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Atlantic multidecadal oceanic variability and its influence on the atmosphere in a climate model

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Abstract

The mechanisms controlling the decadal to multidecadal variability of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (MOC) and its influence on the atmosphere are investigated using a control simulation with the IPSL-CM4 climate model. The multidecadal fluctuations of the MOC are mostly driven by deep convection in the subpolar gyre, which occurs south of Iceland in the model. The latter is primarily influenced by the anomalous advection of salinity due to changes in the East Atlantic Pattern (EAP), which is the second mode of atmospheric variability in the North Atlantic region. The North Atlantic Oscillation is the dominant mode, but it plays a secondary role in the MOC fluctuations. During summer, the MOC variability is shown to have a significant impact on the atmosphere in the North Atlantic–European sector. The MOC influence is due to an interhemispheric sea surface temperature (SST) anomaly with opposite signs in the two hemispheres but largest amplitude in the northern one. The SST pattern driven by the MOC mostly resembles the model Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) and bears some similarity with the observed one. It is shown that the AMO reflects both the MOC influence and the local atmospheric forcing. Hence, the MOC influence on climate is best detected using lagged relations between climatic fields. The atmospheric response resembles the EAP, in a phase that might induce a weak positive feedback on the MOC.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the IPSL group “Pôle de Modélisation du climat” for providing the data of the simulation. Thanks are also due to the two anonymous reviewers, whose comments led to an improved presentation of the work. Support from the European FP6 project DYNAMITE (contract 003903-GOCE) and, to CF, from the Institut Universitaire de France, is gratefully acknowledged.

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  1. LOCEAN/IPSL, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris 6, Case 100, 4 Place Jussieu, 75252, Paris Cedex 05, France

    Rym Msadek & Claude Frankignoul

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  1. Rym Msadek
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  2. Claude Frankignoul
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Correspondence to Rym Msadek.

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Msadek, R., Frankignoul, C. Atlantic multidecadal oceanic variability and its influence on the atmosphere in a climate model. Clim Dyn 33, 45–62 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-008-0452-0

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