Modeling Study of the Antarctic
Circumpolar Current Variability Based
on Argo Data
Konstantin V. Lebedev
Introduction
The Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) is the largest ocean current with a mean
transport reaching 173 Sv (1 Sv = 10
6 m
3 s
−1 ) according to recent research [5]. We
also note the previous estimations of the mean ACC transport 134 ± 11 Sv in [24,
23]. There are also “instantaneous” estimates of the ACC transports in the Drake
Passage based on the instrumental measurements over sections: 96, 152, and
184 Sv [3], 124 Sv [7], 147 Sv [10], 186 Sv [11], 127 Sv [12], and 156 Sv [19].
The ACC flows eastward around Antarctica connecting the southern parts of the
Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian oceans. It is one of the major components of the global
climate system. Accurate estimates of the ACC transport are very important to
understand the Southern Ocean impact on the climate change. Due to the low
amount of the oceanographic data and sustained observations in the Sothern Ocean,
currently there is no consensus between the scientists about the amount of water
transported by the current.
The development of the Argo project in the first years of the 21st century (the
Argo array is part of the Global Climate Observing System/Global Ocean
Observing System) designed to collect the data in the upper 2000 m of the ocean
provides unique opportunities for continuous monitoring of the state of the
Southern Ocean. Argo floats operate in the following manner. A typical float drifts
for about 10 days at a given depth, then descends to a depth of 2000 m and rises to
the surface measuring temperature and salinity. Battery power maintains the
instrument for 3–4 years. In addition to temperature and salinity, such drifting floats
also make it possible to obtain data on currents at the drift depth and at the ocean
surface.
K. V. Lebedev ( ✉ )
Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
e-mail: KLebedev@ocean.ru
© Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature 2018
M. G. Velarde et al. (eds.), The Ocean in Motion, Springer Oceanography,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71934-4_30
487
Circumpolar Current Variability Based
on Argo Data
Konstantin V. Lebedev
Introduction
The Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) is the largest ocean current with a mean
transport reaching 173 Sv (1 Sv = 10
6 m
3 s
−1 ) according to recent research [5]. We
also note the previous estimations of the mean ACC transport 134 ± 11 Sv in [24,
23]. There are also “instantaneous” estimates of the ACC transports in the Drake
Passage based on the instrumental measurements over sections: 96, 152, and
184 Sv [3], 124 Sv [7], 147 Sv [10], 186 Sv [11], 127 Sv [12], and 156 Sv [19].
The ACC flows eastward around Antarctica connecting the southern parts of the
Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian oceans. It is one of the major components of the global
climate system. Accurate estimates of the ACC transport are very important to
understand the Southern Ocean impact on the climate change. Due to the low
amount of the oceanographic data and sustained observations in the Sothern Ocean,
currently there is no consensus between the scientists about the amount of water
transported by the current.
The development of the Argo project in the first years of the 21st century (the
Argo array is part of the Global Climate Observing System/Global Ocean
Observing System) designed to collect the data in the upper 2000 m of the ocean
provides unique opportunities for continuous monitoring of the state of the
Southern Ocean. Argo floats operate in the following manner. A typical float drifts
for about 10 days at a given depth, then descends to a depth of 2000 m and rises to
the surface measuring temperature and salinity. Battery power maintains the
instrument for 3–4 years. In addition to temperature and salinity, such drifting floats
also make it possible to obtain data on currents at the drift depth and at the ocean
surface.
K. V. Lebedev ( ✉ )
Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
e-mail: KLebedev@ocean.ru
© Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature 2018
M. G. Velarde et al. (eds.), The Ocean in Motion, Springer Oceanography,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71934-4_30
487