On the driving processes of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation

Because of its relevance for the global climate the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) has been a major research focus for many years. Yet the question of which physical mechanisms ultimately drive the AMOC, in the sense of providing its energy supply, remains a matter of controversy. Here we review both observational data and model results concerning the two main candidates: vertical mixing processes in the ocean's interior and wind‐induced Ekman upwelling in the Southern Ocean. In distinction to the energy source we also discuss the role of surface heat and freshwater fluxes, which influence the volume transport of the meridional overturning circulation and shape its spatial circulation…

• JS
  James S. McDonnell Foundation
• BF
  Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung
• BF
  Bundesministerium für Wissenschaft und Forschung
• FM
  Federalno Ministarstvo Obrazovanja i Nauke
• BF
  Bundesministerium für Bildung, Wissenschaft und Forschung