Regional sea-level rise is characterized by decadal acceleration and deceleration periods that typically stem from oceanic climate variability. Here, we investigate decadal sea-level trends during the altimetry era and pin down the associated ocean circulation changes. We find that decadal subpolar gyre cooling (warming), strengthening (weakening), widening (shrinking) since the mid-2000s (early 1990s) resulted in negative (positive) sea level trends of −7.1 mm/yr ± 1.3 mm/yr (3.9 mm/yr ± 1.5 mm/yr). These large-scale changes further coincide with steric sea-level trends, and are driven by decadal-scale ocean circulation variability. Sea level on the European shelf, however, is found to correlate well with along-slope winds (R = 0.78), suggesting it plays a central role in driving the associated low-frequency dynamic sea level variability. Furthermore, when the North Atlantic is in a cooling (warming) period, the winds along the eastern boundary are predominantly from the North (South), which jointly drive a slowdown (rapid increase) in shelf and coastal sea level rise. Understanding the mechanisms that produce these connections may be critical for interpreting future regional sea-level trends.
Description
North Atlantic Ocean Circulation and Decadal Sea Level Change During the Altimetry Era | Scientific Reports
%0 Journal Article
%1 chafik2019north
%A Chafik, Léon
%A Nilsen, Jan Even Øie
%A Dangendorf, Sönke
%A Reverdin, Gilles
%A Frederikse, Thomas
%D 2019
%J Scientific Reports
%K moc-var natl-var
%N 1
%P 1041--
%R 10.1038/s41598-018-37603-6
%T North Atlantic Ocean Circulation and Decadal Sea Level Change During the Altimetry Era
%U https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-37603-6
%V 9
%X Regional sea-level rise is characterized by decadal acceleration and deceleration periods that typically stem from oceanic climate variability. Here, we investigate decadal sea-level trends during the altimetry era and pin down the associated ocean circulation changes. We find that decadal subpolar gyre cooling (warming), strengthening (weakening), widening (shrinking) since the mid-2000s (early 1990s) resulted in negative (positive) sea level trends of −7.1 mm/yr ± 1.3 mm/yr (3.9 mm/yr ± 1.5 mm/yr). These large-scale changes further coincide with steric sea-level trends, and are driven by decadal-scale ocean circulation variability. Sea level on the European shelf, however, is found to correlate well with along-slope winds (R = 0.78), suggesting it plays a central role in driving the associated low-frequency dynamic sea level variability. Furthermore, when the North Atlantic is in a cooling (warming) period, the winds along the eastern boundary are predominantly from the North (South), which jointly drive a slowdown (rapid increase) in shelf and coastal sea level rise. Understanding the mechanisms that produce these connections may be critical for interpreting future regional sea-level trends.
@article{chafik2019north,
abstract = {Regional sea-level rise is characterized by decadal acceleration and deceleration periods that typically stem from oceanic climate variability. Here, we investigate decadal sea-level trends during the altimetry era and pin down the associated ocean circulation changes. We find that decadal subpolar gyre cooling (warming), strengthening (weakening), widening (shrinking) since the mid-2000s (early 1990s) resulted in negative (positive) sea level trends of −7.1 mm/yr ± 1.3 mm/yr (3.9 mm/yr ± 1.5 mm/yr). These large-scale changes further coincide with steric sea-level trends, and are driven by decadal-scale ocean circulation variability. Sea level on the European shelf, however, is found to correlate well with along-slope winds (R = 0.78), suggesting it plays a central role in driving the associated low-frequency dynamic sea level variability. Furthermore, when the North Atlantic is in a cooling (warming) period, the winds along the eastern boundary are predominantly from the North (South), which jointly drive a slowdown (rapid increase) in shelf and coastal sea level rise. Understanding the mechanisms that produce these connections may be critical for interpreting future regional sea-level trends.},
added-at = {2019-02-05T18:03:33.000+0100},
author = {Chafik, Léon and Nilsen, Jan Even Øie and Dangendorf, Sönke and Reverdin, Gilles and Frederikse, Thomas},
biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/2f8f4278fcdde7059c7a2848ee7d96a8f/laura.jackson},
description = {North Atlantic Ocean Circulation and Decadal Sea Level Change During the Altimetry Era | Scientific Reports},
doi = {10.1038/s41598-018-37603-6},
interhash = {46a5fb0df386173455825b8989dc8915},
intrahash = {f8f4278fcdde7059c7a2848ee7d96a8f},
issn = {20452322},
journal = {Scientific Reports},
keywords = {moc-var natl-var},
number = 1,
pages = {1041--},
refid = {Chafik2019},
timestamp = {2019-02-05T18:03:33.000+0100},
title = {North Atlantic Ocean Circulation and Decadal Sea Level Change During the Altimetry Era},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-37603-6},
volume = 9,
year = 2019
}