Modeling carried
supercomputer showed that the stratospheric vortex affect the depth of the
oceans and therefore play a role in shaping the Earth's climate, according to
"Kompyulenta" referring to the publication in the journal Nature Geosciences.
Events in the
stratosphere at an altitude of 10-50 km are reflected in what is happening in
the troposphere below it. It is also known that the behavior of the troposphere
affects the circulation of the oceans, which in turn determines the climate.
One of the earlier studies hinted that the events in the stratosphere can
directly affect the oceans, but the conclusion was based on only one climate
model, which also covered a relatively short period of 260 years.
Delve deeper into the
problem of attempted Rayhler Thomas of the University Of Utah (USA) and his
colleagues. The scientists used a famous model, developed by the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (USA): it incorporated the data for four
millennia. The simulation results were compared with the statements collected
in the last thirty years. The result has been found surprising connection
between stratospheric winds and ocean currents at a depth of 2 km. The
researchers emphasize that the conclusions supported by the data of 18 other
models.
It was found that on
average, every two years, suddenly heats the stratosphere for a few tens of
degrees. This leads to the fact that the Arctic polar vortexes, which are
stratospheric winds, rushing up to 130 km / h, could weaken or change direction
(usually twisted counterclockwise) for about two months. Calculations show that
this warming is dramatically disturbs the surface of the ocean, affecting the
Atlantic meridional circulation (Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation) -
a system of currents that came on the conveyor belt, which mixes all the
world's oceans.
"The impact of the
stratosphere explains about 30% of the variation found in the ocean - said
Rayhler. - It turned out that the Atlantic meridional circulation is the
Achilles' heel, located in the North Atlantic Ocean, south of Greenland. “The
region, he said, responding to even a relatively small warming or cooling of
the atmosphere, and the water temperature (or rather, how deeply it sinks in
this time) plays a role for all of the thermohaline circulation.
The results show that
climate models should stop ignoring the stratosphere. At the same time, it
remains unclear how much the stratosphere affects climate. Its sudden heating
causes the heat rising from the troposphere, so it is tempting to say that in
fact it was all my fault troposphere. However Rayhler sure that the
stratosphere is necessary to enhance the effect
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