Interannual variability in the North Pacific meridional overturning circulation

Hongwei Liu; Qilong Zhang; Yijun Hou; Yongliang Duan

doi:10.1007/s00343-013-2072-8

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Interannual variability in the North Pacific meridional overturning circulation

Updated：2023-05-16

- Interannual variability in the North Pacific meridional overturning circulation
- Journal of Oceanology and Limnology Vol. 31, Issue 3, Pages: 665-680(2013)
- Affiliations：
  
  1. Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences
  2. Key Laboratory of Ocean Circulation and Waves (KLOCAW) Chinese Academy of Sciences
  3. Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
- Author bio：
- Funds：
- DOI：10.1007/s00343-013-2072-8
  CLC：
- Online First：08 May 2013，
  
  Published：2013
- Accepted：
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Liu, H., Zhang, Q., Hou, Y. et al. Interannual variability in the North Pacific meridional overturning circulation., Chin. J. Ocean. Limnol. 31, 665–680 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00343-013-2072-8
DOI：

Liu, H., Zhang, Q., Hou, Y. et al. Interannual variability in the North Pacific meridional overturning circulation., Chin. J. Ocean. Limnol. 31, 665–680 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00343-013-2072-8 DOI：

摘要

Abstract

We analyzed the temporal and spatial variation

and interannual variability of the North Pacific meridional overturning circulation using an empirical orthogonal function method

and calculated mass transport using Simple Ocean Data Assimilation Data from 1958–2008. The meridional streamfunction field in the North Pacific tilts N-S; the Tropical Cell (TC)

Subtropical Cell (STC)

and Deep Tropical Cell (DTC) may be in phase on an annual time scale; the TC and the STC are out of phase on an interannual time scale

but the interannual variability of the DTC is complex. The TC and STC interannual variability is associated with ENSO (El Niño-Southern Oscillation). The TC northward

southward

upward

and downward transports all weaken in El Niños and strengthen in La Niñas. The STC northward and southward transports are out of phase

while the STC northward and downward transports are in phase. Sea-surface water that reaches the middle latitude and is subducted may not completely return to the tropics. The zonal wind anomalies over the central North Pacific

which control Ekman transport

and the east-west slope of the sea level may be major factors causing the TC northward and southward transport interannual variability and the STC northward and southward transports on the interannual time scale. The DTC northward and southward transports decrease during strong El Niños and increase during strong La Niñas. DTC upward and downward transports are not strongly correlated with the Niño-3 index and may not be completely controlled by ENSO.

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references

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