Thermal Rossby waves explain multidecadal upper ocean heat content variability 
in the Subpolar North Atlantic

Sinha, Bablu; Moat, Ben; Fraser, Neil; Hermanson, Leon; Josey, Simon; Macintosh, Claire; Berry, Dave; Jones, Dan; Sanders, Rachael; Drijfhout, Sybren

doi:10.57757/IUGG23-3525

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Thermal Rossby waves explain multidecadal upper ocean heat content variability in the Subpolar North Atlantic

Authors

Sinha, Bablu
IUGG 2023, General Assemblies, 1 General, International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG), External Organizations;

Moat, Ben
IUGG 2023, General Assemblies, 1 General, International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG), External Organizations;

Fraser, Neil
IUGG 2023, General Assemblies, 1 General, International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG), External Organizations;

Hermanson, Leon
IUGG 2023, General Assemblies, 1 General, International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG), External Organizations;

Josey, Simon
IUGG 2023, General Assemblies, 1 General, International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG), External Organizations;

Macintosh, Claire
IUGG 2023, General Assemblies, 1 General, International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG), External Organizations;

Berry, Dave
IUGG 2023, General Assemblies, 1 General, International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG), External Organizations;

Jones, Dan
IUGG 2023, General Assemblies, 1 General, International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG), External Organizations;

Sanders, Rachael
IUGG 2023, General Assemblies, 1 General, International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG), External Organizations;

Drijfhout, Sybren
IUGG 2023, General Assemblies, 1 General, International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG), External Organizations;

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Citation

Sinha, B., Moat, B., Fraser, N., Hermanson, L., Josey, S., Macintosh, C., Berry, D., Jones, D., Sanders, R., Drijfhout, S. (2023): Thermal Rossby waves explain multidecadal upper ocean heat content variability in the Subpolar North Atlantic, XXVIII General Assembly of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG) (Berlin 2023).
https://doi.org/10.57757/IUGG23-3525

Cite as: https://gfzpublic.gfz-potsdam.de/pubman/item/item_5020554

Abstract

It is important to understanding the mechanism behind multidecadal changes in North Atlantic ocean heat storage as these directly impact the climate of the surrounding continents. We construct a multidecadal upper ocean heat budget for the North Atlantic for the period 1950 to 2020 based on multiple observational datasets and a state of the art forced global ocean model. On multidecadal timescales ocean heat transport convergence is the dominant term in all regions of the North Atlantic. In the subpolar region (north of 45N) the heat transport convergence is largely explained by anomalous geostrophic currents acting on the mean temperature gradient. The timescale and spatial distribution of the anomalous geostrophic currents are consistent with basin scale ‘thermal’ Rossby waves propagating westwards/northwestwards in the subpolar gyre. Using a forced ocean model we link the ocean heat transport convergence with variations in the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation.