Dynamic transition theory for thermohaline circulation (Q2268949)

This work provides a study on dynamic transition of the Boussinesq equations using molecular viscosity and diffusion and anisotropic friction. They are basic equations describing the motion and states of large scale ocean circulations. Two criteria are derived in this work: (1) A non-dimensional parameter is introduced to distinguish the multiple steady state and oscillatory spatiotemporal patterns. These patterns play an important role in understanding of the mechanism of thermohaline circulations in different oceanic basins; (2) Both the multiple equilibria and periodic solutions transitions, continuous and jump transitions can occur depending, respectively, on the signs of two computable non-dimensional parameters. A convection scale law is introduced, providing a method to introduce proper friction terms in the model in order to derive the correct circulation length scale. The analyses proper friction terms shows that the thermohaline circulation appears to be associated with the continuous transitions of stable multiple equilibria. The basic results are represented in 4 theorems and 5 figures.