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GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, VOL. 33, L03712, doi:10.1029/2005GL024911, 2006

Antarctic ozone depletion causes an intensification of the Southern Ocean super-gyre circulation

W. Cai

CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research, Aspendale, Victoria, Australia


Abstract

Recent climate trends over the Southern Hemisphere (SH) summer feature a strengthening of the circumpolar westerly and a weakening of the midlatitude westerly extending from the stratosphere to Earth's surface. Much of the change is attributable to Antarctic ozone depletion. However, the consequential ocean circulation changes are unknown. Here I demonstrate that the observed surface wind changes have forced a southward shift and spin-up of the super gyre, which links the subtropical South Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Ocean circulation, advecting more warm water southward. The circulation change includes a strengthening of the East Australian Current (EAC) flow passing through the Tasman Sea. The southward shift may be responsible for the observed unusually large warming in the SH midlatitude ocean and may contribute to the reported range extension to the south of many marine species in the South West Pacific.

Received 10 October 2005; accepted 23 December 2005; published 10 February 2006.

Index Terms: 0429 Biogeosciences: Climate dynamics (1620); 1621 Global Change: Cryospheric change (0776); 1635 Global Change: Oceans (1616, 3305, 4215, 4513); 3339 Atmospheric Processes: Ocean/atmosphere interactions (0312, 4504); 4504 Oceanography: Physical: Air/sea interactions (0312, 3339).

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Citation: Cai, W. (2006), Antarctic ozone depletion causes an intensification of the Southern Ocean super-gyre circulation, Geophys. Res. Lett., 33, L03712, doi:10.1029/2005GL024911.