Simulation of Volume and Heat Transport along 26.5°N in the Atlantic

The observed meridional overturning circulation (MOC) and meridional heat transport (MHT) estimated from the Rapid Climate Change/Meridional Circulation and Heat Flux Array (RAPID/MOCHA) at 26.5°N are used to evaluate the volume and heat transport in the eddy-resolving model LASG/IAP Climate system Ocean Model (LICOM). The authors find that the Florida Current transport and upper mid-ocean transport of the model are underestimated against the observations. The simulated variability of MOC and MHT show a high correlation with the observations, exceeding 0.6. Both the simulated and observed MOC and MHT show a significant seasonal variability. According to the power spectrum analysis, LICOM can represent the mesoscale eddy characteristic of the MOC similar to the observation. The model shows a high correlation of 0.58 for the internal upper mid-ocean transport (MO) and a density difference between the western and eastern boundaries, as noted in previous studies.