Atlantic Multidecadal Variability in a model with an improved North Atlantic Current

Abstract We examine the simulated Atlantic Multidecadal Variability (AMV) in a model that includes a correction for a long‐standing problem with climate models, namely, the misplacement of the North Atlantic Current. The corrected model shows that in the warm AMV phase, heat is lost by the ocean in...

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Main Authors: Annika Drews, Richard J. Greatbatch
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2016-08-01
Series:Geophysical Research Letters
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL069815
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author Annika Drews
Richard J. Greatbatch
author_facet Annika Drews
Richard J. Greatbatch
author_sort Annika Drews
collection DOAJ
description Abstract We examine the simulated Atlantic Multidecadal Variability (AMV) in a model that includes a correction for a long‐standing problem with climate models, namely, the misplacement of the North Atlantic Current. The corrected model shows that in the warm AMV phase, heat is lost by the ocean in the northwestern part of the basin and gained by the ocean to the east, suggesting an advective transfer of heat by the midlatitude westerlies. The basin‐wide response is consistent with a role for cloud feedback and is in broad agreement with estimates from observations but is poorly represented in the uncorrected model. The corrected model is then used to show that the ocean/atmosphere heat transfer is influenced by low‐frequency variability in the overlying atmosphere. We also argue that changing ocean heat transport is an essential feature of our results.
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publishDate 2016-08-01
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series Geophysical Research Letters
spelling doaj-art-c65f0e4655ce4996bd836089d85e5d4c2025-08-20T02:31:39ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072016-08-0143158199820610.1002/2016GL069815Atlantic Multidecadal Variability in a model with an improved North Atlantic CurrentAnnika Drews0Richard J. Greatbatch1GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel Kiel GermanyGEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel Kiel GermanyAbstract We examine the simulated Atlantic Multidecadal Variability (AMV) in a model that includes a correction for a long‐standing problem with climate models, namely, the misplacement of the North Atlantic Current. The corrected model shows that in the warm AMV phase, heat is lost by the ocean in the northwestern part of the basin and gained by the ocean to the east, suggesting an advective transfer of heat by the midlatitude westerlies. The basin‐wide response is consistent with a role for cloud feedback and is in broad agreement with estimates from observations but is poorly represented in the uncorrected model. The corrected model is then used to show that the ocean/atmosphere heat transfer is influenced by low‐frequency variability in the overlying atmosphere. We also argue that changing ocean heat transport is an essential feature of our results.https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL069815Atlantic multidecadal variabilityNorth Atlantic Currentair‐sea interaction
spellingShingle Annika Drews
Richard J. Greatbatch
Atlantic Multidecadal Variability in a model with an improved North Atlantic Current
Geophysical Research Letters
Atlantic multidecadal variability
North Atlantic Current
air‐sea interaction
title Atlantic Multidecadal Variability in a model with an improved North Atlantic Current
title_full Atlantic Multidecadal Variability in a model with an improved North Atlantic Current
title_fullStr Atlantic Multidecadal Variability in a model with an improved North Atlantic Current
title_full_unstemmed Atlantic Multidecadal Variability in a model with an improved North Atlantic Current
title_short Atlantic Multidecadal Variability in a model with an improved North Atlantic Current
title_sort atlantic multidecadal variability in a model with an improved north atlantic current
topic Atlantic multidecadal variability
North Atlantic Current
air‐sea interaction
url https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL069815
work_keys_str_mv AT annikadrews atlanticmultidecadalvariabilityinamodelwithanimprovednorthatlanticcurrent
AT richardjgreatbatch atlanticmultidecadalvariabilityinamodelwithanimprovednorthatlanticcurrent