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On the Factors Controlling the Eddy-Induced Transport in the Antarctic Circumpolar Current

On the Factors Controlling the Eddy-Induced Transport in the Antarctic Circumpolar Current This study examines eddy-driven material transport by analyzing trajectories of Lagrangian particles in an idealized model of the Southern Ocean. The main focus is on the direction of the transport in the latitude–depth plane, as well as on the magnitudes of the vertical and meridional particle dispersion. In particular, this transport is along the mean isopycnals in the control simulation, but changes its direction and intensity in a series of sensitivity experiments with artificially modified currents. The main new conclusion is that the direction of the transport is determined by the three-dimensional interplay between the zonal background flow and the transient eddies; the stationary meanders play a secondary role. The key parameter here is the strength of the zonal advection relative to the eddy magnitudes, whereas the mean vertical shear in the zonal velocity is of secondary importance. In particular, stronger mean zonal advection leads to steeper orientation of the eddy fluxes and deeper penetration of tracer anomalies. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Journal of Physical Oceanography American Meteorological Society

On the Factors Controlling the Eddy-Induced Transport in the Antarctic Circumpolar Current

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Publisher
American Meteorological Society
Copyright
Copyright © 2013 American Meteorological Society
ISSN
0022-3670
eISSN
1520-0485
DOI
10.1175/JPO-D-13-0256.1
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

This study examines eddy-driven material transport by analyzing trajectories of Lagrangian particles in an idealized model of the Southern Ocean. The main focus is on the direction of the transport in the latitude–depth plane, as well as on the magnitudes of the vertical and meridional particle dispersion. In particular, this transport is along the mean isopycnals in the control simulation, but changes its direction and intensity in a series of sensitivity experiments with artificially modified currents. The main new conclusion is that the direction of the transport is determined by the three-dimensional interplay between the zonal background flow and the transient eddies; the stationary meanders play a secondary role. The key parameter here is the strength of the zonal advection relative to the eddy magnitudes, whereas the mean vertical shear in the zonal velocity is of secondary importance. In particular, stronger mean zonal advection leads to steeper orientation of the eddy fluxes and deeper penetration of tracer anomalies.

Journal

Journal of Physical Oceanography – American Meteorological Society

Published: Nov 27, 2013

References

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    Abernathey
  • Enhancement of mesoscale eddy stirring at steering levels in the Southern Ocean
    Abernathey
  • Kinematics of the Pacific Equatorial Undercurrent: An Eulerian and Lagrangian approach from GCM results
    Blanke
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    Blanke
  • The role of mesoscale tracer transports in the global ocean circulation
    Danabasoglu
  • Observing the general circulation with floats
    Davis
  • Standing and transient eddies in the response of the Southern Ocean meridional overturning to the southern annular mode
    Dufour
  • Suppression of eddy diffusivity across jets in the Southern Ocean
    Ferrari
  • Eddy stirring in the Southern Ocean
    Garabato
  • Parameterizing eddy-induced tracer transports in ocean circulation models
    Gent