HR: 11:55h
AN: OS11B-07 INVITED     [PDF]
TI: Freshwater Budget of the Arctic and High Latitude Modes of Atmospheric Variability
AU: * Tremblay, B
EM: tremblay@ldeo.columbia.edu
AF: Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, 61 Rt 9W, Palisades, NY 10964-8000 United States
AU: Newton, R
EM: bnewton@ldeo.columbia.edu
AF: Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, 61 Rt 9W, Palisades, NY 10964-8000 United States
AB: A simple model simulating the basin-scale barotropic response of the Arctic Ocean to changes North Atlantic Oscillation (or Arctic Oscillation) is presented. The model distills concepts developed by Hunkins, Proshutinsky and others into an anylitic calculation of the balance between inputs of vorticity to the surface of the Arctic Ocean and their dissipation within the Ocean-Ice system. The results of the model are compared with tide-gauge data from various coastal stations and with a new synthesis of isotope tracer data collected during the last 15 years. The observations and theory are applied to the problem of freshwater storage in and export from the Arctic Ocean. Using this simple model, preliminary 3-D coupled ice-ocean model simulations, (validated against tracer and sea-surface height observations) we discuss potential links between atmospheric variability, Arctic Ocean dynamics and the export of freshwater to the Nordic Seas.
DE: 4207 Arctic and Antarctic oceanography
DE: 4215 Climate and interannual variability (3309)
SC: Ocean Sciences [OS]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting