HR: 0800h
AN: OS21C-1265    [Abstracts]
TI: The Transit Time Distribution of the Subtropical-Tropical Water Exchange in the Pacific Ocean
AU: * Song, Q
EM: Qian.Song@noaa.gov
AF: Program in Atmospheric and Oceanic Studies, Princeton University, PO BOX 308, 201 Forrestal Road, Princeton, NJ 08542
AU: Khatiwala, S
EM: spk@ldeo.columbia.edu
AF: Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, 61 Route 9W, Palisades, NY 10964
AB: The transit-time distribution (TTD) of the subtropical-tropical thermocline water exchange in the Pacific Ocean is simulated in an ocean general circulation model. The exchange time scales that are mainly due to advection are about 10 years, consistent with previous time scale estimates by neglecting the effect of mixing. However, only about 10% of the water in the equatorial thermocline has age less than the advective time scale, and the rest has age much longer due to mixing. In addition, the mean time scale, which considers the effects of both advection and mixing, for the subtropical surface waters to reach the equator is much longer (over 100 years) than the advective time scale. The long mean time scale and broad TTDs in the equtorial Pacific suggest that mixing is important for the thermocline water exchange.
DE: 4875 Trace elements
DE: 4215 Climate and interannual variability (3309)
DE: 4512 Currents
DE: 4532 General circulation
DE: 1635 Oceans (4203)
SC: Ocean Sciences [OS]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting