A conceptual two-layer model of thermohaline circulation in a pie-shaped beta-plane basin

Abstract

The three dimensional structure of thermohaline circulation in a D-plane is investigated using a conceptual two layer model and a scaling argument. In this simple model, the water mass formation region is excluded. The upper layer represents the oceans above the main thermocline. The lower layer represents the deep ocean below the thermocline and is much thicker than the upper layer. In each layer, geostrophy and the linear vorticity balance are assumed. The cross interfacial velocity that compensates for the deep water mass formation balances downward heat diffusion from the top. From the above relations, we can determine the thickness of the upper layer, which is the same as thermocline depth. The results we get is basically the same as that we get for an f-plane ocean or the classical thermocline theory. Mass budget using the velocity scales from the scaling argument shows that western boundary and interior transports are much larger than the net meridional transport. Therefore in the thermohaline circulation, horizontal circulation is much stronger than the vertical circulation occuring on a meridional plane.