Optimal nonlinear excitation of decadal variability of the North Atlantic thermohaline circulation

Ziqing Zu; Mu Mu; Henk A. Dijkstra

doi:10.1007/s00343-014-3051-4

Your Location：

Home >

Browse articles >

Optimal nonlinear excitation of decadal variability of the North Atlantic thermohaline circulation

OriginalPaper | Updated：2023-05-16

- Optimal nonlinear excitation of decadal variability of the North Atlantic thermohaline circulation
- Optimal nonlinear excitation of decadal variability of the North Atlantic thermohaline circulation
- 海洋湖沼学报（英文） 2013年31卷第6期页码：1368-1374
- Affiliations：
  
  1. LASG Institute of Atmospheric Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences
  2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
  3. Key Laboratory of Ocean Circulation and Wave Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences
  4. Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research Utrecht Department of Physics and Astronomy Utrecht University
- Author bio：
- Funds：
  
  Supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program) (No. 2012CB417404.)
- DOI：10.1007/s00343-014-3051-4
  中图分类号：
- 网络首发：2013-08-31，
  
  纸质出版：2013
- Accepted：
Scan QR Code
Optimal nonlinear excitation of decadal variability of the North Atlantic thermohaline circulation[J]. 海洋湖沼学报（英文）, 2013,31(6):1368-1374.

Zu, Z., Mu, M. & Dijkstra, H.A. Optimal nonlinear excitation of decadal variability of the North Atlantic thermohaline circulation., Chin. J. Ocean. Limnol. 31, 1368–1374 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00343-014-3051-4
Optimal nonlinear excitation of decadal variability of the North Atlantic thermohaline circulation[J]. 海洋湖沼学报（英文）, 2013,31(6):1368-1374. DOI： 10.1007/s00343-014-3051-4.

Zu, Z., Mu, M. & Dijkstra, H.A. Optimal nonlinear excitation of decadal variability of the North Atlantic thermohaline circulation., Chin. J. Ocean. Limnol. 31, 1368–1374 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00343-014-3051-4 DOI：

摘要

Abstract

Nonlinear development of salinity perturbations in the Atlantic thermohaline circulation (THC) is investigated with a three-dimensional ocean circulation model

using the conditional nonlinear optimal perturbation method. The results show two types of optimal initial perturbations of sea surface salinity

one associated with freshwater and the other with salinity. Both types of perturbations excite decadal variability of the THC. Under the same amplitude of initial perturbation

the decadal variation induced by the freshwater perturbation is much stronger than that by the salinity perturbation

suggesting that the THC is more sensitive to freshwater than salinity perturbation. As the amplitude of initial perturbation increases

the decadal variations become stronger for both perturbations. For salinity perturbations

recovery time of the THC to return to steady state gradually saturates with increasing amplitude

whereas this recovery time increases remarkably for freshwater perturbations. A nonlinear (advective) feedback between density and velocity anomalies is proposed to explain these characteristics of decadal variability excitation. The results are consistent with previous ones from simple box models

and highlight the importance of nonlinear feedback in decadal THC variability.

关键词

Keywords

references

Alexander J, Monahan A H. 2009. Nonnormal perturbation growth of pure thermohaline circulation using a 2D zonally averaged model. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 39(2): 369–386.

Belkin I M, Levitus S, Antonov J I, Malmberg S A. 1998. “Great salinity anomalies” in the North Atlantic. Prog. Oceanogr., 41(1): 1–68.

De Niet A, Wubs F, Scheltinga A T, Dijkstra H A. 2007. A tailored solver for bifurcation analysis of ocean-climate models. J. Comput. Phys., 227(1): 654–679.

Dijkstra H A, Oksuzoglu H, Wubs F W, Botta E F F. 2001. A fully implicit model of the three-dimensional thermohaline ocean circulation. J. Comput. Phys., 173(2): 685–715.

Dijkstra H A, Te Raa L T, Schmeits M, Gerrits J. 2006. On the physics of the Atlantic multidecadal oscillation. Ocean Dyn., 56(1): 36–50.

Duan W, Mu M, Wang B. 2004. Conditional nonlinear optimal perturbations as the optimal precursors for El Niño-Southern Oscillation events. J. Geophys. Res. Atmos., 109: D23105, http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2004JD004756.

Duan W, Xu H, Mu M. 2008. Decisive role of nonlinear temperature advection in El Niño and La Niña amplitude asymmetry. J. Geophys. Res. Oceans, 113: C1104, http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2006JC003974.

Duan W, Mu M. 2009. Conditional nonlinear optimal perturbation: applications to stability, sensitivity and predictability. Sci. China (D), 52(7): 883–906.

Duan W, Yu Y, Xu H, Zhao P. 2012. Behaviors of nonlinearities modulating the El Niño events induced by optimal precursory disturbances. Clim. Dynam., 40(5–6): 1 399–1 413.

Grossmann I, Klotzbach P J. 2009. A review of North Atlantic modes of natural variability and their driving mechanisms. J. Geophys. Res. Atmos., 11 4: D24107, http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2009JD012728.

Jiang Z, Mu M, Wang D. 2009. Experiments of ensemble forecast by conditional nonlinear optimal perturbation. Sci. China (D), 52(4): 511–518.

Knight J R. 2005. A signature of persistent natural thermohaline circulation cycles in observed climate. Geophys. Res. Lett., 32(20): 2–5.

Knight J R, Folland C K, Scaife A A. 2006. Climate impacts of the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation. Geophys. Res. Lett., 33: L17706, http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2006GL026242

Monahan A H, Alexander J, Weaver A. 2008. Stochastic models of the meridional overturning circulation: time scales and patterns of variability. Philos. Trans. R. Soc., 366(1875): 2 527–2 544.

Mu M, Duan W, Wang B. 2003. Conditional nonlinear optimal perturbation and its applications. Nonlinear Proc. Geophys., 10(6): 493–501.

Mu M, Sun L, Dijkstra H A. 2004. The sensitivity and stability of the ocean’s thermohaline circulation to finite-amplitude perturbations. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 34(10): 2 305–2 315.

Mu M, Xu H, Duan W. 2007a. A kind of initial errors related to “spring predictability barrier” for El Niño event in Zebiak-Cane model. Geophys. Res. Lett., 34: L03709, http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2006GL027412.

Mu M, Duan W, Wang B. 2007b. Season-dependent dynamics of nonlinear optimal error growth and ENSO predictability in a theoretical model. J. Geophys. Res., 112: D10113, http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2005JD006981.

Mu M, Zhou F, Wang H. 2009. A method to identify the sensitive areas in targeting for tropical cyclone prediction: conditional nonlinear optimal perturbation. Mon. Wea. Rev., 137(5): 1 623–1 639.

Qin X, Mu M. 2011a. Influence of conditional nonlinear optimal perturbations sensitivity on typhoon track forecasts. Q. J. R. Meteorol. Soc., 138(662): 185–197.

Qin X, Mu M. 2011b: A study on the reduction of forecast error variance by three adaptive observation approaches for tropical cyclone prediction. Mon. Wea. Rev., 139(7): 2 218–2 232.

Sévellec F, Jelloul M B, Huck T. 2007. Optimal surface salinity perturbations influencing the thermohaline circulation. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 37(12): 2 789–2 808.

Sévellec F, Huck T, Jelloul M B, Grima N. 2008. Optimal surface salinity perturbations of the meridional overturning and heat transport in a global ocean general circulation model. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 38(12): 2 739–2 754.

Sévellec F, Huck T, Jelloul M B, Vialard J. 2009. Nonnormal multidecadal response of the thermohaline circulation induced by optimal surface salinity perturbations. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 39(4): 852–872.

Sun L, Mu M, Sun D J, Yin X Y. 2005. Passive mechanism of decadal variation of thermohaline circulation. J. Geophys. Res. Oceans, 110: C07025, http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2005JC002897.

Sun G, Mu M. 2011. Response of a grassland ecosystem to climate change in a theoretical model. Adv. Atmos. Sci., 28(6): 1 266–1 278.

Sutton R T, Hodson D L R. 2007. Climate response to basinscale warming and cooling of the North Atlantic Ocean. J. Climate, 20(5): 891–907.

Talley L D, Reid J L, Robbins P E. 2003. Data-based meridional overturning streamfunctions for the global ocean. J. Climate, 16(19): 3 213–3 226.

Te Raa L A, Dijkstra H A. 2002. Instability of the thermohaline ocean circulation on interdecadal timescales. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 32(1): 138–160.

Tziperman E, Ioannou P J. 2002. Transient growth and optimal excitation of thermohaline variability. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 32(12): 3 427–3 435.

Wang Q, Mu M, Dijkstra H A. 2011. Application of the conditional nonlinear optimal perturbation method to the predictability study of the kuroshio large meander. Adv. Atmos. Sci., 29(1): 118–134.

Wang Q, Mu M, Dijkstra H A. 2013. The similarity between optimal precursor and optimally growing initial error in prediction of Kuroshio large meander and its application to targeted observation. J. Geophys. Res., 118(2): 869–884.

Wang Y, Li S, Luo D. 2009. Seasonal response of Asian monsoonal climate to the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation. J. Geophys. Res. Atmos., 114: D02112, http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2008JD010929.

Wu X, Mu M. 2009. Impact of wind-driven ocean gyres on the nonlinear stability of thermohaline circulation in a modified box model. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 39(3): 798–805.

Yu Y, Mu M, Duan W, Gong T. 2012a. Contribution of the location and spatial pattern of initial error to uncertainties in El Niño predictions. J. Geophys. Res., 117(c6), http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2011JC007758.

Yu Y, Mu M, Duan W. 2012b. Does model parameter error cause a significant “spring predictability barrier” for El Nino events in the zebiak-cane model? J. Climate, 25(4): 1 263–1 277.

Zanna L, Heimbach P, Moore A M, Tziperman E. 2012. Upperocean singular vectors of the North Atlantic climatewith implications for linear predictability and variability. Q. J. R. Meteorol. Soc., 138(663): 500–513.

浏览量

Downloads

CSCD

文章被引用时，请邮件提醒。

Submit

工具集

关联资源

A theoretical solution for the thermohaline circulation in the Southern Yellow Sea

Events of decadal thermocline variations in the South Pacific Ocean

Decadal variability of chlorophyll a in the South China Sea: a possible mechanism

Freshening of the intermediate water of the South China Sea between the 1960s and the 1980s

基于模态频率的V型缺口梁裂纹扩展速率模型