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Vivier et al. 2004
Vivier, F., Maier-Reimer, E. and Tyler, R.H. (2004). Simulations of magnetic fields generated by the Antarctic Circumpolar Current at satellite altitude: Can geomagnetic measurements be used to monitor the flow?. Geophysical Research Letters 31: doi: 10.1029/2004GL019804. issn: 0094-8276.

With a volume transport of ~134 Âż 106 m3/s at the Drake Passage, the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) is the strongest ocean current. In the interest of estimating the secondary magnetic fields generated by the magnetohydrodynamic interaction of this flow with Earth's main field, we compare numerical results for the magnetic fields obtained using flow from three different ocean general circulation models. These simulations all expect detectable ocean signals in the magnetic records at ground and satellite altitude (400 km). The variability of this contribution is highly correlated with the ACC transport, a very important variable for climate studies. Observed magnetic fields could then be used, in principle, to derive an index of variability of the ACC. However given its small amplitude compared with other magnetic contributions, extracting the ocean's signal from observations remains a challenge at this time.

BACKGROUND DATA FILES

Abstract

Keywords
Oceanography, Physical, Currents, Marine Geology and Geophysics, Geomagnetism, Oceanography, General, Instruments and techniques, Global Change, Oceans, Geomagnetism and Paleomagnetism, Time variations—diurnal to secular
Journal
Geophysical Research Letters
http://www.agu.org/journals/gl/
Publisher
American Geophysical Union
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