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Deterministic role of salinity advection feedback in the multi-centennial variability of AMOC revealed in an EC-Earth simulation
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  • Ning Cao,
  • Qiong Zhang,
  • Katherine Elizabeth Power,
  • Frederik Schenk,
  • Klaus Wyser,
  • Haijun Yang
Ning Cao
Guangdong Ocean University
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Qiong Zhang
Department of Physical Geography and Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Stockholm University

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Katherine Elizabeth Power
Department of Physical Geography and Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Stockholm University
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Frederik Schenk
Stockholm University
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Klaus Wyser
SMHI
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Haijun Yang
Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, Fudan University
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Abstract

Significant multi-centennial climate variability with a clear peak at approximately 200 years is found in a pre-industrial control simulation conducted with the EC-Earth3 climate model. The oscillation mainly emerges from the North Atlantic and appears to be closely associated with the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). By examining the salinity advection feedback, we find that the perturbation flow of mean subtropical-subpolar salinity gradients in the subpolar area governs as positive feedback to the AMOC anomaly. Meanwhile, the mean advection of salinity anomalies and the vertical mixing or convection acts as negative feedback to restrain the AMOC anomaly. In a warmer climate, although the AMOC becomes weaker, such low-frequency variability still exists, indicating the robustness of the salinity advection feedback mechanism.