Impact of geothermal heating on the global ocean circulation

• Published in: Geophysical research letters Vol. 28; no. 9; pp. 1735 - 1738
• Main Authors: Adcroft, Alistair, Scott, Jeffery R., Marotzke, Jochem
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.05.2001; American Geophysical Union
• Subjects: Earth, ocean, space; Exact sciences and technology; External geophysics; Marine; Physics of the oceans; Thermohaline structure and circulation. Turbulence and diffusion; IS, Indo-Pacific; ISW, Indian Ocean; IS, Pacific; Warming; Heating; Ocean circulation; Numerical simulation; Ocean floors; Heat transfer; Ocean model
• ISSN: 0094-8276; 1944-8007
• DOI: 10.1029/2000GL012182

The response of a global circulation model to a uniform geothermal heat flux of 50 mW m−2 through the sea floor is examined. If the geothermal heat input were transported upward purely by diffusion, the deep ocean would warm by 1.2°C. However, geothermal heating induces a substantial change in the deep circulation which is larger than previously assumed and subsequently the warming of the deep ocean is only a quarter of that suggested by the diffusive limit. The numerical ocean model responds most strongly in the Indo‐Pacific with an increase in meridional overturning of 1.8 Sv, enhancing the existing overturning by approximately 25%.