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PHY-02  Atlantic Ocean Variability
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The Eastern Atlantic Basin Pathway for the Export of the North Atlantic Deep Waters
Yujia Zhai* , College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
Department of Physical Oceanography, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA
Jiayan Yang, Department of Physical Oceanography, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA
Xiuquan Wan, College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
Physical Oceanography Laboratory/CIMST, Ocean University of China and Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
Sijia Zou, State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science & College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China |
The North Atlantic deep water (NADW), according to the classic ocean circulation theory, moves southward as a deep western boundary current (DWBC) even though it may veer into interior and then rejoin DWBC when encountering regional circulation features, such as eddy-driven recirculation. In potential vorticity dynamics, the eastern side of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) may provide a similar topographic support as the continental slope off the western boundary for a southward transport of NADW. In this article, we quantify the mean meridional NADW transports on both sides of the MAR using a data-assimilated product and find that the flow in the eastern basin contributes about 38 ± 14% of the net southward transport of NADW from 50° to 35°N. Our study points to the importance of observing NADW transport variations on the eastern side of the MAR in order to monitor the transport strength of Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation. |
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