HR: 0800h
AN: OS31A-0559    [Abstracts]
TI: Decadal weakening of the shallow overturning circulation in the South Indian Ocean
AU: * Lee, T
EM: Tong.Lee@jpl.nasa.gov
AF: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, MS 300-323, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109 United States
AB: Analysis of satellite measurements of wind stress and sea level suggests (1) a near-decadal slowdown of the shallow overturning cell in the South Indian Ocean (SIO) associated with a significant weakening of the southeasterly trade during 1992-2000, and (2) a relatively steady cross-equatorial shallow overturning cell. The slowdown of the SIO cell, estimated to be 6.8 Sv over the 9 year period, is about 70% its averaged strength (about 10 Sv). The results have important implications to upper-ocean heat content, decadal climate variability, and biochemistry in the region.
DE: 4500 OCEANOGRAPHY: PHYSICAL
DE: 4532 General circulation
DE: 4556 Sea level variations
DE: 4572 Upper ocean processes
DE: 4800 OCEANOGRAPHY: BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL
SC: Ocean Sciences [OS]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting