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Predicting the Climate of Europe: the THOR project Laurent Mortier – University of Paris

GEO European Projects Workshop, Rome, 7.-8.  May 2012. Predicting the Climate of Europe: the THOR project Laurent Mortier – University of Paris. for Detlef Quadfasel (co-ordinator), University of Hamburg. THOR Goals.

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Predicting the Climate of Europe: the THOR project Laurent Mortier – University of Paris

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  1. GEO European Projects Workshop, Rome, 7.-8.  May 2012 Predicting the Climate of Europe: the THOR project Laurent Mortier – University of Paris for Detlef Quadfasel (co-ordinator), University of Hamburg

  2. THOR Goals • Identify induced climate impacts of changes of the oceanic Thermohaline Circulation (THC) and the probability of extreme climate events • Develop and operate an optimal ocean observing system for the North Atlantic component of the THC • Assess the stability of the THC to increased freshwater run-off from the Greenland ice sheets for various global warming scenarios • Forecast the Atlantic THC and its variability until 2025

  3. THOR Goals • Identify induced climate impacts of changes of the oceanic Thermohaline Circulation (THC) and the probability of extreme climate events • Develop and operate an optimal ocean observing system for the North Atlantic component of the THC • Assess the stability of the THC to increased freshwater run-off from the Greenland ice sheets for various global warming scenarios • Forecast the Atlantic THC and its variability until 2025

  4. THOR: Thermohaline Overturning – at Risk? • Facts and Figures • A FP7 Collaborative Project • Research focus: Stability of the ThermoHaline Circulation • Duration: 4 years, December 2008 – November 2012 • Number: 20 participating institutions from 9 European countries • 5 Core Themes, around 60 Researchers • Project cost: 12.95 million Euro • EU Funding: 9.27 million Euro Contact and data requests: THOR.EU@zmaw.de http://www.eu-thor.eu/

  5. Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation Sinking at high latitudesMixing in the interiorSouthern Ocean upwelling

  6. Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation Sinking at high latitudesMixing in the interiorSouthern Ocean upwelling The compensating flow of warm water bring heat to northern Europe and keeps the eastern Nordic Seas free of ice.

  7. Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation Sinking at high latitudesMixing in the interiorSouthern Ocean upwelling Climate predictions show a weakening by about 30 % until 2100 radiative forcing - Greenhouse effect, freshwater forcing On decadal time scales ocean circulation and memory plays the important role

  8. Atlantic inflow Overflow and deep flow Water mass formation The THOR AMOC Observing System self-sustained moorings ship-surveys autonomous floats (ARGO) satellite remote sensing flux measurements quantification of water mass formation process-oriented experiments (mixing) S 8

  9. Water mass formation - transformation Through winter time convection the Labrador Sea contributes about one-third to the deep AMOC branch The Labrador Sea shows an overall warming since 1994 S 9

  10. Deep-water volume fluxes in Denmark Strait Synoptic section across Denmark Strait (July 2010) Temperature and currents Cold and dense overflows of Nordic Deep waters DS – current meter mooring locations S 10

  11. Deep-water volume fluxes in Denmark Strait Daily & 20 day transports in 106 m3/s Annual mean transports in 106 m3/s NAO Index The cold and dense overflows of Nordic Deep waters across the Greenland-Scotland Ridge have been very stable during 1996 - 2011 S 11

  12. Some results The North Atlantic has experienced a strong warming over the past decades The circulation - in contrast - is very stable A good knowledge of the state of the North Atlantic is a pre-requisite for reliable climate forecasts on decadal time scales. With a different focus the observational work of THOR will be continued in NACLIM S 12

  13. Some results The North Atlantic has experienced a strong warming over the past decades The circulation - in contrast - is very stable A good knowledge of the state of the North Atlantic is a pre-requisite for reliable climate forecasts on decadal time scales. With a different focus the observational work of THOR will be continued in NACLIM S 13

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