Response of the Atlantic thermohaline circula- tion (THC) to global warming is examined by using the cli- mate system model developed at IAP/LASG. The evidence indicates that the gradually warming climate associated w...Response of the Atlantic thermohaline circula- tion (THC) to global warming is examined by using the cli- mate system model developed at IAP/LASG. The evidence indicates that the gradually warming climate associated with the increased atmospheric carbon dioxide leads to a warmer and fresher sea surface water at the high latitudes of the North Atlantic Ocean, which prevents the down-welling of the surface water. The succedent reduction of the pole-to- equator meridional potential density gradient finally results in the decrease of the THC in intensity. When the atmos- pheric carbon dioxide is doubled, the maximum value of the Atlantic THC decreases approximately by 8%. The associ- ated poleward oceanic heat transport also becomes weaker. This kind of THC weakening centralizes mainly in the northern part of the North Atlantic basin, indicating briefly a local scale adjustment rather than a loop oscillation with the whole Atlantic “conveyor belt” decelerating.展开更多
基金supported by the Knowledge Innovation Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.ZKCX2-SW-210)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.40005004,40375029 and 40233031)the Major State Basic Research Development Program of China(973 Program)(Grant No.G200007850-2).
文摘Response of the Atlantic thermohaline circula- tion (THC) to global warming is examined by using the cli- mate system model developed at IAP/LASG. The evidence indicates that the gradually warming climate associated with the increased atmospheric carbon dioxide leads to a warmer and fresher sea surface water at the high latitudes of the North Atlantic Ocean, which prevents the down-welling of the surface water. The succedent reduction of the pole-to- equator meridional potential density gradient finally results in the decrease of the THC in intensity. When the atmos- pheric carbon dioxide is doubled, the maximum value of the Atlantic THC decreases approximately by 8%. The associ- ated poleward oceanic heat transport also becomes weaker. This kind of THC weakening centralizes mainly in the northern part of the North Atlantic basin, indicating briefly a local scale adjustment rather than a loop oscillation with the whole Atlantic “conveyor belt” decelerating.
