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A global hybrid coupled model based on atmosphere-SST feedbacks

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Abstract

A global hybrid coupled model is developed, with the aim of studying the effects of ocean-atmosphere feedbacks on the stability of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation. The model includes a global ocean general circulation model and a statistical atmosphere model. The statistical atmosphere model is based on linear regressions of data from a fully coupled climate model on sea surface temperature both locally and hemispherically averaged, being the footprint of Atlantic meridional overturning variability. It provides dynamic boundary conditions to the ocean model for heat, freshwater and wind-stress. A basic but consistent representation of ocean-atmosphere feedbacks is captured in the hybrid coupled model and it is more than 10 times faster than the fully coupled climate model. The hybrid coupled model reaches a steady state with a climate close to the one of the fully coupled climate model, and the two models also have a similar response (collapse) of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation to a freshwater hosing applied in the northern North Atlantic.

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Notes

  1. The model used in de Vries and Weber (2005) shares the same ocean model component as SPEEDO, but uses ECBilt as the atmospheric model instead of Speedy. In their setup, the basin integrated net evaporation of the Atlantic ocean is underestimated, while the zonal salinity contrast in the southern Atlantic is overestimated. Therefore, their correction has a sign opposite to that here.

  2. The reduction of evaporation is mainly due to weaker winds.

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Acknowledgments

This work is funded by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research. We acknowledge Camiel Severijns (KNMI) for his precious technical support, and Matthijs den Toom (IMAU) for the stimulating discussions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute, De Bilt, The Netherlands

    Andrea A. Cimatoribus & Sybren S. Drijfhout

  2. Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Henk A. Dijkstra

Authors
  1. Andrea A. Cimatoribus
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  2. Sybren S. Drijfhout
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  3. Henk A. Dijkstra
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Correspondence to Andrea A. Cimatoribus.

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Cimatoribus, A.A., Drijfhout, S.S. & Dijkstra, H.A. A global hybrid coupled model based on atmosphere-SST feedbacks. Clim Dyn 38, 745–760 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-011-1094-1

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