Actions for Steady-state and transient modeling of tracer and nutrient distributions in the global ocean. Progress report, June 1, 1991--March 31, 1992 [electronic resource].

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Steady-state and transient modeling of tracer and nutrient distributions in the global ocean. Progress report, June 1, 1991--March 31, 1992 [electronic resource].

Published
Washington, D.C. : United States. Dept. of Energy, 1992.
Oak Ridge, Tenn. : Distributed by the Office of Scientific and Technical Information, U.S. Dept. of Energy.
Physical Description
22 pages : digital, PDF file
Additional Creators
Columbia University, United States. Department of Energy, and United States. Department of Energy. Office of Scientific and Technical Information
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Summary
The deep circulation model developed by Wright and Stocker has been used to represent the latitude-depth distributions of temperature, salinity, radiocarbon and ``color`` tracers in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Restoring temperature and salinity to observed surface data the model shows a global thermohaline circulation where deep water is formed in the North Atlantic and in the Southern Ocean. A parameter study reveals that the high-latitude surface salinity determines the composition of deep water and its flow in the global ocean. Increasing Southern Ocean surface salinity by 0.4 ppt the circulation changes from a present-day mode where North Atlantic Deep Water is one where Antarctic Bottom Water is dominant. An inorganic carbon cycle with surface carbonate chemistry is included, and gas exchange is parameterized in terms of pCO₂ differences. Pre- industrial conditions are achieved by adjusting the basin-mean alkalinity. A classical 2×CO₂ experiment yields the intrinsic time scales for carbon uptake of the ocean; they agree with those obtained from simple box models or 3-dimensional ocean general circulation models. Using the estimated industrial anthropogenic input of CO₂ into the atmosphere the model requires, consistent with other model studies, an additional carbon flux to match the observed increase of atmospheric pCO₂. We use more realistic surface boundary conditions which reduce sensitivity to freshwater discharges into the ocean. In a glacial-to-interglacial experiment rapid transitions of the deep circulation between two different states occur in conjunction with a severe reduction of the meridional heat flux and sea surface temperature during peak melting. After the melting the conveyor belt circulation restarts.
Report Numbers
E 1.99:doe/er/61202--1
doe/er/61202--1
Subject(s)
Other Subject(s)
Note
Published through SciTech Connect.
03/26/1992.
"doe/er/61202--1"
"DE92011805"
Broecker, W.S.; Stocker, T.F.
Type of Report and Period Covered Note
Annual; 01/01/1991 - 12/31/1992
Funding Information
FG02-91ER61202
View MARC record | catkey: 14380905