Linking Southern Ocean water masses and Australian rainfall variability
Presentation
Paper/Presentation Title | Linking Southern Ocean water masses and Australian rainfall variability |
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Presentation Type | Presentation |
Authors | |
Author | Ribbe, Joachim |
Journal or Proceedings Title | Proceedings of the Australian Marine Sciences Association |
Year | 2004 |
Place of Publication | Australia |
Conference/Event | Australian Marine Sciences Association Hobart Conference (2004) |
Event Details | Australian Marine Sciences Association Hobart Conference (2004) Event Date 06 to end of 09 Jul 2004 Event Location Hobart, Australia |
Abstract | Rainfall in Australia and indices developed to monitor climate variability exhibit distinct pattern of multi-decadal variability. It is possible that physical mechanisms operating in the Southern Ocean are a driver of this behaviour. In particular, the formation of water masses within defined geographical regions links the global ocean and the atmosphere. In the Southern Ocean, two large volumes of water are Subantarctic Mode Water (SAMW) and Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW), which are created by exchanges of heat and freshwater with the atmosphere and interior oceanic mixing. These sink below the surface of the Southern Ocean and move northward at depth of about 300-800 m. In this presentation, I present some arguments and evidence in support of possible linkages between Australian rainfall and Southern Ocean water mass formation processes via the equatorial ocean. It is the formation of the global scale water masses that is potentially the most important process the ocean employs to control global climate. This has been highlight by research investigation the global thermohaline circulation focusing upon the deep water mass formation process. However, the upper ocean branch composed of AAIW and SAMW plays a similar significant role. |
Keywords | Southern Ocean, water masses, intermediate water, subantarctic mode water, rainfall, ocean circulation |
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020 | 370201. Climate change processes |
370904. Palaeoclimatology | |
Public Notes | Abstract only. |
Byline Affiliations | Department of Biological and Physical Sciences |
https://research.usq.edu.au/item/9xw5v/linking-southern-ocean-water-masses-and-australian-rainfall-variability
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