The Response of the Upper Ocean to a Large Summertime Injection of Smoke in the Atmosphere
Abstract
A one-dimensional oceanic planetary boundary layer model is used to investigate the response of the upper ocean to the atmospheric conditions which are predicted to develop following a hypothetical nuclear exchange. The ocean model is driven by the surface heat and momentum fluxes predicted by an atmospheric general circulation model following a summertime injection of 1.5 X 10 to the 14th power g of smoke from postwar fires over Europe, Asia, and North America. Although the specific response of the upper ocean is highly dependent on the geographic location, the mid-latitude summertime mixed layer typically cools 3 deg to 5 deg C and deepens 25 m during the first 30 days following the smoke injection. Moreover, a large fraction of this response is found to take place during a short 2- to 3-day period of very intense winds and falling air temperatures, which occurs during the first week or two after the smoke injection. Keywords: Nuclear winter; Marine mixed layer; Ocean models; Air water interactions; Nuclear explosions. Reprints.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 15, 1987
- Accession Number
- ADA204481
Entities
People
- Robert L. Haney
- Roland W. Garwood Jr.
- Steven J. Ghan
- Theodore R. Mettlach
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School