McCarthy, Gerard and Joyce, Terrence M. and Josey, Simon A. (2018) Gulf Stream Variability in the Context of Quasi‐Decadal and Multidecadal Atlantic Climate Variability. Geophysical Research Letters, 45 (20). 11,257-11,264. ISSN 0094-8276

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Abstract

The Gulf Stream plays an important role in North Atlantic climate variability on a range of timescales. The North Atlantic is notable for large decadal variability in sea surface temperatures (SST). Whether this variability is driven by atmospheric or oceanic influences is a disputed point. Long time series of atmospheric and ocean variables, in particular long time series of Gulf Stream position, reveal differing sources of SST variability on quasi‐decadal and multidecadal timescales. On quasi‐decadal timescales, an oscillatory signal identified in the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) controls SST evolution directly via air‐sea heat fluxes. However, on multidecadal timescales, this relationship between the NAO and SST changes, while the relationship between the NAO and Gulf Stream position remains consistent in phase and resonant in amplitude. Recent changes in the Gulf Stream Extension show a weakening and broadening of the current, consistent with increased instability. We consider these changes in the context of a weakening Atlantic overturning circulation.

Item Type:	Article
Keywords:	Atlantic Ocean; Atlantic multidecadal variability; Gulf Stream; Atlantic meridional overturning circulation; air‐sea heat fluxes;
Academic Unit:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Geography Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Institutes > Irish Climate Analysis and Research Units, ICARUS
Item ID:	12177
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GL079336
Depositing User:	Gerard McCarthy
Date Deposited:	17 Jan 2020 15:01
Journal or Publication Title:	Geophysical Research Letters
Publisher:	American Geophysical Union
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	Publisher
Use Licence:	This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

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