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- Title
Localization of Multidecadal Variability. Part II: Spectral Origin of Multidecadal Modes.
- Authors
Dijkstra, Henk A.; von der Heydt, Anna
- Abstract
In a companion paper, the authors have shown that in an idealized Atlantic–Pacific Ocean configuration with a conveyor-type overturning circulation, localized multidecadal variability occurs in the Atlantic. Results suggest that the multidecadal variability originates from the instability of the three-dimensional thermohaline circulation and that the physics of the spatial patterns of the SST anomalies can be understood from a study of an Atlantic-only configuration. Specific internal (multidecadal) modes, which obtain a positive growth factor depending on the background thermohaline flow, are associated with the instability. In this paper, the spectral origin of these internal modes is studied using eigensolution continuation techniques. As in the single-hemispheric case, multidecadal modes arise through mergers of so-called SST modes. In the double-hemispheric case studied here, there actually are two types of multidecadal modes that lead to oscillatory behavior. Depending on the background conditions, one of these oscillatory flows is preferred.
- Subjects
PACIFIC Ocean; ATLANTIC Ocean; OCEAN circulation; MERIDIONAL overturning circulation; OCEANOGRAPHY; OSCILLATIONS; FLUID dynamics; SHEAR flow; TRANSITION flow
- Publication
Journal of Physical Oceanography, 2007, Vol 37, Issue 10, p2415
- ISSN
0022-3670
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1175/JPO3135.1