Study of the Overflow Transport of the Nordic Sea

Abstract

Changes in the climate system over recent decades have had profound impacts on the mean state and variability of ocean circulation, while the Nordic Sea overflow has remained stable in volume transport during the last two decades. The changes of the overflow flux depend on the pressure difference at the depth of the overflow outlet on both sides of the Greenland-Scotland Ridge (GSR). Combining satellite altimeter data and the reanalysis hydrological data, the analysis found that the barotropic pressure difference and baroclinic pressure difference on both sides of the GSR had a good negative correlation from 1993 to 2015. Both are caused by changes in the properties of the upper water, and the total pressure difference has no trend change. The weakening of deep convection can only change the temperature and salt structure of the Nordic Sea, but cannot reduce the mass of the water column. Therefore, the stable pressure difference drives a stable overflow. The overflow water storage in the Nordic Sea is decreasing, which may be caused by the reduction of local overflow water production and the constant overflow flux. When the upper interface of the overflow water body in the Nordic Sea is close to or below the outlet depth, the overflow is likely to greatly slow down or even experience a hiatus in the future, which deserves more attention.

Keywords

• Nordic Sea
• overflow flux
• barotropic pressure
• baroclinic pressure