# Connecting changing ocean circulation with changing climate

This entry is a non-ETH publication.

Author(s) Winton, Michael, Griffies, Stephen M., Samuels, Bonita L., Sarmiento, Jorge L., Frölicher, Thomas L.
Publication Type Journal Items, Publication Status: Published
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## Detailed Information

Title Connecting changing ocean circulation with changing climate
Author(s) Winton, Michael
Griffies, Stephen M.
Samuels, Bonita L.
Sarmiento, Jorge L.
Frölicher, Thomas L.
Journal or Series Title Journal of climate
Volume Number 26
Issue Number 7
Start Page 2268
End Page 2278
ISSN 0894-8755
1520-0442
Publisher American Meteorological Society
Publication Place Boston, MA
Publication Date 2013-04
Abstract The influence of changing ocean currents on climate change is evaluated by comparing an earth system model’s response to increased CO2 with and without an ocean circulation response. Inhibiting the ocean circulation response, by specifying a seasonally varying preindustrial climatology of currents, has a much larger influence on the heat storage pattern than on the carbon storage pattern. The heat storage pattern without circulation changes resembles carbon storage (either with or without circulation changes) more than it resembles the heat storage when currents are allowed to respond. This is shown to be due to the larger magnitude of the redistribution transport—the change in transport due to circulation anomalies acting on control climate gradients—for heat than for carbon. The net ocean heat and carbon uptake are slightly reduced when currents are allowed to respond. Hence, ocean circulation changes potentially act to warm the surface climate. However, the impact of the reduced carbon uptake on radiative forcing is estimated to be small while the redistribution heat transport shifts ocean heat uptake from low to high latitudes, increasing its cooling power. Consequently, global surface warming is significantly reduced by circulation changes. Circulation changes also shift the pattern of warming from broad Northern Hemisphere amplification to a more structured pattern with reduced warming at subpolar latitudes in both hemispheres and enhanced warming near the equator.
DOI 10.1175/JCLI-D-12-00296.1
Additional Notes Received 25 May 2012 Accepted 12 September 2012, Published online 24 November 2013
Document Type Article
Publication Status Published
Language English
Assigned Organisational Unit(s) 03731
Organisational Unit(s)
NEBIS System Number 000490902
Source Database ID FORM-1384957794
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@article{Wntn2013,
author = "Winton, Michael and Griffies, Stephen M. and Samuels, Bonita L. and Sarmiento, Jorge L. and Fr{\"{o}}licher, Thomas L.",
title = "{C}onnecting changing ocean circulation with changing climate",
journal = "Journal of climate",
year = 2013,
volume = "26",
number = "7",
pages = "2268--2278",
month = apr,
}


E-Citations record created: Wed, 20 Nov 2013, 14:29:56 CET