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Article: Sea ice effects on the sensitivity of the thermohaline circulation
- Article from:
- Journal of Climate
- Article date:
- November 1, 1998
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright American Meteorological Society Nov 1998. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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Sea Ice Effects on the Sensitivity of the Thermohaline Circulation*
ABSTRACT
The authors investigate the sensitivity of the thermohaline circulation (THC) with respect to a subpolar salinity perturbation. Such perturbation simulates a freshwater release caused by retreating glaciers or anomalous sea ice. The feedback mechanisms amplifying or damping the initial anomaly are analyzed in the coupled oceanatmosphere-sea ice model. Their understanding is essential for modeling climate variability on decadal and longer timescales.
A 3D ocean circulation model is coupled to an atmospheric energy balance and a thermodynamic sea ice model. The perturbation in the North Atlantic's subpolar ...