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DYNAMICAL OCEANOGRAPHY
Summary
The large-scale annual mean wind-stress pattern, forcing the ocean
circulation, consists of easterlies in the Tropics, westerlies in the midlatitudes and again easterlies at high latitudes. The maximum zonal
wind stress is about 0.1 Pa in the tropics and 0.2 Pa at midlatitudes.
The large-scale net annual mean heat flux pattern, affecting the ocean
circulation, shows maximum positive values of about 100 Wm −2 in
the tropics and minimum values of -150 Wm −2 at high latitudes in
particular in regions of western boundary currents.
The large-scale annual mean net freshwater flux pattern, affecting
the ocean circulation, shows maximum positive values of about 150
mm/month in the tropics (related to the ITCZ) and minimum values of
about -100 mm/month at midlatitudes. At high latitudes, the freshwater is again positive with maximum values of about 50 mm/month
Major surface currents in the ocean basins are western intensified, i.e.,
they are all located at the western part of each ocean basin. Typical
current velocities in the western boundary currents are 1 ms −1 and a
typical transport is 50 Sv.
The ocean circulation transports heat poleward with a maximum of
about 1.5 PW at 25 ◦ N in the North Atlantic. Heat transport is northward over the whole Atlantic while over the Pacific and Indian Ocean
it is poleward in each hemisphere.
Ocean processes play a role in the climate system on time scales from
months to thousands of years.
DYNAMICAL OCEANOGRAPHY
Summary
The large-scale annual mean wind-stress pattern, forcing the ocean
circulation, consists of easterlies in the Tropics, westerlies in the midlatitudes and again easterlies at high latitudes. The maximum zonal
wind stress is about 0.1 Pa in the tropics and 0.2 Pa at midlatitudes.
The large-scale net annual mean heat flux pattern, affecting the ocean
circulation, shows maximum positive values of about 100 Wm −2 in
the tropics and minimum values of -150 Wm −2 at high latitudes in
particular in regions of western boundary currents.
The large-scale annual mean net freshwater flux pattern, affecting
the ocean circulation, shows maximum positive values of about 150
mm/month in the tropics (related to the ITCZ) and minimum values of
about -100 mm/month at midlatitudes. At high latitudes, the freshwater is again positive with maximum values of about 50 mm/month
Major surface currents in the ocean basins are western intensified, i.e.,
they are all located at the western part of each ocean basin. Typical
current velocities in the western boundary currents are 1 ms −1 and a
typical transport is 50 Sv.
The ocean circulation transports heat poleward with a maximum of
about 1.5 PW at 25 ◦ N in the North Atlantic. Heat transport is northward over the whole Atlantic while over the Pacific and Indian Ocean
it is poleward in each hemisphere.
Ocean processes play a role in the climate system on time scales from
months to thousands of years.