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Ocean warming and accelerating Southern Ocean zonal flow

Author

Listed:
  • Jia-Rui Shi

    (University of California San Diego
    Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)

  • Lynne D. Talley

    (University of California San Diego)

  • Shang-Ping Xie

    (University of California San Diego)

  • Qihua Peng

    (University of California San Diego
    State Key Laboratory of Tropical Oceanography, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Wei Liu

    (University of California Riverside)

Abstract

The Southern Ocean (>30° S) has taken up a large amount of anthropogenic heat north of the Subantarctic Front (SAF) of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC). Poor sampling before the 1990s and decadal variability have heretofore masked the ocean’s dynamic response to this warming. Here we use the lengthening satellite altimetry and Argo float records to show robust acceleration of zonally averaged Southern Ocean zonal flow at 48° S–58° S. This acceleration is reproduced in a hierarchy of climate models, including an ocean-eddy-resolving model. Anthropogenic ocean warming is the dominant driver, as large (small) heat gain in the downwelling (upwelling) regime north (south) of the SAF causes zonal acceleration on the northern flank of the ACC and adjacent subtropics due to increased baroclinicity; strengthened wind stress is of secondary importance. In Drake Passage, little warming occurs and the SAF velocity remains largely unchanged. Continued ocean warming could further accelerate Southern Ocean zonal flow.

Suggested Citation

  • Jia-Rui Shi & Lynne D. Talley & Shang-Ping Xie & Qihua Peng & Wei Liu, 2021. "Ocean warming and accelerating Southern Ocean zonal flow," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 11(12), pages 1090-1097, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcli:v:11:y:2021:i:12:d:10.1038_s41558-021-01212-5
    DOI: 10.1038/s41558-021-01212-5
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    Cited by:

    1. Shuai Zhang & Zhoufei Yu & Yue Wang & Xun Gong & Ann Holbourn & Fengming Chang & Heng Liu & Xuhua Cheng & Tiegang Li, 2022. "Thermal coupling of the Indo-Pacific warm pool and Southern Ocean over the past 30,000 years," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.
    2. Maurice F. Huguenin & Ryan M. Holmes & Matthew H. England, 2022. "Drivers and distribution of global ocean heat uptake over the last half century," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    3. Zhi Li & Matthew H. England & Sjoerd Groeskamp, 2023. "Recent acceleration in global ocean heat accumulation by mode and intermediate waters," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-14, December.
    4. Manuel O. Gutierrez-Villanueva & Teresa K. Chereskin & Janet Sprintall, 2023. "Compensating transport trends in the Drake Passage frontal regions yield no acceleration in net transport," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-12, December.
    5. Andrea Storto & Chunxue Yang, 2024. "Acceleration of the ocean warming from 1961 to 2022 unveiled by large-ensemble reanalyses," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    6. Benjamin A. Storer & Michele Buzzicotti & Hemant Khatri & Stephen M. Griffies & Hussein Aluie, 2022. "Global energy spectrum of the general oceanic circulation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.

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