%0 Journal Article %1 tooth2024lagrangian %A Tooth, Oliver J. %A Foukal, Nicholas P. %A Johns, William E. %A Johnson, Helen L. %A Wilson, Chris %D 2024 %J Geophysical Research Letters %K moc-strength %N 14 %P e2023GL107399 %R https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GL107399 %T Lagrangian Decomposition of the Atlantic Ocean Heat Transport at 26.5°N %U https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1029/2023GL107399 %V 51 %X Abstract The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) plays a critical role in the global climate system through the redistribution of heat, freshwater and carbon. At 26.5°N, the meridional heat transport has traditionally been partitioned geometrically into vertical and horizontal circulation cells; however, attributing these components to the AMOC and Subtropical Gyre (STG) flow structures remains widely debated. Using water parcel trajectories evaluated within an eddy-rich ocean hindcast, we present the first Lagrangian decomposition of the meridional heat transport at 26.5°N. We find that water parcels recirculating within the STG account for 37\% (0.36 PW) of the total heat transport across 26.5°N, more than twice that of the classical horizontal gyre component (15\%). Our findings indicate that STG heat transport cannot be meaningfully distinguished from that of the basin-scale overturning since water parcels cooled within the gyre subsequently feed the northward, subsurface limb of the AMOC.

@article{tooth2024lagrangian, abstract = {Abstract The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) plays a critical role in the global climate system through the redistribution of heat, freshwater and carbon. At 26.5°N, the meridional heat transport has traditionally been partitioned geometrically into vertical and horizontal circulation cells; however, attributing these components to the AMOC and Subtropical Gyre (STG) flow structures remains widely debated. Using water parcel trajectories evaluated within an eddy-rich ocean hindcast, we present the first Lagrangian decomposition of the meridional heat transport at 26.5°N. We find that water parcels recirculating within the STG account for 37\% (0.36 PW) of the total heat transport across 26.5°N, more than twice that of the classical horizontal gyre component (15\%). Our findings indicate that STG heat transport cannot be meaningfully distinguished from that of the basin-scale overturning since water parcels cooled within the gyre subsequently feed the northward, subsurface limb of the AMOC.}, added-at = {2024-07-29T10:47:04.000+0200}, author = {Tooth, Oliver J. and Foukal, Nicholas P. and Johns, William E. and Johnson, Helen L. and Wilson, Chris}, biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/2a93222d65efd1beee44d1a824ed9231b/laura.jackson}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GL107399}, eprint = {https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1029/2023GL107399}, interhash = {52eb75eb49bfad13426ed473093eab43}, intrahash = {a93222d65efd1beee44d1a824ed9231b}, journal = {Geophysical Research Letters}, keywords = {moc-strength}, note = {e2023GL107399 2023GL107399}, number = 14, pages = {e2023GL107399}, timestamp = {2024-07-29T10:47:04.000+0200}, title = {Lagrangian Decomposition of the Atlantic Ocean Heat Transport at 26.5°N}, url = {https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1029/2023GL107399}, volume = 51, year = 2024 }