Atlantic meridional heat transports computed from balancing Earth's energy locally

Trenberth, Kevin E.; Fasullo, John T.

doi:10.1002/2016GL072475

Title: Atlantic meridional heat transports computed from balancing Earth's energy locally

Journal Article · Sat Feb 18 00:00:00 EST 2017 · Geophysical Research Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL072475· OSTI ID:1344180

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National Center for Atmospheric Research Boulder Colorado USA

Abstract The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation plays a major role in moving heat and carbon around in the ocean. A new estimate of ocean heat transports for 2000 through 2013 throughout the Atlantic is derived. Top‐of‐atmosphere radiation is combined with atmospheric reanalyses to estimate surface heat fluxes and combined with vertically integrated ocean heat content to estimate ocean heat transport divergence as a residual. Atlantic peak northward ocean heat transports average 1.18 ± 0.13 PW (1 sigma) at 15°N but vary considerably in latitude and time. Results agree well with observational estimates at 26.5°N from the RAPID array, but for 2004–2013 the meridional heat transport is 1.00 ± 0.11 PW versus 1.23 ± 0.11 PW for RAPID. In addition, these results have no hint of a trend, unlike the RAPID results. Strong westerlies north of a meridian drive ocean currents and an ocean heat loss into the atmosphere that is exacerbated by a decrease in ocean heat transport northward.

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Research Organization:: National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), Boulder, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE; National Science foundation (NSF)

Grant/Contract Number:: DE‐SC0012711; SC0012711

OSTI ID:: 1344180

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1344181; OSTI ID: 1425659

Journal Information:: Geophysical Research Letters, Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters Vol. 44 Journal Issue: 4; ISSN 0094-8276

Publisher:: American Geophysical Union (AGU)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 61 works

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