Effect of freshwater from the West Greenland Current on the winter deep convection in the Labrador Sea

Abstract

The effect of mesoscale eddies on the deep convection in the Labrador Sea is examined by using a realistically configured eddy-resolving ice-ocean model. The near-surface boundary current flowing into the Labrador Sea is realistically simulated, namely the West Greenland Current which carries upper/onshore fresh and lower/offshore warm water, and eddies separating from these boundary currents with cold/fresh water atop warm/salty water are also well reproduced. The modeled convection is confined to the southwestern Labrador Sea as observed, and its depth and width are reproduced better than in previous modeling studies. Although previous modeling studies demonstrated only the importance of eddy-induced heat transport in inhibition of deep convection over the central to northern Labrador Sea, our study found that the eddy-induced transport of near-surface fresh water also significantly contributes.