Effect of wind forcing on the meridional heat transport in a coupled climate model: equilibrium response

• DOI: 10.1007/s00382-014-2393-0
• Publication Date: 2014-11-14T06:16:57Z
• Authors: Haijun Yang; Haijin Dai
• Keywords: Hadley cell

The effect of the ocean surface winds on meridional heat transports is studied in a coupled model. Shutting down global causes significant reductions both wind-driven and thermohaline circulations, resulting remarkable decrease poleward oceanic transport (OHT). sea temperature responds with warming equator cooling off equator, causing an enhancement equatorward shift Hadley cell. This increases atmospheric (AHT), which turn compensates OHT. compensation implies fundamental constraint changes ocean–atmosphere energy transports. Several other are also identified. For OHT components, Eulerian mean bolus compensated each Southern Ocean, since stronger wind driven Ekman associated density gradient (stronger circulation) vice versa. AHT dry static (DSE) latent within tropics (30°N/S), because cell convergence moisture. In extratropics, eddy DSE show perfect compensation, as result Ferrell Cell baroclinicity mid-high latitudes, particularly over North Atlantic. work shows how Earth's climate trying to maintain balance between two hemispheres: Northern Hemisphere colder than that due much reduced northward cross Equator Atlantic, therefore, atmosphere by transporting more Pacific, association southward intertropical zone.