Past to future South Atlantic meridional overturning circulation: pathways and low-frequency variability

• Grant number: 17/16511-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: March 01, 2018
• End date: August 31, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Oceanography - Physical Oceanography
• Principal Investigator: Ilana Elazari Klein Coaracy Wainer
• Grantee: Fernanda Marcello de Oliveira
• Host Institution: Instituto Oceanográfico (IO). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 15/50686-1 - Paleo-constraints on monsoon evolution and dynamics, AP.TEM

Abstract

Considering the need to understand the role of the ocean in climate change projections and the need for diagnosis and evaluation of these projections to account for internal variability, we will investigate the pathways, which compose the upper limb of the Meridional Overturning Circulation in the South Atlantic sector. This region is the focus of the Brazilian contribution for the project PaCMEDy (Paleo- Constraints on Monsoon Evolution and Dynamics, FAPESP - No. 2015/50686-1). The upper limb of the South Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (SAMOC) depicts northward advection of waters starting at the Southeastern corner of the basin which brings Pacific and Indian Ocean contributions through the 1) Benguela Current; 2) Southern branch of the South Equatorial Current; 3) North Brazil Undercurrent; 4) North Brazil Current system all the way into the Northern hemisphere and the polar region in order to compensate the deep-water formation. The spatio-temporal evolution of the flow is addressed, with focus on the lowfrequency variability and response to climate change, as well as possible modulating factors. Also to be explored is the connection of the SAMOC upper limb to the South Atlantic Subtropical Gyre, as its Northeastern boundary. Since these systems are closely coupled, our hypothesis is that the anticyclonic circulation of the subtropical gyre may reflect variations in the upper limb flow structure and vice versa. Given this circumstance, the interplay between these large-scale oceanic features is analyzed. (AU)

Scientific publications

(5)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

MARCELLO, FERNANDA; WAINER, ILANA; GENT, PETER R.; OTTO-BLIESNER, BETTE L.; BRADY, ESTHER C.. South Atlantic Surface Boundary Current System during the Last Millennium in the CESM-LME: The Medieval Climate Anomaly and Little Ice Age. GEOSCIENCES, v. 9, n. 7, JUL 2019. (17/16511-5, 15/17659-0)

TONELLI, MARCOS; MARCELLO, FERNANDA; FERRERO, BRUNO; WAINER, ILANA. Warm Deep Water Variability During the Last Millennium in the CESM-LME: Pre-Industrial Scenario versus Late 20th Century Changes. GEOSCIENCES, v. 9, n. 8, AUG 2019. (17/16511-5, 15/17659-0)

GORENSTEIN, IURI; WAINER, ILANA; MATA, MAURICIO M.; TONELLI, MARCOS. Revisiting Antarctic sea-ice decadal variability since 1980. POLAR SCIENCE, v. 31, p. 11-pg., 2022-03-01. (17/16511-5, 15/17659-0)

MARCELLO, FERNANDA; WAINER, ILANA; RODRIGUES, REGINA R.. South Atlantic Subtropical Gyre Late Twentieth Century Changes. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-OCEANS, v. 123, n. 8, p. 5194-5209, AUG 2018. (17/16511-5, 15/17659-0)

MARCELLO, FERNANDA; TONELLI, MARCOS; FERRERO, BRUNO; WAINER, ILANA. Projected Atlantic overturning slow-down is to be compensated by a strengthened South Atlantic subtropical gyre. COMMUNICATIONS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT, v. 4, n. 1, p. 15-pg., 2023-03-24. (19/08247-1, 17/16511-5, 21/04984-1)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

OLIVEIRA, Fernanda Marcello de. Past to Future South Atlantic Overturning Circulation: upper-ocean pathways and low-frequency variability. 2021. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto Oceanográfico (IO/DIDC) São Paulo.