Changes in Stratification in the Abyssal zone of the South Western Pacific basin between 1990s to 2010s
Abstract
Stratification sets the environment for many physical processes in the ocean, including mixing, which in turn affects heat transport. In this study we used historical repeat hydrography data to study the change in stratification in the abyssal zone of the Southwest Pacific Basin between the 1990s and the 2010s. Using measurements from the Global Ocean Ship-Based Hydrographic Investigations Program (GO-SHIP) and its predecessors, we calculate the change in temperature and stratification along each survey section. We find that there is a slight warming of the waters in the deep southern ocean, consistent with earlier analysis. In addition, we observe a decrease in stratification associated with abyssal warming. We estimate the mean and spatial variability of the change in stratification for the abyssal zone in this basin. Changes in this property could potentially have wider effects on ocean abyssal heat budget.
- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2018
- Bibcode:
- 2018AGUFMGC41E1500Z
- Keywords:
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- 3305 Climate change and variability;
- ATMOSPHERIC PROCESSESDE: 1616 Climate variability;
- GLOBAL CHANGEDE: 1620 Climate dynamics;
- GLOBAL CHANGEDE: 4513 Decadal ocean variability;
- OCEANOGRAPHY: PHYSICAL