Antarctic Bottom Water and global ocean meridional overturning circulation

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Other Title
  • 南極底層水と全球海洋子午面循環
  • ナンキョクテイソウスイ ト ゼン キュウ カイヨウコゴメン ジュンカン

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Abstract

Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) originates from dense shelf water mixing with ambient water masses as it flows down the shelf slope. Dens shelf water is mainly produced by winter brine rejection in polynyas along the Antarctica coast. Cold and highly oxygenated AABW occupies a significant part of world oceans, mainly in the bottom layers in the Indian and Pacific oceans. It is recently recognised that ocean currents including the flow of AABW are turbulent and measurement with a duration of a few years is not appropriate for accurate transport estimate. Even after averaging for decadal or centennial time scales, the global system of ocean currents has a complicated threedimensional structure. This circulation, often referred to as the meridional overturning circulation, is forced not only by wind, heat, and freshwater fluxes from the atmosphere but also gravitational tidal forces and geothermal heating. We do not fully understand quantitative relationships between these forcing and ocean circulation, but recent studies point out possible mechanisms where AABW mixing with ambient water masses can affect the global meridional overturning circulation.

Journal

  • 低温科学

    低温科学 76 1-12, 2018-03-31

    低温科学第76巻編集委員会

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