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Inherently unstable climate behaviour due to weak thermohaline ocean circulation

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  • Eli Tziperman

    (Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, Princeton University)

Abstract

The oceanic thermohaline circulation (THC) carries light, warm surface water polewards and dense, cold deep water equator-wards, thereby transporting a large amount of heat towards the poles and significantly affecting high latitude climate. The THC has been remarkably stable, and its variability quite low, over the Holocene period (the past 10,000 years). The much greater climate instability and high-frequency variability recorded in ice1 and deep-sea31 cores throughout the preceding 150,000 years has been linked to greater THC variability2,3. Here we argue, using a global coupled ocean–atmosphere–ice general circulation model with realistic geography, that there is a wide range of weak mean states of the THC that cannot be stably sustained by the climate system. When the model THC is forced into a state in the unstable range, the THC may rapidly strengthen, collapse or display strong oscillations. The existence of this unstable regime may account for the greater variability of the THC and climate before the Holocene period.

Suggested Citation

  • Eli Tziperman, 1997. "Inherently unstable climate behaviour due to weak thermohaline ocean circulation," Nature, Nature, vol. 386(6625), pages 592-595, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:386:y:1997:i:6625:d:10.1038_386592a0
    DOI: 10.1038/386592a0
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    Cited by:

    1. David Hendry, 2010. "Climate Change: Lessons for our Future from the Distant Past," Economics Series Working Papers 485, University of Oxford, Department of Economics.
    2. Bahn, Olivier & Edwards, Neil R. & Knutti, Reto & Stocker, Thomas F., 2011. "Energy policies avoiding a tipping point in the climate system," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 334-348, January.

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