induced fresh water on the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC). We use a newly developed climate model with high resolution at the coasts, resolving the complex ocean dynamics. Our results show an AMOC recovery in simulations run with and without an included ice sheet model. We find that the ice sheet adds a strong decadal variability on the freshwater release, resulting in intervals in which it reduces the surface runoff by high accumulation rates. This compensating effect is missing in climate models without dynamic ice sheets. Therefore, we argue to assess those freshwater hosing experiments critically, which aim to parameterize Greenland's freshwater release. We assume the increasing net evaporation over the Atlantic and the resulting increase in ocean salinity, to be the main driver of the AMOC recovery.