On the structure and sensitivity of North Atlantic thermohaline circulation

Changes in the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) are often assumed to lead to equivalent changes in poleward ocean heat transport. Such an assumption leaves only a small role for the ocean gyres in transporting heat poleward. Here, the structure and sensitivity of the North Atlantic thermohaline circulation are investigated with a focus on the comparative role of the horizontal and the vertical circulation components. We use the ECCOv4-r4 ocean state estimate for the period 1992-2017 to evaluate the gyre and overturning contribution in terms of northward volume transport, poleward heat transport, and freshwater transport. The total poleward heat transport increases from the equatorial region northward with a maximum of about 1 PW around 15N, followed by a gradual decrease northward disrupted by another maximum of about 0.5 PW at 50-60N. An important contribution from both the gyre and overturning components is seen at subtropical latitudes, though the components are notably not independent of each other. From about 50N, the gyre component is found to be the dominant contributor to poleward heat transport and equatorward freshwater transport. The results indicate that the gyre circulation in the North Atlantic cannot be ignored in the discussion of mechanisms behind poleward ocean heat transport.