Thanks Alastair, I couldn't access the site from my computer for some unknown reason. I hope it isn't something to do with a "large relative" here in the U.S. There are some other sites, like www.api.org, which I can't access either. However, I was able to read it thru another WEB access point....
The folks at RAPID seem obsessed with the AMOC at 26.5N latitude, which I think misses the real problem. They measure relatively large flows, like the Florida Current, then difference that with the other rather diffuse surface flow going back south to obtain a net flow to the North. By differencing two large numbers, the errors may compound. They assume that the net flow is in balance with the THC flow(s) going south along the bottom. There seems to be little concern about the other flows, such as that thru the Bering Strait, or changes in runoff. Also, looking at things along the 26.5N transect won't show WHERE the downward sinking of the THC occurs. A weakening or shutdown of part of the THC in the Nordic or Labrador Seas might be replaced by stronger sinking in the Arctic as the sea-ice cycle changes. The weather and climate would change. It may have already begun, as we are seeing the sea-ice melting, perhaps from below, as suggested by Maslanik et. al. Here are some recent thoughts about the 2007 melt: Perovich, D. K., J. A. Richter-Menge, K. F. Jones, and B. Light (2008), Sunlight, water, and ice: Extreme Arctic sea ice melt during the summer of 2007, Geophys. Res. Lett., 35, L11501, doi:10.1029/2008GL034007. E. S. ------------------ Alastair wrote: > Eric, > > Here's an article about the monitoring of the THC: > http://www.nerc.ac.uk/publications/planetearth/2008/summer/sum08-rapid.pdf > from the UK government organisation NERC. They produce a magazine > which reports some of their work each quarter, which can be found > here. > http://www.nerc.ac.uk/publications/planetearth/ > > The articles can be interesting and not too heavy :-) > > Cheers, Alastair. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Global Change ("globalchange") newsgroup. Global Change is a public, moderated venue for discussion of science, technology, economics and policy dimensions of global environmental change. Posts will be admitted to the list if and only if any moderator finds the submission to be constructive and/or interesting, on topic, and not gratuitously rude. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/globalchange -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
