Modelling the Dynamics of Abyssal Equator-Crossing Currents

Abyssal flows, as part of the global thermohaline circulation, make a significant contribution to the flux of heat over the earth, and therefore affect the planet’s climate. In the Atlantic, the deepest flow consists of Antarctic Bottom Water, which originates in the Weddell Sea near Antarctica and flows northward along the western boundary of the Atlantic ocean. While part of this flow recirculates within the Brazil Basin, remaining in the southern hemisphere, part of the flow is observed to cross the equator into the northern hemisphere (DeMadron & Weatherly, 1994; Friedrichs & Hall, 1993).