North Atlantic multidecadal variability in coupled climate models - Mechanisms and responses

Abstract

Global atmosphere-ocean general circulation models have been used to investigate mechanisms controlling the North Atlantic low-frequency variability, with the focus on the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, the Subpolar Gyre dynamics and the North Atlantic basin scale sea surface temperatures, called the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation. The understanding of the dynamics of, and mechanisms behind the variability in these components of the climate system are of great importance for both climate reconstruction and predictability. We have shown that the air-sea interaction plays an important role in the ocean dynamics and ocean circulation in the North Atlantic.