User menu

Accès à distance ? S'identifier sur le proxy UCLouvain

Sensitivity of a global coupled ocean-sea ice model to the parameterization of vertical mixing

Primary tabs

Goosse, Hugues [UCL] Deleersnijder, Eric [UCL] Fichefet, Thierry [UCL] England, MH

Three numerical experiments have been carried out with a global coupled ice-ocean model to investigate its sensitivity to the treatment of vertical mixing in the upper ocean. In the first experiment, a widely used fixed profile of vertical diffusivity and viscosity is imposed, with large values in the upper 50 m to crudely represent wind-driven mixing. In the second experiment, the eddy coefficients are functions of the Richardson number, and, in the third case, a relatively sophisticated parameterization, based on the turbulence closure scheme of Mellor and Yamada version 2.5, is introduced. We monitor the way the different mixing schemes affect the simulated ocean ventilation, water mass properties, and sea ice distributions. CFC uptake is also diagnosed in the model experiments. The simulation of the mixed layer depth is improved in the experiment which includes the sophisticated turbulence closure scheme. This results in a good representation of the upper ocean thermohaline structure and in heat exchange with the atmosphere within the range of current estimates. However, the en or in heat flux in the experiment with simple fixed vertical mixing coefficients can be as high as 50 W m(-2) in zonal mean during summer. Using CFC tracers allows us to demonstrate that the ventilation of the deep ocean is not significantly influenced by the paramertization of vertical mixing in the upper ocean. The only exception is the Southern Ocean. There, the ventilation is tao strong in all three experiments. However, modifications of the vertical diffusivity and, surprisingly, the vertical viscosity significantly affect the stability of the water column in this region through their influence on upper ocean salinity, resulting in a more realistic Southern Ocean circulation. The turbulence scheme also results in an improved simulation of Antarctic sea ice coverage . This is due to to a better simulation of the mixed layer depth and thus of heat exchanges between ice and ocean. The large-scale mean summer ice-ocean heat flux can vary by more than 15% between the three experiments. Because of this influence of vertical mixing on Southern Ocean ventilation, sea ice extent, and ocean-atmosphere heat fluxes, we recommend that global climate models adopt a sufficiently realistic representation of vertical mixing in the ocean.

Document type Article de périodique (Journal article) – Article de recherche
Publication date 1999
Language Anglais
Journal information "Journal of Geophysical Research" - Vol. 104, no. C6, p. 13681-13695 (1999)
Peer reviewed yes
Publisher Amer Geophysical Union (Washington)
issn 0148-0227
Publication status Publié
Affiliations UCL - SC/PHYS - Département de physique
UCL - SST/ELI/ELIC - Earth & Climate
Links
  1. Bathen Karl H., On the seasonal changes in the depth of the mixed layer in the north Pacific Ocean, 10.1029/jc077i036p07138
  2. Baumgartner, The World Water Balance (1975)
  3. Berliand, Global Distribution of the Total Amount of Clouds (1980)
  4. Blanke Bruno, Delecluse Pascale, Variability of the Tropical Atlantic Ocean Simulated by a General Circulation Model with Two Different Mixed-Layer Physics, 10.1175/1520-0485(1993)023<1363:vottao>2.0.co;2
  5. Bleck Rainer, Smith Linda T., A wind-driven isopycnic coordinate model of the north and equatorial Atlantic Ocean: 1. Model development and supporting experiments, 10.1029/jc095ic03p03273
  6. Bryan Frank, Parameter Sensitivity of Primitive Equation Ocean General Circulation Models, 10.1175/1520-0485(1987)017<0970:psopeo>2.0.co;2
  7. Bryan Kirk, A numerical method for the study of the circulation of the world ocean, 10.1016/0021-9991(69)90004-7
  8. Bryan K., Lewis L. J., A water mass model of the World Ocean, 10.1029/jc084ic05p02503
  9. Campin , J.-M. Modelisation tridimensionnelle de la circulation generale oceanique lots du dernier maximum glaciaire Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium 1997
  10. Comiso J. C., Gordon A. L., Recurring polynyas over the Cosmonaut Sea and the Maud Rise, 10.1029/jc092ic03p02819
  11. Crutcher , H. L. J. M. Meserve Selected level heights, temperatures and dew points for the Northern Hemisphere Washington, D.C. 1970
  12. Cubasch U, Hegerl G C, Hellbach A, Höck H, Mikolajewicz U, Santer B D, Voss R, A climate change simulation starting from 1935, 10.1007/bf00211674
  13. Da Silva , A. M. C. C. Young S. Levitus 1 Algorithms and procedures NOAA Atlas NESIDS U.S. Dep. of Commerce Washington, D.C. 1994
  14. Deleersnijder E., Campin J.-M., On the computation of the barotropic mode of a free-surface world ocean model, 10.1007/s00585-995-0675-x
  15. Deleersnijder , E. J.-P. van Ypersele J.-M. Campin An orthogonal curvilinear coordinate system for a World Ocean model Ocean Modell. 100 7 10 Hooke Inst., Oxford Univ. Oxford, England 1993
  16. England Matthew H., Hirst Anthony C., Chlorofluorocarbon uptake in a World Ocean model: 2. Sensitivity to surface thermohaline forcing and subsurface mixing parameterizations, 10.1029/97jc00438
  17. England Matthew H., Garçon Veronique, Minster Jean-François, Chlorofluorocarbon uptake in a world ocean model: 1. Sensitivity to the surface gas forcing, 10.1029/94jc02205
  18. Fichefet T., Maqueda M. A. Morales, Sensitivity of a global sea ice model to the treatment of ice thermodynamics and dynamics, 10.1029/97jc00480
  19. Fichefet Thierry, Goosse Hugues, Morales Maqueda Miguel A., On the Large-Scale Modeling of Sea Ice and Sea Ice—Ocean Interactions, Ocean Modeling and Parameterization (1998) ISBN:9780792352297 p.399-422, 10.1007/978-94-011-5096-5_17
  20. Gloersen , P. W. J. Campbell D. J. Cavalieri J. C. Comiso C. L. Parkinson H. J. Zwally Arctic and Antarctic sea ice, 1978-1987: Satellite passive-microwave observations and analysis NASA Spec. Publ., SP-511 Washington, D.C. 1992
  21. Goosse , H. Modelling the large-scale behaviour of the couped ocean-sea-ice system Louvain-la -Neuve, Belgium 1997
  22. Goosse H., Campin J. M., Fichefet T., Deleersnijder E., Sensitivity of a global ice-ocean model to the Bering Strait throughflow, 10.1007/s003820050170
  23. Goosse H., Fichefet T., Campin J.-M., The effects of the water flow through the Canadian Archipelago in a global ice-ocean model, 10.1029/97gl01352
  24. Hellerman Sol, Rosenstein Mel, Normal Monthly Wind Stress Over the World Ocean with Error Estimates, 10.1175/1520-0485(1983)013<1093:nmwsot>2.0.co;2
  25. Hibler W. D., A Dynamic Thermodynamic Sea Ice Model, 10.1175/1520-0485(1979)009<0815:adtsim>2.0.co;2
  26. Hirst Anthony C., Cai Wenju, Sensitivity of a World Ocean GCM to Changes in Subsurface Mixing Parameterization, 10.1175/1520-0485(1994)024<1256:soawog>2.0.co;2
  27. Hirst Anthony C., McDougall Trevor J., Deep-Water Properties and Surface Buoyancy Flux as Simulated by aZ-Coordinate Model Including Eddy-Induced Advection, 10.1175/1520-0485(1996)026<1320:dwpasb>2.0.co;2
  28. Hsiung Jane, Mean surface energy fluxes over the global ocean, 10.1029/jc091ic09p10585
  29. Hurlburt H. E., Thompson J. Dana, A Numerical Study of Loop Current Intrusions and Eddy Shedding, 10.1175/1520-0485(1980)010<1611:ansolc>2.0.co;2
  30. Iselin, Trans. AGU, 20, 414 (1939)
  31. Jaeger , L. Monatskarten des niederschlags für die ganze erde in German Ber. Dtsch. Wetterdienstes 139 1976
  32. Johnson Eric S., Luther Douglas S., Mean zonal momentum balance in the upper and central equatorial Pacific Ocean, 10.1029/94jc00033
  33. Kantha Lakshmi H., Clayson Carol Anne, An improved mixed layer model for geophysical applications, 10.1029/94jc02257
  34. Lamb, Tellus, Ser. A, 36A, 292 (1984)
  35. Large W. G., McWilliams J. C., Doney S. C., Oceanic vertical mixing: A review and a model with a nonlocal boundary layer parameterization, 10.1029/94rg01872
  36. Large William G., Danabasoglu Gokhan, Doney Scott C., McWilliams James C., Sensitivity to Surface Forcing and Boundary Layer Mixing in a Global Ocean Model: Annual-Mean Climatology, 10.1175/1520-0485(1997)027<2418:stsfab>2.0.co;2
  37. Latif M., Sterl A., Maier-Reimer E., Junge M. M., Climate Variability in a Coupled GCM. Part I: The Tropical Pacific, 10.1175/1520-0442(1993)006<0005:cviacg>2.0.co;2
  38. LATIF M., STOCKDALE T., WOLFF J., BURGERS G., MAIER-REIMER E., JUNGE M. M., ARPE K., BENGTSSON L., Climatology and variability in the ECHO coupled GCM, 10.1034/j.1600-0870.1994.t01-3-00003.x
  39. Lemke P., Manley T. O., The seasonal variation of the mixed layer and the pycnocline under polar sea ice, 10.1029/jc089ic04p06494
  40. Levitus , S. Climatological atlas of the World Ocean Prof. Pap. 13 Natl. Oceanic and Atmos. Admin., U.S. Dep. of Comm. Washington, D.C. 1982
  41. Manabe Syukuro, Stouffer Ronald J., Multiple-Century Response of a Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere Model to an Increase of Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide, 10.1175/1520-0442(1994)007<0005:mcroac>2.0.co;2
  42. Maykut G. A., McPhee Miles G., Solar heating of the Arctic mixed layer, 10.1029/95jc02554
  43. McPhee Miles G., Turbulent heat flux in the upper ocean under sea ice, 10.1029/92jc00239
  44. Mcphee Miles G., On the Turbulent Mixing Length in the Oceanic Boundary Layer, 10.1175/1520-0485(1994)024<2014:ottmli>2.0.co;2
  45. Meehl Gerald A., A Calculation of Ocean Heat Storage and Effective Ocean Surface Layer Depths for the Northern Hemisphere, 10.1175/1520-0485(1984)014<1747:acoohs>2.0.co;2
  46. Mellor George L., Yamada Tetsuji, A Hierarchy of Turbulence Closure Models for Planetary Boundary Layers, 10.1175/1520-0469(1974)031<1791:ahotcm>2.0.co;2
  47. Mellor George L., Yamada Tetsuji, Development of a turbulence closure model for geophysical fluid problems, 10.1029/rg020i004p00851
  48. Miyakoda K., Rosati A., The variation of sea surface temperature in 1976 and 1977: 2. The simulation with mixed layer models, 10.1029/jc089ic04p06533
  49. Oberhuber Josef M., Simulation of the Atlantic Circulation with a Coupled Sea Ice-Mixed Layer-Isopycnal General Circulation Model. Part I: Model Description, 10.1175/1520-0485(1993)023<0808:sotacw>2.0.co;2
  50. Oey Lie-Yauw, Mellor G. L., Subtidal Variability of Estuarine Outflow, Plume, and Coastal Current: A Model Study, 10.1175/1520-0485(1993)023<0164:svoeop>2.0.co;2
  51. Oort Abraham H., Vonder Haar Thomas H., On the Observed Annual Cycle in the Ocean-Atmosphere Heat Balance Over the Northern Hemisphere, 10.1175/1520-0485(1976)006<0781:otoaci>2.0.co;2
  52. Pacanowski R. C., Philander S. G. H., Parameterization of Vertical Mixing in Numerical Models of Tropical Oceans, 10.1175/1520-0485(1981)011<1443:povmin>2.0.co;2
  53. Philander S. G. H., Pacanowski R. C., A model of the seasonal cycle in the tropical Atlantic Ocean, 10.1029/jc091ic12p14192
  54. Qiu Bo, Huang Rui Xin, Ventilation of the North Atlantic and North Pacific: Subduction Versus Obduction, 10.1175/1520-0485(1995)025<2374:votnaa>2.0.co;2
  55. Rosati A., Miyakoda K., A General Circulation Model for Upper Ocean Simulation, 10.1175/1520-0485(1988)018<1601:agcmfu>2.0.co;2
  56. Sterl Andreas, Kattenberg Arie, Embedding a mixed layer model into an ocean general circulation model of the Atlantic: The importance of surface mixing for heat flux and temperature, 10.1029/94jc00813
  57. Stommel H., Determination of water mass properties of water pumped down from the Ekman layer to the geostrophic flow below, 10.1073/pnas.76.7.3051
  58. Stössel Achim, Lemke Peter, Owens W. Brechner, Coupled sea ice-mixed layer simulations for the Southern Ocean, 10.1029/jc095ic06p09539
  59. Taljaard , J. J. H. van Loon H. L. Crutcher R. L. Jenne 1 Temperatures, dew points, and heights at selected pressure levels U.S. Naval Weather Serv. Washington, D.C. 1969
  60. Trenberth , K. E. J. G. Olson W. G. Large A global ocean wind stress climatology based on ECMWF analyses Boulder, Colo. 1989
  61. Wanninkhof Rik, Relationship between wind speed and gas exchange over the ocean, 10.1029/92jc00188
  62. Washington Warren M., Meehl Gerald A., High-latitude climate change in a global coupled ocean-atmosphere-sea ice model with increased atmospheric CO2, 10.1029/96jd00505
  63. Williams Richard G., Marshall John C., Spall Michael A., Does Stommel's Mixed Layer “Demon” Work?, 10.1175/1520-0485(1995)025<3089:dsmlw>2.0.co;2
Bibliographic reference Goosse, Hugues ; Deleersnijder, Eric ; Fichefet, Thierry ; England, MH. Sensitivity of a global coupled ocean-sea ice model to the parameterization of vertical mixing. In: Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 104, no. C6, p. 13681-13695 (1999)
Permanent URL http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/44387