Numerical Studies of Negative Bouyancy-Induced Thermohaline Circulation on Arctic Continental Shelves

这项建议是对北极环境及其在全球变化中的作用的系统研究的一部分，该研究由美国国家科学基金会的北极系统科学计划推动。这是一个为期三年的项目，目的是通过在一系列面向过程的研究中应用数值模式来了解与地表盐分通量有关的温盐环流的动力学。冰层形成过程中的表面冷却和盐水排出导致北冰洋许多地区，特别是大陆架上的表面盐度通量很大。这种负的浮力输入增加了水的密度，以至于它可能下沉到底部，并引发温盐环流模式，可能会产生羽状形式的密集水底层流。这种浓密的水羽流可能会将陆架水输送到大陆架上，并将其沉积到北极深处的盆地中，从而促进北极大范围的环流。

This proposal is part of a systematic study of the Arctic environment and its role in global change which is promoted by NSF's Arctic System Science Program. It is a three year project to understand the dynamics of the thermohaline circulation associated with surface salinity fluxes by applying a numerical model in a sequence of process-oriented studies. Surface cooling and brine rejection during ice formation lead to large surface salinity fluxes in many areas of the Arctic Ocean, particularly over the continental shelves. This negative buoyancy input increases the water density to such an extent that it may sink to the bottom and induce thermohaline circulation patterns with may generate dense-water bottom currents in the form of plumes. Such dense-water plumes may transport shelf water across the shelf and deposit it into the deep Arctic basins, thus contributing to the large-scale Arctic circulation.