Remote forcing of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current by diapycnal mixing

Munday, D. R., Allison, L. C., Johnson, H. L. and Marshall, D. P. (2011) Remote forcing of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current by diapycnal mixing. Geophysical Research Letters, 38 (8). L08609. ISSN 0094-8276 doi: 10.1029/2011GL046849

Abstract/Summary

We show that diapycnal mixing can drive a significant Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) volume transport, even when the mixing is located remotely in northern-hemisphere ocean basins. In the case of remote forcing, the globally-averaged diapycnal mixing coefficient is the important parameter. This result is anticipated from theoretical arguments and demonstrated in a global ocean circulation model. The impact of enhanced diapycnal mixing on the ACC during glacial periods is discussed.