Editorial Type:
Article
Article Type:
Research Article

Assessing Bjerknes Compensation for Climate Variability and Its Time-Scale Dependence

Yingying Zhao Laboratory for Climate and Ocean–Atmosphere Studies, Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing, China

Search for other papers by Yingying Zhao in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
,
Haijun Yang Laboratory for Climate and Ocean–Atmosphere Studies, Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing, China

Search for other papers by Haijun Yang in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
, and
Zhengyu Liu Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, and Nelson Center for Climate Research, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, and Laboratory for Climate and Ocean–Atmosphere Studies, Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing, China

Search for other papers by Zhengyu Liu in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
Print Publication:
01 Aug 2016
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-15-0883.1
Page(s):
5501–5512
Restricted access

Abstract

The Bjerknes compensation (BJC) refers to the tendency for changes in the atmosphere heat transport (AHT) and ocean heat transport (OHT) to compensate each other. However, the nature of this compensation varies with the time scale of changes. In this study, a new approach was developed to diagnose BJC for climate variability by considering the correlation between AHT and OHT and their relative magnitudes. The correlation is equivalent to the cosine of phase difference between AHT and OHT. For high-frequency climate variability, AHT lags or leads OHT by π/2, the correlation is zero, and BJC does not occur concurrently. For low-frequency climate variability, AHT lags or leads OHT by π, the correlation is −1, and BJC is concurrent. With increasing time scale, the phase difference between AHT and OHT changes from π/2 to π, and the BJC reaches equilibrium. A coupled box model is used to justify the approach and to understand the temporal change of BJC from a theoretical perspective. The correlation and BJC rate derived from theory and from the box model exhibit similar transient behaviors, approaching equilibrium monotonically with increasing time scale. The equilibrium BJC is established at decadal time scale. Since the BJC is closely related to climate feedback, a proper identification of BJC processes in climate variability can reveal the nature of dominant climate feedback processes at different time scales.

Denotes Open Access content.

Corresponding author address: Haijun Yang, Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, School of Physics, Peking University, 209 Chengfu Road, Beijing 100871, China. E-mail: hjyang@pku.edu.cn

Abstract

The Bjerknes compensation (BJC) refers to the tendency for changes in the atmosphere heat transport (AHT) and ocean heat transport (OHT) to compensate each other. However, the nature of this compensation varies with the time scale of changes. In this study, a new approach was developed to diagnose BJC for climate variability by considering the correlation between AHT and OHT and their relative magnitudes. The correlation is equivalent to the cosine of phase difference between AHT and OHT. For high-frequency climate variability, AHT lags or leads OHT by π/2, the correlation is zero, and BJC does not occur concurrently. For low-frequency climate variability, AHT lags or leads OHT by π, the correlation is −1, and BJC is concurrent. With increasing time scale, the phase difference between AHT and OHT changes from π/2 to π, and the BJC reaches equilibrium. A coupled box model is used to justify the approach and to understand the temporal change of BJC from a theoretical perspective. The correlation and BJC rate derived from theory and from the box model exhibit similar transient behaviors, approaching equilibrium monotonically with increasing time scale. The equilibrium BJC is established at decadal time scale. Since the BJC is closely related to climate feedback, a proper identification of BJC processes in climate variability can reveal the nature of dominant climate feedback processes at different time scales.

Denotes Open Access content.

Corresponding author address: Haijun Yang, Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, School of Physics, Peking University, 209 Chengfu Road, Beijing 100871, China. E-mail: hjyang@pku.edu.cn
Save
Cover Journal of Climate
Journal of Climate

  • Bjerknes, J., 1964: Atlantic air-sea interaction. Advances in Geophysics, Vol. 10, Academic Press, 1–82.

  • Cheng, W., C. M. Bitz, and J. C. H. Chiang, 2007: Adjustment of the global climate to an abrupt slowdown of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation. Ocean Circulation: Mechanisms and Impacts, Geophys. Monogr., Vol. 173, Amer. Geophys. Union, 295–313.

  • Clement, A. C., and R. Seager, 1999: Climate and the tropical oceans. J. Climate, 12, 3383–3401, doi:10.1175/1520-0442(1999)012<3383:CATTO>2.0.CO;2.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Donohoe, A., J. Marshall, D. Ferreira, and D. McGee, 2013: The relationship between ITCZ location and cross-equatorial atmospheric heat transport: From the seasonal cycle to the Last Glacial Maximum. J. Climate, 26, 3597–3618, doi:10.1175/JCLI-D-12-00467.1.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Enderton, D., and J. Marshall, 2009: Explorations of atmosphere–ocean–ice climates on an aquaplanet and their meridional energy transports. J. Atmos. Sci., 66, 1593–1611, doi:10.1175/2008JAS2680.1.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Farneti, R., and G. Vallis, 2013: Meridional energy transport in the coupled atmosphere–ocean system: Compensation and partitioning. J. Climate, 26, 7151–7166, doi:10.1175/JCLI-D-12-00133.1.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Huang, R. X., J. R. Luyten, and H. M. Stommel, 1992: Multiple equilibrium states in combined thermal and saline circulation. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 22, 231–246, doi:10.1175/1520-0485(1992)022<0231:MESICT>2.0.CO;2.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Kang, S. M., I. M. Held, D. M. W. Frierson, and M. Zhao, 2008: The response of the ITCZ to extratropical thermal forcing: Idealized slab-ocean experiments with a GCM. J. Climate, 21, 3521–3532, doi:10.1175/2007JCLI2146.1.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Kang, S. M., D. M. W. Frierson, and I. M. Held, 2009: The tropical response to extratropical thermal forcing in an idealized GCM: The importance of radiative feedbacks and convective parameterization. J. Atmos. Sci., 66, 2812–2827, doi:10.1175/2009JAS2924.1.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Langen, P. L., and V. A. Alexeev, 2007: Polar amplification as a preferred response in an idealized aquaplanet GCM. Climate Dyn., 29, 305–317, doi:10.1007/s00382-006-0221-x.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Lindzen, R. S., and B. Farrell, 1977: Some realistic modifications of simple climate models. J. Atmos. Sci., 34, 1487–1501, doi:10.1175/1520-0469(1977)034<1487:SRMOSC>2.0.CO;2.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Liu, Z., H. Yang, C. He, and Y. Zhao, 2016: A theory for Bjerknes compensation: The role of climate feedback. J. Climate, 29, 191–208, doi:10.1175/JCLI-D-15-0227.1.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Marotzke, J., 1990: Instabilities and multiple equilibria of the thermohaline circulation. Ph.D. thesis, University of Kiel, 126 pp., doi:10.3289/ifm_ber_194.

  • Marotzke, J., and P. Stone, 1995: Atmospheric transports, the thermohaline circulation, and flux adjustments in a simple coupled model. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 25, 1350–1364, doi:10.1175/1520-0485(1995)025<1350:ATTTCA>2.0.CO;2.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Nakamura, M., P. H. Stone, and J. Marotzke, 1994: Destabilization of the thermohaline circulation by atmospheric eddy transports. J. Climate, 7, 1870–1882, doi:10.1175/1520-0442(1994)007<1870:DOTTCB>2.0.CO;2.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • North, G. R., 1975: Theory of energy-balance climate models. J. Atmos. Sci., 32, 2033–2043, doi:10.1175/1520-0469(1975)032<2033:TOEBCM>2.0.CO;2.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • North, G. R., 1984: The small ice cap instability in diffusive climate models. J. Atmos. Sci., 41, 3390–3395, doi:10.1175/1520-0469(1984)041<3390:TSICII>2.0.CO;2.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Roe, G., 2009: Feedbacks, timescales, and seeing red. Annu. Rev. Earth Planet. Sci., 37, 93–115, doi:10.1146/annurev.earth.061008.134734.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Rose, B. E., and D. Ferreira, 2013: Ocean heat transport and water vapor greenhouse in a warm equable climate: A new look at the low gradient paradox. J. Climate, 26, 2117–2136, doi:10.1175/JCLI-D-11-00547.1.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Seo, J., S. M. Kang, and D. M. Frierson, 2014: Sensitivity of intertropical convergence zone movement to the latitudinal position of thermal forcing. J. Climate, 27, 3035–3042, doi:10.1175/JCLI-D-13-00691.1.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Shaffrey, L., and R. Sutton, 2006: Bjerknes compensation and the decadal variability of the energy transports in a coupled climate model. J. Climate, 19, 1167–1181, doi:10.1175/JCLI3652.1.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Stommel, H., 1961: Thermohaline convection with two stable regimes of flow. Tellus, 13A, 224–230, doi:10.1111/j.2153-3490.1961.tb00079.x.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Stone, P. H., 1978: Constraints on dynamical transports of energy on a spherical planet. Dyn. Atmos. Oceans, 2, 123–139, doi:10.1016/0377-0265(78)90006-4.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Tziperman, E., J. R. Toggweiler, Y. Feliks, and K. Bryan, 1994: Instability of the thermohaline circulation with respect to mixed boundary conditions: Is it really a problem for realistic models? J. Phys. Oceanogr., 24, 217–232, doi:10.1175/1520-0485(1994)024<0217:IOTTCW>2.0.CO;2.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Vallis, G. K., and R. Farneti, 2009: Meridional energy transport in the coupled atmosphere–ocean system: Scaling and numerical experiments. Quart. J. Roy. Meteor. Soc., 135, 1643–1660, doi:10.1002/qj.498.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Van Der Swaluw, E., S. S. Drijfhout, and W. Hazeleger, 2007: Bjerknes compensation at high northern latitudes: The ocean forcing the atmosphere. J. Climate, 20, 6023–6032, doi:10.1175/2007JCLI1562.1.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Vellinga, M., and P. Wu, 2008: Relations between northward ocean and atmosphere energy transports in a coupled climate model. J. Climate, 21, 561–575, doi:10.1175/2007JCLI1754.1.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Yang, H., and H. Dai, 2015: Effect of wind forcing on the meridional heat transport in a coupled climate model: Equilibrium response. Climate Dyn., 45, 1451–1470, doi:10.1007/s00382-014-2393-0.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Yang, H., Y. Wang, and Z. Liu, 2013: A modelling study of the Bjerknes compensation in the meridional heat transport in a freshening ocean. Tellus, 65A, 60–73, doi:10.3402/tellusa.v65i0.18480.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Yang, H., Q. Li, K. Wang, Y. Sun, and D. Sun, 2015: Decomposing the meridional heat transport in the climate system. Climate Dyn., 44, 2751–2768, doi:10.1007/s00382-014-2380-5.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Yang, H., Y. Zhao, and Z. Liu, 2016: Understanding Bjerknes compensation in atmosphere and ocean heat transports using a coupled box model. J. Climate, 29, 2145–2160, doi:10.1175/JCLI-D-15-0281.1.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Zhang, R., S. M. Kang, and I. M. Held, 2010: Sensitivity of climate change induced by the weakening of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation to cloud feedback. J. Climate, 23, 378–389, doi:10.1175/2009JCLI3118.1.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
All Time Past Year Past 30 Days
Abstract Views 0 0 0
Full Text Views 899 555 32
PDF Downloads 216 43 3