The Energetics of Ocean Heat Transport
IR@C-MMACS: CSIR-Centre for Mathematical Modelling and Computer Simulation, Bangalore
View Archive InfoField | Value | |
Title |
The Energetics of Ocean Heat Transport
|
|
Creator |
P S, Swathi
|
|
Subject |
Ocean Modelling
|
|
Description |
A number of recent papers have argued that the mechanical energy budget of the ocean places constraints
on how the thermohaline circulation is driven. These papers have been used to argue that climate models,
which do not specifically account for the energy of mixing, potentially miss a very important feedback on
climate change. This paper reexamines the question of what energetic arguments can teach us about the
climate system and concludes that the relationship between energetics and climate is not straightforward.
By analyzing the buoyancy transport equation, it is demonstrated that the large-scale transport of heat
within the ocean requires an energy source of around 0.2 TW to accomplish vertical transport and around
0.4 TW (resulting from cabbeling) to accomplish horizontal transport. Within two general circulation
models, this energy is almost entirely supplied by surface winds. It is also shown that there is no necessary
relationship between heat transport and mechanical energy supply.
|
|
Publisher |
American Meteorological Society
|
|
Date |
2005-07-15
|
|
Type |
Article
PeerReviewed |
|
Format |
application/pdf
|
|
Identifier |
http://cir.cmmacs.ernet.in/118/1/ag_rds_pss_gkv_jclimate.pdf
P S, Swathi (2005) The Energetics of Ocean Heat Transport. J of Climate, 18 (14). pp. 2604-2616. ISSN 1520-0442 |
|
Relation |
http://journals.ametsoc.org
http://cir.cmmacs.ernet.in/118/ |
|