The stratosphere acts on the seabed

2012/09/27 Roa Zubia, Guillermo - Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Ozeanografia
• Klima

Climatologists are surprised by the connection. They knew that the physical conditions of the stratosphere affect the aquatic surface of the ocean, but a study has found that this relationship is even stronger: the influence of the stratosphere reaches two thousand meters under the sea.

Experts at the University of Utah have been influenced by the study of a huge collection of data. On the one hand, theoretical data have been collected, which are data from the theoretical model of the agency NOAA, which analyzes 4,000 years ago in time. On the other hand, the meteorological and oceanic data collected during 30 years have been analyzed. Combined these data have found that stratospheric dynamics represent 30% of the physical fluctuations of the oceans, a very high number, taking into account the existence of a turbulent troposphere between the stratosphere and the surface of water.

Every two years, the temperature of the stratosphere increases by dozens of degrees, slowing the turbulence of the wind over the North Pole in that layer. It can also cause a turning direction change. And what happens in the stratosphere is reflected in the ocean, modifying mainly the thermohaline circulation of the north of the Atlantic and with it all the pattern of currents.

The work of experts at the University of Utah has shown the need to carefully analyze stratospheric incidents in order to develop a specific climate model.